Wood subfloors are actually easy to check for moisture content just test for moisture at several locations in the room and average the results fig.
Laminate floor moisture test.
Plastic sheet moisture test.
Hi we had some rain getting under our laminate floor that stayed a few weeks we removed the laminate completely and had the bare concrete drying with a dehumidifier for several days now.
Before you lay the first plank you must ensure that the moisture level in the concrete subfloor is low enough that it will not affect your flooring.
What happens when water comes into contact with laminate.
If installing wooden floors these meters can double as a hardwood floor moisture meter.
Ideally it should be between 7 and 9.
To determine if your hardwood floors need to be acclimated you can use a wood floor moisture test.
Testing wood subfloors.
First test the moisture level of the subfloor.
If inexpertly installed laminate flooring will be a disaster in high moisture environments.
In general 12 moisture or above is too wet to install flooring.
Hi we seem to have a moisture problem with our laminate floor it is laid on a concrete base the base was screed to level the floor and it has been down for about four or five years with no problems but recently we have noticed areas of water appearing on the floor overnight we have a de humifier that collects quite a drop of water.
This is a low cost low tech moisture test that can be useful for determining if you have moisture in a garage or basement floor.
1 in most regions of the country a dry wood subfloor that is ready to work has a moisture content of 12 percent or less or down to about 6 in states with low rh relative humidity.
Concrete slabs and floors can be excellent subfloor surfaces for tile and other floor coverings but too much moisture in the concrete can cause problems with flooring installations.
When you install hardwood laminate or vinyl flooring over a concrete subfloor one of the most important steps to take to ensure the lasting beauty and stability of your floors is moisture testing.
It is not however the best test if you are planning to put an epoxy coating on the floor.
If installed according to manufacturer instructions laminate flooring has at least a decent chance of standing up against the water.
Laminate flooring falls in the latter camp.
Failure to skip laminate subfloor moisture testing often results in laminate floor failures.
Flooring manufacturers rate their products based on the moisture levels they can tolerate and testing your slab can tell you if a particular flooring material is likely to perform adequately.
Buckling cupping squeaking raised edges are but a few of the problems that result from ones failure to perform subfloor moisture testing.
Failure to perform laminate subfloor moisture testing.
Concrete slab and wood subfloor both have moisture limits.