Carpet on Concrete


  #1  
Old 11-08-02, 12:27 PM
rpenner
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Question Carpet on Concrete

We have converted our attached garage into a family room. The concrete floor is grade level and has some moisture coming up. There is a concrete cistern (water storage) under part of the floor and I'm assuming this is where the moisture is coming from.

I'd like to install a berber carpet with underlay (padding) on this floor. The floor is not very wet but does have a couple of spots where it gets damp.

Should I install a vapour barrier? What kind?
If I install a barrier, how do I fasten down the underlay?
Should I seal the floor?
Any suggestions?

Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 11-09-02, 05:53 AM
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, TX
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Sealing the floor will help, but it will need to be completely dry before you can seal it, or the sealer isn't going to adhere to the concrete. It won't dry and set up.

It sounds as if you have a spring with that much moisture constantly coming up through the concrete.

Moisture barriers are not full proof, they just help to minimize it. By condensing (condensation) the moisture can still get past the barrier, especially if you say there is visible water.

Carpets and moisture don't go well together. The moisture, along with traffic, will breakdown the latex(and fillers) in the 2 carpet backings. This will cause delamination of the primary and secondary backings, and now you have wrinkles that sometimes won't come out.
 
 

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