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i'm in the process of framing out a small shop in the basement of the home we just moved into. two of the walls in the shop are exterior and already have vapor barrier, so i plan to run that continuously around the two new walls.

my question is, how much of a difference do you think it will make if i also add a vapor barrier over the concrete floor? will this make a substantial difference in helping me maintain consistent humidity, or is the floor in a basement a minimal piece of the humidity puzzle?

phil

Wow Phil you read my mind. I am also finishing the basement with a small shop and was going to ask the same question.

If I had to do it over again (my shop isnt totally sealed), I would put that epoxy sealer stuff on the floor and not waste time building a subfloor and vapour barrier under that ...

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

A wood floor sure beats concrete when you drop a tool - not that I would ever do such a thing, mind....
You'd definitely want a VB between concrete and a wood floor or you could get some nasty stuff growing under there if there is any moisture coming thru the floor.
The nicest shop floor I ever worked on was in a school shop which had end-grain fir blocks on the floor. They were laid 'loose' (tightly fitted but unfastened) so you could get at conduits, etc under the floor- like interlocking stone pavers on the street. Easy on the feet and tools, though not so easy to keep clean once it got worn. I can't recall what they did about VB, though.

Cheers
John

I don't know about a vapor barrier, but you'll be doing your feet and legs a favor by having something on top of the concrete. I've worked on concrete floors for 27 years. When it rains I limp, and I believe the concrete floors (as well as the 50 pounds overweight I was for years) has something to do with the arthritis in my feet and knees.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

The better you seal the room the easier it will be to control the RH. Sealing the concrete is one of the best things you can do. If you have the 4 walls sealed you just need a good tite room but again , plastic isn't that expensive and sealing the room would be a good thing as long as you provide ventilation.
I have a cement floor with anti fatigue mats but wish I had a wood floor.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Yeah, mats are a definite requirement ... I have those interlockling 2x2 foam rubber that Cosco sells on most of my floor (not so good where machines need to move around) but they are all around my bench,and then dedicated ones by the big tools that I can pick up as needed.

Nice when you drop a chisel or whatever and it dosent get destroyed.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

If there is no insulation under the concrete slab you'll see the floor "sweat", literally. Moisture goes right through it. As John points out, 4 or 6 mil plastic is cheap and goes on fast. You also want to avoid thermal bridges as much as possible (floor/walls/ceiling corners).

In my shop I laid 6 mil plastic on top of the concrete, nailed sleepers on top of it (PT 2x4 ripped in half) 16" on-centre and blue foam insulation in-between. I also stapled plastic on the walls and ceiling over the insulation. The floor is tongue and groove ply screwed on the sleepers and blue foam insulation. It is very comfortable to walk on, I can move the machines that have rollers easily, and my RH and temp are super-stable.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I sealed mine with a "special" concrete sealer I got from a concrete company. Works fantastic, adds no thickness to the floor, and cleans easily (doesn't stain). Warning: wear a mask, and open every window in your neighborhood.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

I think I am going to use a concrete sealer and then the 2x2 Dricore subfloor panels. May just put a few of those mats on top in the higher traffic work areas.

i was at a Saturn Dealer where my friend works,
there floors were covered with a rubbery coating that was pretty thick.
it felt like standing on a anti fatigue mat that kitchens use, but it didn't get messed up by oil and it could be pressure washed.
when i figure out what that is, i will be spraying it on my garage floor.

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Bring me a sane man, and I will cure him.

thanks for all the words of advice.
considering the small size of my space and the simplicity of the dricore panels, i'm sure that's what i'll be installing. sounds like the comfort of standing on a wood floor will be a huge additional benefit.
now, if i can just get the kitchen renovation done so that i actually have some free time to pursue the real passion!!
phil

Adding this to an old post. I Have a concrete floor in my shop. I rolled on 2 coats of a two part epoxy paint. You mix gallon to gallon. It has been down for 15 years and going strong. The stuff is amazing, I can slide a 350 LB steel machine across it and it will barely mark it. It is 100% water and vapor proof. It wasn't cheap and will kill you dead if you don't use the proper mask and filter but in 4 days it will be food grade.

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http://goatrockukulele.com

What brand Michael?

I don't remember. I will try to track it down. It was made for industrial floors.

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http://goatrockukulele.com

Are there any concerns that the concrete slab will deteriorate if covered with plastic sheeting to create a vapor barrier? I am planning to convert a 1-car garage into a permanent workshop, and I'm looking for a reliable, long-term way to create a vapor barrier between the concrete slab and workspace. The slab is fairly old and has plenty of staining, so I'm concerned about how well an epoxy coating would adhere. Plus, the plastic sheeting method seems cost effective and fairly simple.

Chuck

I acid washed my heavily oil stained concrete floor before applying epoxy paint. The paint has held up well over the last 15 years.