Flooring Failures: Measuring and Mitigating Moisture in Concrete Slabs

Multiple failures of many different floor finishes applied to concrete floor slabs have become more common over the past several decades. Adhered flooring materials, such as sheet vinyl, vinyl composition tile, carpet, carpet tile, and rubber flooring, frequently require repair or replacement early in their service life because of failures such as delamination, blistering, lifting, and cracking. Although there are many factors that can contribute to floor finish failures, the moisture content of the concrete and the durability of the floor finish materials when exposed to moisture are typical factors in these failures.
There are several recommendations and preventative measures to improve the chances of providing a concrete floor slab with acceptable moisture levels. We will discuss the strategies during the design and construction processes that can increase the chances of providing a "dry" slab at the time of floor finish installation.