Concrete Floor Vapor Barrier Thickness

The american concrete institute s guide for concrete floor and slab construction recommends that the thickness of the vapor retarder be at least 10 mils.

Concrete floor vapor barrier thickness.

Moisture is your crawl space s ultimate enemy. Placing concrete directly on a vapor barrier increases the amount of. If you have a concrete floor that s in continuous contact with a source of moisture you re going to have problems. Aci 302 1 guide for concrete floor and slab construction states that the minimum thickness of an effective vapor barrier is 10 mils.

Generally as the thickness of a vapor barrier increases the strength and durability of the vapor barrier increases. A vapor barrier should be used for all concrete floors and slabs that are going to receive an impermeable floor finish like epoxy laminate linoleum and wood or if the concrete floor will be used for any purpose where the passage of water vapor through the floor may create problems. A vapor barrier against the concrete surface is generally recommended before wood framing or flooring materials are installed. The correct thickness of concrete vapor barriers being placed under concrete slabs and floors has been debated for many years.

The other characteristic of a good vapor barrier that makes it effective is resistance to punctures and tears. Very hot and humid climates may benefit from an exterior vapor barrier that keeps outside humidity from penetrating into walls. This is why a vapor barrier under concrete is essential. A vapor barrier is not the same as an underlayment.

It ll help keep out the moisture that s always going to be a problem if you have a crawl space with a dirt floor. Always read the flooring manufacturers recommendations and instructions before installing the underlayment. Allows for a clean dry crawl space. That s why you should invest in a crawl space vapor barrier.

It used to be 4 mil thick and 6 mil thick polyethelene sheeting was sufficient but. Before rolling out the underlayment be sure to sweep vacuum and remove all debris on the substructure. Puncture studies of 6 8 10 and 20 mil vapor retarder materials have shown that 10 mils is the minimum thickness that should be considered and thicker material may be necessary over. Vapor barriers satisfying the requirements of astm e 1745 09 typically have a thickness of 10 mils 0 010 inch or 15 mils 0 015 inch but can be thicker.

Which concrete vapor barrier thickness is best at blocking moisture vapor transmission from coming up through a concrete floor or slab. Vapor barriers are a way to keep moisture from getting into the concrete.