Concrete Slab Vapour Barrier

It needs to dry and then stay dryto avoid flooring problems.

Concrete slab vapour barrier.

If ground conditions require their use a 3 inch 75 millimeter layer of sand over the vapor barrier and under the concrete has been shown to reduce these problems. A concrete vapor barrier is any material that prevents moisture from entering a concrete slab. Furthermore placing concrete directly on the vapor barrier s consistent surface can make finishing of the slab more even. Once the water vapors gather underneath your flooring it will start to pool up and soak into your hardwood flooring.

Their use should be avoided where ground moisture conditions permit. 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. Thinner plastic can t stand up to the abuse of construction. Since concrete is porous water vapors transmits from the ground through the concrete slab into your basement.

Stego industries is the leader in the below slab concrete vapor barrier market. Known for our flagship stego wrap line of below slab vapor barriers and retarders stego has earned the respect trust and recommendation of architectural engineering and construction communities. Many moisture problems associated with interior concrete floors and slabs on grade can be minimized or eliminated by installing a vapor barrier under the concrete. First a vapor barrier provides a consistent smooth surface for concrete placement teams.

The term vapor barrier is often used interchangeably with the term vapor retarder to describe all membranes used to resist water vapor transmission. Vapor barriers aggravate the problems of plastic and shrinkage cracking. Once this happens the flooring can buckle or warp and cause havoc. Uncontrolled water vapor through concrete slabs has cost building owners designers and contractors billions of dollars.

This can be a time saver where the placement team has a predictable surface on the site throughout. Vapor and gas barriers. Aci 302 1 guide for concrete floor and slab construction states that the minimum thickness of an effective vapor barrier is 10 mils. A vapor barrier is an impermeable membrane primarily used to resist water vapor transmission from the soil to the concrete slab.

It prevents moisture from coming up through the slab ie rising damp. Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet it s not supposed to stay that way.