If you're going with just the vapor barrier under the carpet approach, use something a LOT heaver than 6 mil polyethylene, since it will behave a slip surface under the carpet underlayment and will likely abrade through in high traffic areas well before the carpet needs replacing.
Concrete stain is another inexpensive option. This won't delete the articles you've saved, just the list.
I am going with a R-2.1 insulation pad with Shaw Anso Nylon. The solution (which you already alluded to) would be to install 3/4-1" of EPS over the slab held down with a subfloor TapConned to the slab. Heres a list.
Install the UX 2.o or EXi 2.5 panel to warm up the garage and provide the perfect foundation for finish flooring, such as carpeting. As a general rule, you can lay carpet over concrete. You'll need to install metal Z-flashing at the horizontal seam between the top of the rigid foam and the bottom course of siding. For the best results, lift it up off of the floor and use boxes or crates to hold it up. What Is the Optimal Temperature for a Greenhouse? (888) 501-7899 Subfloor over a concrete slab with wall-to-wall carpet. Basement Carpeting: Installing Carpeting In a Finished Basement, How to Remove and Replace a Small Concrete Entry Pad, How to Finish, Frame, and Insulate a Basement, How to Install Basement Windows and Satisfy Egress Codes, Basement Waterproofing: How to Install a Basement Drainage System, Metal Studs: How to Use and Frame With Metal Studs, Damp Basement: Finding Leaks and Water Sources, How to Install Under Cabinet Lighting in Your Kitchen, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). Whether you plan on finishing your basement space or keeping it in its original state, it is important to apply a waterproof sealant to the concrete floor in order to lock out moisture. If you are going to be installing flooring in the basement, it is best to use a moisture vapor barrier coating like the Vapor-Tek 440. Measure the floor-to-ceiling height to ensure you will have adequate clearance between the ceiling and the surface of the finished floor to comply with building codes. Dry the FloorA dehumidifier can help draw out the water, or a floor fan can help circulate the air and speed evaporation of the dampness. It's also the best carpet underlay for underfloor heating as it allows heat from the underfloor panels to escape into the room efficiently. KILZ Bonding Primer. While household fans will work, they aren't designed for drying and may overheat or short out. Opening basement windows helps reduce negative air pressure, diluting radon with clean outdoor air. The floor is concrete slab on grade, and has had asbestos and then vinyl tiles applied to it in the past, and most recently had carpet over this. TILE GUY - retired- TROY, MI - Method & Product suitability consulting. There are four basic methods for installing InSoFast floor insulation: Floating: The simplest, quickest installation involves placing the panels directly on the concrete without any adhesive. The walls of the home are solid masonry (a wythe of concrete "bricks" on the outside, with an inner wythe of CMU blocks covered with stucco/plaster in the interior). Remove all dirt and debris from the concrete floor.
I have a family room that is 24x11 and it currently has carpet on it. Instead, rent high volume fans and structural drying dehumidifiers. Sealing helps protect the concrete from any spills, and give you peace of mind knowing the surface your carpet is setting on is as moisture proof as you can make it. Low spots should be filled in with concrete patch or concrete floor leveler. Radonseal is a silicate based sealer and just about every commerical construction job requiring a concrete sealer specifies that only a silicate based product. You then have two options, depending on your circumstances. KILZ Concrete & Masonry Bonding Primer is specially formulated to optimize the adhesion of masonry coatings. Install dimpled polyethylene to create an air space between the concrete and the finished floor, sealing off dampness and giving moisture a chance to dissipate. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Sealing your basement floor before installing carpet is a good idea. I wish it were practical for me to get a warm surface under the carpet and pad to reduce the amount of time the fibrous material spends below the dew point (an insulated sub-floor layer, etc) , but I think Im going to have to be content with something less ambitious. We are working on a :budget restricted fix-up of a house near Dayton, Ohio (Zone 5).
(30 mil polyethylene is probabaly enough, or perhaps EPDM membrane roofing.).
Basement condensation occurs when warm, moist air comes in contact with your cool basement walls and floor. Home Depot (and probably others) used to sell a hardwood flooring system comprised of plastic underlayment w/adhesive strip and foam backed hardwood planks. Finally, note that these options will raise your floor by 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 in., so make sure this added height wont create problems. Yes, the slab in mid-summer will be above the deep subsoil temperatures, but determining how much above the deep subsoil temps is a complex to model with lots of important factors that can't be known without intimate knowledge of the local soil strata & types, the distance from the water table, etc. Designing a house to work well without mechanical dehumidification or air conditioning would be best practice, and that requires at least keeping the carpet underlayment above the outdoor dew point.
