You have a concrete floor and would love to put a cover over it. Maybe stamped overlays or rubber flooring? This can really add to the beauty of a room. In addition, adds to the comfort of the people who work or play on your floor. Have you been considering this to the point of actually talking to a contractor about it? If so, you have probably heard the phrase ‘moisture mitigation.’ So what exactly is moisture mitigation? Read on to hear what it is and solutions to the problem.
Concrete – Water Permeable
Concrete is water permeable. This means that moisture can get into the tiny pores in your cement floor. When it gets in there, it can change with the temperature. It expands when it freezes, then thaws when the temperature rises. This cycle of freezing and thawing can have a negative effect on your floor. It basically causes it to deteriorate from the inside out. Additionally, if you’re planning on adding a top to your concrete floor, this can cause problems with adhesion.
Moisture Mitigation – Becoming More Common
Although moisture mitigation is not a new process, it does seem as though it’s becoming more of a worry in the last decade. There are some reasons for this, according to Health Care Design.
- With the new emphasis on environmental awareness, many flooring manufacturers are replacing some of the more toxic chemicals in the glues with water-based ingredients. Sometimes, the moisture in the concrete can interact with the components in the glue. This causes it to fail to bond to the covering that you’re putting on top of the concrete. Consequently, this can cause the floor topping to bubble and peel.
- Another thing that can be causing moisture mitigation is condensed construction timelines. More businesses are demanding faster turnover in the construction of their projects. This leaves less time for the concrete to dry. Since the relative humidity of the cement slab is high, it can be too high to allow for proper bonding of the concrete topping.
- Sometimes concrete is specified in an array of mixes that are customized to the application. This can be a problem! Adding ingredients can alter the dry time; this can also impact the bonding of the adhesive.
- Moisture in your concrete can also lead to other nasty problems, like mold or mildew buildup. This is definitely not a problem that you want in your concrete flooring. This especially true if you have topped it with another covering.
What Can Be Done
The best solution to this problem is to stop it before it becomes an issue. A great way to do this is to add a moisture blocker to the top of your concrete. Moisture blockers work by providing a barrier over the concrete that prevents the penetration of water into the concrete. Moisture blockers can be applied to fresh concrete; and they must be added before any sealers, coatings, or overlays are added. For the best treatment for your floors, call the pros at the Concrete Décor Store. They’ll know just what to do to make sure your concrete is up to standards before you add any type of concrete covering!