Moisture Vapor Barrier For Concrete

What is a concrete vapor barrier.

Moisture vapor barrier for concrete.

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. But they have also proven to be beneficial in reducing failures of moisture sensitive flooring materials adhesives and coatings caused by excessive emission of moisture vapor from concrete slabs. Ft 24 hours in 82 days with a vapor barrier compared to 144 days when exposed to vapor from below. Meadows 10 and 15 mil vapor barrier.

Very hot and humid climates may benefit from an exterior vapor barrier that keeps outside humidity from penetrating into walls. A vapor barrier against the concrete surface is generally recommended before wood framing or flooring materials are installed. Meadows makes a concrete vapor barrier called perminator. Perminator also helps reduce radon gases from entering a building through.

It needs to dry and then stay dry to avoid flooring problems. Water vapor leaves the surface of a concrete slab at a rate that is called the moisture vapor emission rate mver. Perminator vapor barriers help reduce the penetration of moisture and water vapor through the slab and into the building which helps reduce mold fungus and mildew. When you read in a sealer data sheet that the mver needs to be 3 pounds or 5 pounds what that means is the number of pounds of water vapor per 1000 square feet per 24 hours.

Aci 302 2r 06 guide for concrete floors that receive moisture sensitive flooring materials estimates that concrete with a w c of 0 5 will dry to an mver of 3 pounds 1000 sq. Vapor barriers have been associated with certain concrete slab on grade problems including curling and cracking.