But just sealing the cracks would be unlikely to reduce those amounts in the long term. The complete source for building, designing, and remodeling green homes. But if you use fiberglass insulation batts, then a moisture barrier will prevent water and moisture from entering your walls and creating mold and mildew. The perimeter of your slab is responsible for most of the slab-related heat loss. It still needs a vapor barrier, else all the moisture ends up in the room anyway through the edges. Glued down: Bond the panels in place with a 3/8 bead of PL Premium 3X Stronger Construction Adhesive along the dove-tailed ribbing of each stud. This is your one-stop encyclopedia that has numerous frequently asked questions answered. Since I cant expect any drying from the inside down under any circumstances, it seems best to at least reduce the possibility of moisture coming up. A similar product is DriCore R+ : a foam plus OSB click lock tile (so no tapcons needed). Thanks very much for the input.
Subflooring (a minimum of -inch is required on top of the InSoFast panels) and your choice of floor covering will reduce the clearance further, so plan accordingly for the best results. We have now insulated the interior of these walls with 1.75" of polyiso, but that thick, cold block still sits atop the slab/footer and will be effectively keeping that slab edge cold all winter long even if I insulate the slab edge above grade and a foot or two down. All this over our concrete slab.
Before you proceed, consult a local building inspector to determine specific building codes for this type of project. In addition, carpet is one of the most flexible floor-covering materials, so even if your cement floor is not perfectly level, carpet can be installed right over it, without the need to level the floor or otherwise prep it first. Lay the sheet over the concrete floor (dimples down), overlap adjacent edges and tape the seams. It is the only carpet padding I am aware of that has an R-value of 4.5 and contains no BHT, which makes this padding very mildew resistant. So, feel free to use this information and benefit from expert answers to the questions you are interested in! Tools and supplies? Both can cause a surprising amount of moisture to be put into the air. Helping You to Do It Yourself! 2022 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Mark, Friday: 8am 5pm R3 of carpet and pad), but it's still major. For a dry, mold-free finished basement floor, always install a vapor barrier before laying a wood subfloor or carpet pad. Do Not Sell My Personal Information CA Residents. Call us today to explore our great products! US Patent No. Sealing your basement floor before installing carpet is a. Approximately 75% of the slab is covered with these tiles, and the rest has various amounts of mastic or glue. All you need is a utility knife, saw (hand, jig, skill or table), construction glue, and a caulk gun and youre good to go! Add an insulating layer under your carpet or floor-covering - try a fibreboard underlay or polyfoam board. From what I have gathered, Radonseal claims to be better at sealing then DryLok. Any kind of persistent moisture will allow mold to get a foothold and soon ruin carpet or wood flooring. My Manual J calcs indicate the floor will constitute 35% of my winter heat loss, which is a LOT considering the modest insulation of the walls and ceiling, and that the house has a relatively compact ground footprint (square shape, 1.5 stories). When I tore out the old carpet it was quite filthy, but I cant say I saw any visible mold, etc.
Dimpled polyethylene underlayment is available from home centers, flooring suppliers or online. Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time.
It turns out Joe isn't much of a fan of plastic sheeting anywhere, I guess!
Unless you can design or retrofit your basement slab to be warm and dry, avoid wall-to-wall carpet as a floor finish. plywood, carpet pad and carpet as shown.
Rinse the floor with clear, hot water. When sealing basement floors and foundation walls the best concrete sealers to use are the Lithi-Tek 4500 primer followed by the Siloxa-Tek 8510 waterproofing sealer.
Any suggestions would be great such as lbs density to type of padding to use. Before installing carpet over concrete, it's best to ensure the concrete surface is smooth, level, free of imperfections and sealed. This method can be used for carpet, laminate and wood floors. At least 95% of heat loss will be from leaking windows and doors, lack of insulation in the attic not the floors. My question: In this situation, is it advisable to put down a vapor barrier (e.g. Apply a concrete sealer to block moisture or install a vapor barrier on the concrete floor prior to installing the InSoFast panels unless youre working with new construction with a vapor barrier already installed underneath the slab. Any kind of persistent moisture will allow mold to get a foothold and soon ruin carpet or wood flooring. Well, with the lack of thread. Jon,--thanks. Sealing all cracks and applying non-porous, thick epoxy coatings (over 10 MILS dry film thickness) would be a better step. It can be used on uncoated interior/exterior surfaces such as: concrete, masonry, stucco, cinder block and any porous stone or brick. The simpler solution would to use something other than carpet, something that won't grow mold, or trap materials that can grow mold the way a carpet can. Which type of dentition is present in scoliodon?
