Dan,
Theo is right, the first level of moisture protection in a slab occurs
with a 6,8 or 10 mil or larger plastic or vinyl membrane installed
beneath the slab, prior to the pouring of the concrete. This will keep
moisture from wicking up through the slab from the earth below. It
obviously forces all the moisture in the concrete to exit towards the
top too...which is why you should wait a minimum of 30 days before
installing any floor on your slab, whether it be epoxy, vinyl tile,
stain or otherwise. 27 days is the industry accepted time needed for a
slab to reach 99% cure....but it never fully cures. That last 1 percent
takes infinity. If you do have the opportunity to install the moisture
barrier beneath the slab, the floor will actually have a tendency to dry
slower, because normally some of the moisture of the concrete would
escape to below, not its all forced to ext to the top. The 30 day rule
should still apply, but the longer you leave it to dry the better.
Depending on your budget, you can spend a lot of money on a epoxy floor
or a small amount, like anything else. The local hardware stores like
Home Depot and Lowes ( what we have here in Oklahoma City) will carry a
pretty good epoxy "garage" floor system, not necessarily industrial
strength, but pretty good. You can even get it with some flecks to
resist the tendency for the floor to look dirty. Eastwood products also
carries some epoxy flooring, but you will pay a bit more for it.
M. Cullen McCann, Assoc. AIA
Project Manager
LWPB Architecture
5909 NW Expressway, Suite 600 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73132
T 405 722 7270 F 405 722 8373 W www.lwpb.com
Subject: [Tigers] Concrete Floor Waterproofing
I'm building a new shop and would like to waterproof the concrete floor
to eliminate moisture from coming up through the floor. Any suggestions
on waterproofing products that can be applied to a newly poured floor
(and where to find it)?
Thanks,
Dan
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