Yet another basement underlayment/subfloor question
Hey.
Finishing basement and plan on using 8mm vinyl plank which has a 2 mm built in foam underlayment.
In 15 yrs of living in the house the basement has never had standing water and is nice and dry >99% of the time. But occasionally the perimeter has had some damp areas (not standing water) for a few hours after torrential rain…then drying again.
Additional waterproofing and exterior drainage is not in the cards at this time.
I have framed out the basement with waterproof soleplates, MGO drywall, and EPS insulation to help reduce chances of mold.
My basement ceiling hight is low so every fraction of an inch is critical.
The floor is surprisingly level for a 1958 house.
I’m looking at DMX airflow or DryBarrier Tiles. Both don’t have meaningful insulation value but look like a good products. The vinyl plank is reportedly “waterproof” but I think keeping the vinyl away from direct concrete is a good idea.
Anyone have experience with either products…or any other suggestions?
Mark
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Replies
Mark,
I've used LVT without anything straight on concrete without issues. If you are worried about height, can't beat this solution.
The LVT does a decent job of insulating the floor in the winter time. Enough to take the edge off.
As for your water, I would look at the grading around the house. Getting the dirt sloping away and fixing/extending your downspouts is much less work than waterproofing and usually fixes most issues.
Hi Mark -
Agree with Akos regarding surface water management; if the moisture responds that quickly to a rain event, sure sounds like evaluating and changing bulk water load coming off the building is a good idea.
Peter
Thanks,
The house actually has pretty good drainage. The basement also has perimeter drain. The soil is all clay and I’m 150 feet from a lake.
During super rain events after many hours of rain the ground water table will rise up around the house and cause some damp spots here and there (never wet, just damp). This might only happen once or twice a year.