It also is not adversely affected by moisture contact. Des. I helped a friend install them in his basement (CZ3) after he pulled up the carpet installed by the previous owner.
Without air conditioning it's likely that the average indoor dew point will track somewhat above the average outdoor dew point. Also, be sure your basement floor is level. But a mere inch of foam renders it irrelevant. It may turn out to be slightly less than this (my Manual J program didn't give me credit for the approx. 10,773,882US Patent No. There are two ways to handle insulating concrete floors. Draught-proofing - simply use sealant or caulking to fill the gaps between your floorboards and between skirting boards and the floor.
Option B is sufficient if your floor is generally dry except for small amounts of moisture evaporating through the slab. Saturday / Sunday:CLOSED. JavaScript is disabled. InSoFast is a style of engineered continuous insulation that comes in 24-inch x 48-inch interlocking panels of varying depths. Ideally, you will excavate the perimeter of your house about 2 feet, so that you can install a 2-foot-high strip of vertical rigid foam (1.5 or 2 inches thick) at the slab perimeter.
You can also install it yourself, however, you need many specialized tools. See what goes into waterproofing a basement, too. See what goes into waterproofing a basement, too. 6 mil polyethylene) under the carpet pad and carpet? Use Option A to keep your floor dry if you have damp floors in your basement. Enter Our Dog Days of Summer BBQ Giveaway Now! Do not use on coated surfaces. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 2,761,810US & Foreign Patent PendingManufacturing in MA, MN, IDMade in the USA, (651) 653-3677 Screwed down: For any type of flooring, InSoFast panels can be attached to the concrete floor by installing concrete screws through the studs. The previous owner had pets and of course pet urine soaked through into the concrete. We recommend our users to update the browser. The versatile closed-cell, injection-molded InSoFast panels feature a continuous R-value of 8.5 to 10, rot-resistant framing, drainage channels, electrical raceways, and tightly interlocking tongue-and-groove edges that dont require taping. Note that summer slab temperature will be above deep subsoil temperature and that it's indoor (controllable by the occupant with AC or dehumidification), not outdoor dew point that will determine if there is condensation in the carpet.
tall dimples to create air space and a moisture barrier between the concrete and the plywood. Dana, I wanted to go with a foam/plywood subfloor Tapconned to the slab, but it just wasn't possible due to resource limitations (incl time). Regular carpet paddings have a negligible R factor, certainly under 1. When youre converting your garage, theres little question that InSoFast panels are the best way to insulate the concrete floor. You can attach wood sleepers to the floor, fill the gaps with rigid-foam insulation, and then apply a subfloor and finish flooring. Our experts have done a research to get accurate and detailed answers for you. It will make carpeted, laminate, and wood floors feel softer and more comfortable. Concrete Stain and Sealer. Seal the concrete floor using a commercial sealing product. Sponge rubber underlay Sponge rubber underlay is very durable and great for sound reduction which makes it one of the best carpet underlays for concrete floors.
Opening windows improves air circulation and ventilation, helping move radon out of the house and mixing radon-free outside air with indoor air. Are Expensive Building Components Necessary? Its ultra viscous synthetic latex resins make great replacements to tackless strips. See what goes into waterproofing a basement, too. The R3-R4 is enough to keep the temperature of the underside of the carpet warm enough to mitigate that issue.
Option B (in the photo) will work on a concrete floor that has no persistent dampness, seepage or leakage. Continue drying the floor until your dampness test with the plastic square stays dry overnight.
We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Insulate it quickly and cost-effectively with InSoFast EPS foam insulation panels! It doubles as a seam adhesive to stop the edges of the carpet from getting frayed. The house is slab-on-grade with solid masonry walls (we are adding 1.5 of polyioso to the interior of them). Have you thought about converting your garage but are stumped about what to do with the cold uninsulated concrete slab floor? 8,635,824US Patent No. The initial layer is a durable high-density polyethylene sheet or similar system that uses evenly spaced 3/8-in. Mop the concrete floor using a bleach solution. A forum community dedicated to Do it yourself-ers and home improvement enthusiasts. You must be a magazine subscriber to access this feature. Home House & Components Rooms Basement Basement Flooring, By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine. Installing carpet also helps to insulate the interior of a basement by keeping the floor warm in cold weather. I think we are getting a good amount of heat loss through our floor and want to know a better way to insulate it and put new carpeting down.
There is a down side to installing carpet on an uninsulated slab in your location. 