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What to cover a cement floor with to prevent moisture?

Hello all, I have a building behind my home and my son wants to make it into an apartment, It was an apartment once long ago, the problem is, it is all cement flooring and the moisture caused certain areas to become moldy..I had plastic and rubber lament with carpet on top any suggestions on how to cover cement floors and what is proper that can help to eliminate moisture? I prefer carpet for warmth but any ideas?

7 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    To eliminate the moisture there needs to be ventilation of some kind and/or a vapor barrier over the concrete. If the slab is poured directly on the ground it will almost always sweat with changes in humidity levels in the air as the concrete will be at pretty much a constant temperature. Think about how stones in your yard react to the moisture in the air on a muggy summer morning. Hence the vapor barrier ( plastic ) or an epoxy coating applied to the dried surface to lock out the hydrostatic pressure within the slab. Then I would suggest one of the newer building products such as Dry-deck which is made for basements and incorporates a wood-type surface with built-in ventilation grids on the underside. You can apply a vast range of floor coverings over it and it can be found under different names in many of the home improvement stores and centers.

    Source(s): DIY and building trades experience
  • 1 decade ago

    The first thing to do to stop water in the building is to look out side of the building. Is the land sloping away from the building? Are there rain gutters to take rain away from the building. You can seal the concrete with several products, Conseal or Thompsons have products made for this. Do not just cover the floor with plastic. Mold will grow under the plastic. The most important thing is to find where the water comes from and stop it before it gets inside.

  • Julie
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    I think you should consider putting down a moisture barrier, then add a sub floor of plywood before putting in the carpet. There are some good products on the market to paint on the floor and seal it from moisture.

  • 1 decade ago

    Go to a specialty store for flooring or call a company who specializes in that and ask the question. Make sure you put a moisture barrier over floor when it's ready for padding and carpet

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  • 4 years ago

    it is likewise in all likelihood that the cement floor has cracked as a manner to produce a great separation. you will decide to discover the crack and be certain its quantity. you may prefer a contractor to advise you the thank you to proceed from there. The partitions are linked to the floor with bolts poured or drilled into the cement except improperly executed it would be putting a great form of rigidity on the integrity of your domicile to have them separate very plenty.

  • 1 decade ago

    the pink 1/2 foam board followed by 5/8 tongue and groove plywood. tuck tape the foamboard to keep the thermal break. then predrill and screw the plywood through the foamboard into the concrete with blue screws

  • 1 decade ago

    Why dont you try a dehumidifier and see if that elimanates the moisture.

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