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Showerthought: I finally figured out why that old glue down job in Toledo failed
Three years back I did a vinyl plank glue down in a basement over a concrete slab. The homeowner called me last month saying the planks were lifting at the seams. Went back and found the slab had a moisture reading of 8 pounds, way over the 3 pound limit for that adhesive. The supply house guy told me I should have used a moisture barrier primer first, which I do on every job now. Anyone else run into this with older slabs?
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blake_owens13d ago
Man, that hits close to home. I had the exact same thing happen on a job in an old ranch house, moisture just wrecked the adhesive over time. Felt awful for the client. Now I test every single slab, no matter what, and that primer is non-negotiable. It's crazy how much moisture an old concrete floor can hold.
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finley_smith13d agoMost Upvoted
My uncle's 1950s basement still smells damp after all these years. Makes you wonder how many houses have hidden moisture issues people just live with. What's the worst moisture damage you've seen in an old place?
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hollyscott13d agoMost Upvoted
Totally get that. Saw a place where the moisture actually pushed the new vinyl planks up into little humps, like tiny speed bumps. Makes you double check everything now.
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