A few years in the past, a buyer of mine referred to as me to have a look at her mom’s hardwood flooring. She advised me there was some critical buckling and warping, however nothing might have ready me for what I used to be about to see. The strong hardwood was put in by a normal contractor who didn’t account for moisture. Consequently, this wooden ground regarded just like the waves of Lake Michigan. In some areas, this ground buckled 10” off the ground. The pressure of the hardwood buckling really broke the wall base in some locations. I carried out some moisture testing (relevant ASTM take a look at strategies), and sadly, found that moisture was the perpetrator. For some professionals, managing substrate moisture is usually a thriller. Let’s unravel a few of it right here.

So, you’ve carried out your testing in line with ASTM take a look at strategies and found moisture (or the potential for moisture) in your substrate, however what are your choices to take care of it? The reply is just not at all times easy as a result of there are a whole lot of variables, together with subfloor sort, set up technique, and extra. In fact, crucial factor you may advocate is to cease the moisture at its supply every time doable. Assuming that has been tried, and the scenario hasn’t improved, the trade has a number of alternative ways to mitigate or sluggish the passage of moisture, so let’s begin with the best treatment of excessive moisture adhesive.

Fashionable adhesives could be a solution to moisture current in a substrate, particularly concrete. Typically particular trowel notches are used, or spacers are embedded within the glue to assist to realize a sure movie or layer thickness in the course of the set up course of. Nevertheless, sure care have to be taken to grasp if this software will obtain the outcomes you’re hoping for. Some excessive moisture adhesives declare to regulate moisture, whereas others merely tolerate it and don’t protect your hardwood flooring itself. It is also essential to learn the directions and the guarantee literature to verify the concrete slab is ready correctly, doesn’t require profiling, and the applying strategies are appropriate earlier than you decide to this technique. Excessive-moisture adhesives typically are dearer than normal adhesives, however might be a part of your answer.

On the subject of concrete substrates, true moisture mitigation usually is taken into account the most effective line of protection towards moisture vapor emissions coming from the slab itself. That is very true of the older slabs the place an under-slab vapor barrier will not be current or has degraded resulting from age, or perhaps a new concrete slab the place the added moisture content material, drainage, or grading, in addition to environmental circumstances, might contribute to the issue. Some merchandise promote simple software with out the necessity for grinding or shot blasting to realize a profile, however this may be deceptive. As soon as once more, ensure you learn all of the set up particulars, together with the cleansing directions as a result of there are numerous contaminants and impurities on the floor of a concrete slab that can forestall a moisture mitigation product from doing its job correctly. The method of moisture mitigation software can vary from less complicated to extra concerned, however typically, they’re all teachable in case you’re keen to study. Your native producer’s rep can present coaching to get the most effective outcomes. These are a few of the more-common kinds of moisture mitigation methods.

It is very important have your moisture testing outcomes so you may evaluate them to the answer and make certain the product will meet or exceed your take a look at outcomes.

• Acrylic and latex-type merchandise usually are cheaper and should provide some safety, however solely as much as a sure stage.
• Urethane options can provide even increased safety and generally apply in a single to 2 coats.
• Epoxy two-component methods provide the most effective safety as much as one hundred pc relative humidity usually. Sure precautions have to be taken throughout set up for correct disposal and security. Epoxy software is one thing that may be discovered and is an extra talent set that may assist you to stand out amongst your competitors.
• Plastic or poly sheeting nonetheless is utilized in correctly ready crawlspaces the place hardwood can be put in over plywood or OSB substrates. It is a easy and cost-effective technique, however guarantee any flashing, overlapping, or taping of the seams is completed totally with no locations for the moisture to flee. Additionally, concentrate if any cross air flow is current as really useful by NWFA tips or producer suggestions.

On the subject of conventional plywood subfloors, there’s a newer technique obtainable known as liquid-applied vapor retarder. Historically, hardwood flooring have had both tar paper or an identical semi-permeable vapor retarder put in onto the plywood subfloor utilizing staples or fasteners. Apart from the extra time putting in the paper, if a glue help was required or really useful by the producer, previously, you had solely two choices.

The primary choice is to take away this vapor retarder utterly as a result of a bead of adhesive on prime of a slip sheet of paper doesn’t do any good. I admit I used to be by no means keen on this technique as a result of I’ve now eradicated the safety I had from moisture within the substrate. The opposite choice is to chop slits into the vapor retarder to permit the adhesive out of your glue help to contact the plywood substrate beneath. The issue right here is clear: we now have slits or holes in our vapor retarder anyplace we have now utilized the adhesive.

These up to date strategies for semi-permeable vapor retarders permit for a single coat utilized to the plywood or OSB, usually dry inside an hour, after which permit for using penetrating hardwood fasteners, together with staples or cleats with the addition of glue help. Whereas these merchandise price greater than a paper roll, a substantial amount of time could be saved by eliminating the set up of the paper itself and having a extra strong technique to your glue help hardwood installations. Fixing the frequent issues of substrate moisture doesn’t must be a thriller when you’ve gotten entry to a wide range of options.

Jeremy Waldorf is regional enterprise supervisor for Schönox HPS North America, LLC in Michigan and Toledo, Ohio. He could be reached at jwaldorf@hpsubfloors.com.