Installing Vapor Barrier In Basement Floor

Cut a slit around pipes drains conduit rebar and other penetrations sticking up through the floor to install the initial layer of vapor barrier.

Installing vapor barrier in basement floor.

Vapor barriers are usually best installed on the side of the wall that experiences the hotter temperature and moister conditions. The inner surface in colder climates and the outer surface in hot humid climates. 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. See what goes into waterproofing a basement too.

Record the wall measurements. With fiber insulation and a vapor barrier moisture can get trapped in the insulation leading to moldy insulation and decay in the wood framing. Add 2 inches to allow enough of the barrier to stop water from entering as it rolls towards the floor. Any kind of persistent moisture will allow mold to get a foothold and soon ruin carpet or wood flooring.

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. You can use caulk to fill in any gaps or cracks. The area on which you are installing the vapor barrier should be clean and dry. Cut any excess vapor barrier away and seal the slit with some tape.

In existing spaces oil based paints or vapor barrier latex paints offer an effective moisture barrier. For a dry mold free finished basement floor always install a vapor barrier before laying a wood subfloor or carpet pad. Good luck with your project. A basement vapor or moisture barrier is installed during the new construction of a home or the remodeling of a basement.

The water vapor can come through the concrete from the soil or from indoor air that comes in contact with the concrete. That way you have the extra layer of protection and don t have to worry about potential leaks. Also be sure to use treated lumber for the bottom plate on the wall framing. 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.

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 vapor barrier consists of one or more layers of sheet plastic 6 mil visqueen on top of the soil in the crawlspace or basement.