*
What is the best way to install a laminate I&G woId floor on a concrete slab? I expect that the slab is reasonably flat. However, because it is a full basement it does have a high humidity. I believe that I need to control the moisture from the slab in order to protect the floor and reduce the humidity level. What is the best way to do this????
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Listeners write in about haunted pipes and building-science tomes, and they ask questions about roof venting and roof leaks.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Hi Brad,
High levels of humidity are not caused be full basements but by poor construction or design problems.
First check the floor for humidity problems due to faulty or missing VB. Put a one foot by one foot down on the slab with duct tape all around the edge to seal it and after 24 hours, if you see water beading on the underside, you will have to install a VB under your wood flooring.
Buy a humistat and check the humidity levels in your basement and record the results over the period of a week at different times of the day.
If you find high levels of humidity, a dehumidifier will be required to protect your flooring investment.
While your at it, check the walls for humidity as a result of poor damproofing or waterproofing.
The easiest floor to install is composite floating floors over concrete, as long as the concrete is level.
Gabe
If
*
Hello Brad
My flooring distributor told me to tape the seams in the foam pad that lies beneath the flooring with builders tape(as used for Tyvek, etc). This was for a job done about a year ago, & no problems so far. I also did tell the homeowner to use a dehumidifier.
The flooring we used was made by Boen Parkett; this has a solid wood surface over an engineered substrate. As Gabe said, these floors are easy to install over concrete, but can turn into a nightmare if the concrete surface is uneven.
Mike
*Thank you for the help. I will try the 1'x1' sample area. If my fears are correct, I will have moisture penetrating the concrete slab. I have a dehumidifier that I place in the room in the summer. It works well to control the humidity levels. The problem that I would see is the following: If I do place a vapor barrier between the floating floor and the slab, and it then traps moisture between the VB and slab. Won't I then have additional moisture problems??? Should the VB be adhered to the slab?? Any help you can provide will be appreciated.
*
It's not that you will have trapped the moisture, it's that you will prevent the moisture from attacking your flooring. And I don't think that I would recommend trying to glue a poly VB to the slab because a lot of these adhesives react with the poly.
It's always best to install the VB under the slab during construction, but not all homes have been done in the past. It may save 100 bucks during construction but does thousands of dollars worth of damage over the lifespan of the house.
When I install a VB after the fact, I tape the sections together and bring the VB up the outside walls about a foot or two, but I don't tape it to the wall.
There are some VB sprays that you coat the inside of the foundation with but I don't have confidence in these coatings over the long run.
Gabe
*
Gabe, Thanks a lot for your advise. I still have two concerns.
1) With the VB laying between the slab and the floor, where can the moisture collected between the slab and VB go?? Will it eventually find its way to the sides of the room and eventually "squish" (technical term)out the sides. I understand that that is why you bring the VB up the side walls. Or will the moisture work its way back into the slab?? Or worse yet, will I be growing mold between the slab and VB??? Thnaks again for your help.
Brad
*
Hi Brad,
A small amount will make it's way to the outside walls and evaporate into the air. I wouldn't worry about mold, nothing to feed it.
Gabe
*b TVMDCBrad, Gabe, One thing you could use to seal the concrete is Xypex which comes in a 60# pail for about $175.00. It completely blocks the pores in the CNC from water intrusion. In this case, you could apply the slurry on the floor and up the side walls about the foot you would otherwise put the vapor barrier.It is specifically designed to be applied from the negative side, i.e., inside. I've used it several times with 100% results. You can click here to visit their web site. By the way, what part of the country are you in?View Image
*
We are re-doing our oak floors adn are trying to figure out the best cover. Friends swear by gym seal, 2 professionals told us about moisture cure.... but it sounds too good to be true. What is your opinion? Ever heard of moisture cure, and what are it's pitfalls, if any? Does it really last up to 10-15 years? Any special way to take care of it versus a poly floor cover? Thanks!
*
Don't use poly!
Almost all laminates come with a matching vapor barrier/foam pad combo. No need to double up when you have to buy a pad anyway. use vapor barrier tape on the joints. If your worries about the edges tremco the barrier to the slab all the way around. Just don't touch anything with that goo!
*I have used concrete sealer paints on small areas with good luck. Just something I remember from school...I remember a detail of a wood floor on double 1x4 sleepers over concrete. I beleive the first 1x4 was nailed to the slab then the VB installed then another 1x4 nailed over VB. We dont have basements in Louisiana so I have never seen this or know if it works but it was in a college text book for what its worth. Probably one of those books architects use lol.....Down here we just glue the stuff directly to the slab and everyone has the vapor barrier in the slab directly under the concrete...of course our houses are air conditioned 9 months out of the yr which reduces humidity....
*
What is the best way to install a laminate I&G woId floor on a concrete slab? I expect that the slab is reasonably flat. However, because it is a full basement it does have a high humidity. I believe that I need to control the moisture from the slab in order to protect the floor and reduce the humidity level. What is the best way to do this????