Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
If you're planning to retrofit a slab on grade floor, it can be frustrating to see your new flooring buckling, warping, or mold on your interior finishes. In this video, we will discuss a strategy that you can use if you have a damp slab on grade and are unsure how to insulate it properly without risking potential moisture problems in the future by using a dimple mat and some rigid insulation.
Working with a damp existing slab on grade foundation can cause problems if you're planning to install moisture-sensitive interior materials like wood flooring, paper-faced gypsum or a new wood subfloor. Moisture moves from high concentrations to low concentrations to establish equilibrium. Poor drainage around the foundation and lack of a vapor barrier typically cause moisture to migrate up through the slab to the interior and be distributed to the moisture-sensitive materials. Water that accumulates around the slab edge is driven inside through hydrostatic pressure and wicked deep into the slab due to the high porosity of the concrete and lack of a proper capillary break.
To mitigate the effects of moisture on your interior finish materials, you need to provide a vapor barrier and a capillary break between the damp slab and the interior. This is where the dimple mat comes into play...
*A Guide To Moisture Management For Residential Remodels (eBook)* : asiri-designs.com/shop/ols/products/moisture-management-for-residential-remodels
For more information on remodeling existing concrete slab floors, check out these articles: asiri-designs.com/resources-1?blogcategory=Slabs
*150+ Free Building Science Articles* : asiri-designs.com/resources-1
*Request Building Science Consulting Services For Your Project* : asiri-designs.com/consulting
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*Music From Pixabay*
Chill Abstract (Intention) by Coma-Media: pixabay.com/music/upbeat-space-chillout-14194
If you're planning to retrofit a slab on grade floor, it can be frustrating to see your new flooring buckling, warping, or mold on your interior finishes. In this video, we will discuss a strategy that you can use if you have a damp slab on grade and are unsure how to insulate it properly without risking potential moisture problems in the future by using a dimple mat and some rigid insulation.
Working with a damp existing slab on grade foundation can cause problems if you're planning to install moisture-sensitive interior materials like wood flooring, paper-faced gypsum or a new wood subfloor. Moisture moves from high concentrations to low concentrations to establish equilibrium. Poor drainage around the foundation and lack of a vapor barrier typically cause moisture to migrate up through the slab to the interior and be distributed to the moisture-sensitive materials. Water that accumulates around the slab edge is driven inside through hydrostatic pressure and wicked deep into the slab due to the high porosity of the concrete and lack of a proper capillary break.
To mitigate the effects of moisture on your interior finish materials, you need to provide a vapor barrier and a capillary break between the damp slab and the interior. This is where the dimple mat comes into play...
*A Guide To Moisture Management For Residential Remodels (eBook)* : asiri-designs.com/shop/ols/products/moisture-management-for-residential-remodels
For more information on remodeling existing concrete slab floors, check out these articles: asiri-designs.com/resources-1?blogcategory=Slabs
*150+ Free Building Science Articles* : asiri-designs.com/resources-1
*Request Building Science Consulting Services For Your Project* : asiri-designs.com/consulting
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Music From Pixabay*
Chill Abstract (Intention) by Coma-Media: pixabay.com/music/upbeat-space-chillout-14194
