Best Vapor Barrier For Concrete Slab

Uncontrolled water vapor through concrete slabs has cost building owners designers and contractors billions of dollars.

Best vapor barrier for concrete slab.

The use of underslab vapor barriers is the best method and most economical solution for controlling water vapor migration through concrete slabs. Consider using concrete having a w c not greater than 0 45 to hasten slab drying time. View product where. Use of fly ash may help reduce soluble alkali content in the slab.

She s planning to pour a new layer of concrete over the old and wonders what type of vapor barrier she should use. To take it one step further astm e 1745 class a vapor barriers products with less than 0 01 perms are the best approach to protecting your concrete slab and components moisture sensitive floor and iaq from moisture sources below. Visqueen polyethylene is better called a vapor retarder as it really just slows the passage of moisture through the concrete and doesn t really. A concrete vapor barrier is any material that prevents moisture from entering a concrete slab.

Vapor retarders have been used since the 1950s. Vapor and gas barriers. Best 6 mil vapor barrier underlayment by flooring type all flooring moistureblock. That s the subject of this week s q a spotlight.

The usual solution would be 6 mil polyethylene with taped seams but a number of posters think there are much better products on the market. Since concrete is porous water vapors transmits from the ground through the concrete slab into your basement. What is a concrete vapor barrier. Once the water vapors gather underneath your flooring it will start to pool up and soak into your hardwood flooring.

The best vapor barriers for concrete floors and slabs are a new generation of poly made from high quality polyolefin resins that are designed to ensure low permeability high tensile strength and superior puncture resistance compared to regular polyethylene sheeting. It needs to dry and then stay dry to avoid flooring problems. Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet it s not supposed to stay that way. Recently though research has shown that the old traditional layer of 6 mil visqueen polyethylene plastic under the slab is seldom effective for two main reasons.