Polyethylene Moisture Barrier Basement Floor

A vapor barrier is also helpful to keeping a basement insulated and warm.

Polyethylene moisture barrier basement floor. Use vapor barrier 2 in 1 when installing laminate flooring on cement subfloors or any subfloors with a risk of moisture coming up. Polyurethane sheeting is a typical vapor barrier that contractors use to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of a basement. Our moistureblock is a 6 mil polyethylene film vapor barrier that is used during the installation process with floating laminate luxury vinyl planks and engineered wood floors. Prevent damp basement floors from ruining carpet and other finished flooring.

Use option a to keep your floor dry if you have damp floors. Install dimpled polyethylene to create an air space between the concrete and the finished floor sealing off dampness and giving moisture a chance to dissipate. If the basement starts to smell musty you can add a poly vapor retarder on the floor but it will probably get torn up unless you cover it with smooth surface roll roofing etc. The material is stapled to the frame of a basement wall before it is finished with plaster or drywall.

The only thing that works permanently is a concrete slab over a vapor retarder membrane. No need to bother with large fold out low quality off spec construction grade films which can be bothersome and hard to use before the floor is installed. Obviously we will lay plastic for the entire floor but thought would be double protection under the footing trenches and posts to protect from moisture. They are most commonly made of vapor retardant paint treated paper or foil or polyethylene plastics but there are other options.

This video demonstrates how to install a moisture barrier over a concrete subfloor. Vapor barriers are materials that combat moisture diffusion through walls ceilings and floors. We are laying a new basement floor for bedrooms and new lounge downstairs we are doing the footings 1st would you recommend laying the plastic barrier in the footings trench also before we do the entire floor.