How To Install Vapour Barrier In Basement Floor

What is a vapour control layer how do they work.

How to install vapour barrier in basement floor.

In this guide we look at how vapour barriers work why you need them and how to install them. 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 material is stapled to the frame of a basement wall before it is finished with plaster or drywall. Vapour barrier poly installation steps.

Moisture enters concrete in a variety. In canada it should be c g s b. Before rolling out the underlayment be sure to sweep vacuum and remove all debris on the substructure. The science of moisture movement.

It provides an attached moisture barrier and has one of the higher r values on the market at 0 58. Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet it s not supposed to stay that way. Water vapor can pass through building materials in several ways including direct transmission and by heat transfer but studies suggest that fully 98 percent of the moisture transfer through walls occurs through air gaps including cracks around electrical fixtures and outlets and gaps along baseboards. Also install a good bath fan and use it when showering.

The area on which you are installing the vapor barrier should be clean. Step 3 install the barrier. Too much humidity in a wine cellar can damage the corks and ruin the wine. A vapour control layer or vcl for short is a plastic layer that restricts the movement of warm moist air from inside a property into the fabric of the building.

Polyurethane sheeting is a typical vapor barrier that contractors use to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of a basement. 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. A vapor barrier is also helpful to keeping a basement insulated and warm. It needs to dry and then stay dry to avoid flooring problems.

There are different thicknesses of poly that can be bought at your local building supply stores on various sized rolls but there is one thing that a vapour barrier grade poly needs and that is to be approved for use as a vapour barrier. If you have a wine cellar or basement add a vapor barrier there too. 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. If water has already accumulated on the surface clean it before you start the installation process.

All of this assumes that you have a dry basement with good site drainage working foundation drains and foundation waterproofing on the exterior. Thus installing vapor barriers on wall surfaces must. How to install vapor barrier on concrete floor under laminate flooring always read the flooring manufacturers recommendations and instructions before installing the underlayment.