Moisture Barrier Over Concrete Floor

Moisture can come up through your subfloor especially if you are installing over concrete or below grade.

Moisture barrier over concrete floor.

A vapor barrier against the concrete surface is generally recommended before wood framing or flooring materials are installed. Before rolling out the underlayment be sure to sweep vacuum and remove all debris on the substructure. It insulates and cushions the flooring making it more comfortable to walk on. Where plastic sheets must be joined overlap the sheets by several inches and use strong vinyl tape to secure them.

For floating floors manufacturers often recommend installing a moisture barrier between the subfloor and the floating floor to prevent moisture intrusion. However the fact that the cost of floor coverings over concrete floor slabs in the u s. Along with the moisture barrier you may want to install an underlayment. A concrete vapor barrier is simply a sheet of polyethylene plastic visqueen placed directly on top of the sub grade before the concrete floor or slab is poured to help keep moisture from the soil from passing up through the concrete.

Here are some of the company s and their products. How to install vapor barrier on concrete floor under laminate flooring always read the flooring manufacturers recommendations and instructions before installing the underlayment. Confusion and debate over the use of vapor retarders will likely continue into the future. Below grade walls and floor slabs transmit ground moisture through concrete walls or slabs.

Americover has a high performance 15 mil vapor barrier for installation under concrete floors and slabs that will retard moisture migration and radon from escaping through the surface of the concrete floor. A moisture barrier may or may not be needed to insure good adhesion of your vinyl floor so do your homework to avoid problems later on down the road. Install a plastic vapor barrier. If your concrete passes the moisture test then plastic sheeting at least 6 mils thick will prevent moisture from getting into your laminate flooring.

A moisture barrier is need to protect the flooring against moisture or moisture vapor. A vapor barrier is not the same as an underlayment. Vapor barriers are a way to keep moisture from getting into the concrete. Is now estimated at over one billion dollars a year requires that greater attention be given to concerns about moisture within and below these slabs.

A concrete floor with a too high moisture content can wreak havoc on a vinyl floor. A concrete floor seems like the perfect base for a vinyl floor installation. This is why a vapor barrier under concrete is essential. It helps reduce mold and condensation in buildings.

The difficulty of course is that if the moisture barrier is compromised in any way moisture from the slab beneath can still damage the flooring or finish.