Flooring

Started by ron_nie, May 31, 2014, 10:50:08 PM

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ron_nie

I want to put down floating floor in my basement. I now have a 3/4" pressed wood floor. It is not perfectly even. I will lay a 1/2" plywood over the top to make it even. My question is, Can I put a plastic vapor barrier down before I install the plywood. Will this cause a moister problem?

MountainDon

Quote from: ron_nie on May 31, 2014, 10:50:08 PM
.... basement. I now have a 3/4" pressed wood floor. .....

w*  A little more information please. The present floor is over what? concrete pad? gravel?  dirt?  ???  Crawl space?   

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.


ron_nie

Its a basement floor. There is concrete under it.
It is not directly on the concrete.
There is 2"x4" studding.
The pressed wood floor has been there since 1976. It is still solid. There were a couple of spots over the years that got soft, so I cut those spots out and replaced it. When I opened it, It was completely dry. This is why I was asking about the vapor barrier. I know pressed wood is not the greatest underlay.


Adam Roby

I am not the expert on this subject, but will weigh in with my 2 cents.

I would not recommend that you use a vapor barrier on top of a pressed wood or plywood sub floor, as wood is a natural material that needs to breath. Installing a vapor barrier over this can cause moisture to become trapped within the material leading to the growth of mold or warping in the material.  If you have been on a slab and started new, I would recommend laying down some 1" sheets of foam board, taping the seams and possibly spray foaming the edges.  This gives a very good vapor barrier and does not trap any natural materials under the plastic.  (Glue, wood, paper, any of these materials will likely mold up on you, even if there are no visible signs of moisture).

Just my opinion. 

ron_nie

Its sort of what I figured, I will not put the vapor barrier. TY


John Raabe

I agree. It would be different if you were laying a new slab, but if what you have there now is drying well on its own I would not seal it up tight.
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