In an ideal world every slab would be tested for moisture prior to the installation of a floor covering.
Flooring installation delayed for slab moisture.
What you want is a slab with an acceptable level of moisture for the flooring finish you re installing.
Therefore it s advisable to have a floor tested for moisture content prior to installing flooring or moisture barriers.
Measuring moisture in wood flooring.
When conducting slab moisture testing conduct tests in several areas regardless of the age of the slab.
Every concrete slab has moisture and will always have moisture.
The fastest way to measure moisture in floors is to use a moisture meter for wood.
If an effective low permeance vapor retarder material is not installed directly in contact with the underside of the slab the concrete will be exposed to a perpetual source of moisture rising from below.
This makes it a reliable option to install over your concrete slab.
Without an effective vapor retarder below the slab the flooring material becomes the stopping point for rising moisture setting the stage.
If excessive moisture is present it needs to be addressed.
Concrete slabs and floors can be excellent subfloor surfaces for tile and other floor coverings but too much moisture in the concrete can cause problems with flooring installations.
On the contrary water vapor present in concrete slabs both new and existing will interact with flooring materials and the environment and can have a detrimental effect like those scenarios described above if not taken into consideration when planning and installing the floor.
In terms of new construction the slab should be tested after it has cured and prior to the installation of a floor covering.
Like other flooring materials that work well over concrete slabs laminate uses layers to fight moisture.
If you plan to transform your basement into a high traffic area for entertaining and relaxing laminate could be a great option.
When to test for moisture in a concrete slab.
If the testing indicates a wet slab document the results and delay installation of the flooring until corrected.
However flooring manufacturers now market some flooring materials as being moisture resistant some laminates engineered woods bamboo and cork flooring materials identified as moisture resistant can be used successfully on concrete slabs.
The manufacturer s literature will specify installation requirements to satisfy the flooring s warranty.
For floating floors manufacturers often recommend installing a moisture barrier between the subfloor and the floating floor to prevent moisture intrusion.
The difficulty of course is that if the moisture barrier is compromised in any way moisture from the slab beneath can still damage the flooring or finish.
This is why it s important to measure moisture in flooring wood as well as the ambient temperature and humidity conditions before installing hardwood floors.
