Installing Vapor Barrier In Basement Floor

For concrete basement floors that give off large amounts of moisture it might be worth considering installing a 6 mil vapor barrier with an underlayment that has an attached pad.

Installing vapor barrier in basement floor.

The area on which you are installing the vapor barrier should be clean and dry. With fiber insulation and a vapor barrier moisture can get trapped in the insulation leading to moldy insulation and decay in the wood framing. In existing spaces oil based paints or vapor barrier latex paints offer an effective moisture barrier. Of foam against the wall this should not be a problem in your climate.

Vapor barriers are usually best installed on the side of the wall that experiences the hotter temperature and moister conditions. Polyurethane sheeting is a typical vapor barrier that contractors use to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of a basement. For a dry mold free finished basement floor always install a vapor barrier before laying a wood subfloor or carpet pad. No need to bother with large fold out low quality off spec construction grade films which can be bothersome and hard to use before the floor is installed.

Also be sure to use treated lumber for the bottom plate on the wall framing. Because excessive dampness in a crawlspace or basement can condense you can install a vapor barrier to protect floor framing from becoming damp and covered with fungus efflorescence and rot. The inner surface in colder climates and the outer surface in hot humid climates. Good luck with your project.

Add 2 inches to allow enough of the barrier to stop water from entering as it rolls towards the floor. See what goes into waterproofing a basement too. That way you have the extra layer of protection and don t have to worry about potential leaks. Our moistureblock is a 6 mil polyethylene film vapor barrier that is used during the installation process with floating laminate luxury vinyl planks and engineered wood floors.

A basement vapor or moisture barrier is installed during the new construction of a home or the remodeling of a basement. Cut any excess vapor barrier away and seal the slit with some tape. The water vapor can come through the concrete from the soil or from indoor air that comes in contact with the concrete. The other option is to set the 2 4 wall framing in 4 from the masonry or concrete basement walls and use just the vapor barrier on the insulation facing toward the living space.

A vapor barrier consists of one or more layers of sheet plastic 6 mil visqueen on top of the soil in the crawlspace or basement. You can use caulk to fill in any gaps or cracks.