Hello!
My partner and I are in the process of demolishing our basement (removing sawdust that was used to insulate the slab) to address moisture issues and the smell of mold. We know how to rebuild the basement to avoid making the same mistake again (steel beams, air gaps, Platon mat, etc.) - that is, no organic materials along the walls or floor!
Now to my question! Our slab is not as smooth as it could be, which means we need to level it out a bit before laying the Platon mat.. (we were planning to buy bags from Maxit and mix it ourselves). Does anyone know how damp the slab can be when leveling? What can happen if it's not dry enough, etc.?
The reason we are putting Platon on the floor is precisely because the slab is a bit damp in certain places.. (yes, we have already redone the drainage outside)..
Anyone have any ideas or thoughts on my little question?
Best regards, Sandra
My partner and I are in the process of demolishing our basement (removing sawdust that was used to insulate the slab) to address moisture issues and the smell of mold. We know how to rebuild the basement to avoid making the same mistake again (steel beams, air gaps, Platon mat, etc.) - that is, no organic materials along the walls or floor!
Now to my question! Our slab is not as smooth as it could be, which means we need to level it out a bit before laying the Platon mat.. (we were planning to buy bags from Maxit and mix it ourselves). Does anyone know how damp the slab can be when leveling? What can happen if it's not dry enough, etc.?
The reason we are putting Platon on the floor is precisely because the slab is a bit damp in certain places.. (yes, we have already redone the drainage outside)..
Anyone have any ideas or thoughts on my little question?
Best regards, Sandra
Quote: The reason we should place platon on the floor is precisely because the slab is a bit damp in certain areas.. (yes, we have already redone the drainage externally)..
Is the drainage at the correct depth? Or is it that there isn't a capillary-breaking layer under the slab? Has it been recently redrained? It takes time to dry out. Has the sawdust been laying directly on the slab?
Feels like the slab should be allowed to dry out before you proceed to ensure that everything is OK.
Is the drainage at the correct depth? Or is it that there isn't a capillary-breaking layer under the slab? Has it been recently redrained? It takes time to dry out. Has the sawdust been laying directly on the slab?
Feels like the slab should be allowed to dry out before you proceed to ensure that everything is OK.
Hello JanneL!
The drainage was done last summer, and it seemed to be at the correct depth! We didn't do the work ourselves, but were involved the whole way and watched when they "tarred" the bottom edge of the slab and laid down all the drainage pipes (one for the drainage and one for the storm water). The damp spots that appeared elsewhere (in a couple of exposed spots on the wall) seem to have dried up nicely (after all, it's been at least half a year since we did the drainage).
The slab is significantly drier than we expected since all inspections showed that the moisture came from inside, and (anticimex) did not recommend draining externally, only internally (while we do both, just to be safe! Maybe overkill, but when you're tearing down a whole basement to the core, you don't want to have to redo it in a couple of years because you didn't do it properly!). But as I said, in a certain corner it's still a bit wet (not much, but a couple of decimeters along the "wall floor towards the wall"), and that's where the question came in... we might never get it completely dry, so is it worth waiting? (we're going to construct the wall and floor so that it can breathe without any problem anyway)
The sawdust has been directly against the slab for 30 years... (not surprising that odors might have set in, especially considering some damp spots that existed before!)
Best regards, Sandra
The drainage was done last summer, and it seemed to be at the correct depth! We didn't do the work ourselves, but were involved the whole way and watched when they "tarred" the bottom edge of the slab and laid down all the drainage pipes (one for the drainage and one for the storm water). The damp spots that appeared elsewhere (in a couple of exposed spots on the wall) seem to have dried up nicely (after all, it's been at least half a year since we did the drainage).
The slab is significantly drier than we expected since all inspections showed that the moisture came from inside, and (anticimex) did not recommend draining externally, only internally (while we do both, just to be safe! Maybe overkill, but when you're tearing down a whole basement to the core, you don't want to have to redo it in a couple of years because you didn't do it properly!). But as I said, in a certain corner it's still a bit wet (not much, but a couple of decimeters along the "wall floor towards the wall"), and that's where the question came in... we might never get it completely dry, so is it worth waiting? (we're going to construct the wall and floor so that it can breathe without any problem anyway)
The sawdust has been directly against the slab for 30 years... (not surprising that odors might have set in, especially considering some damp spots that existed before!)
Best regards, Sandra
I think you have the right approach to the issue considering the money you are investing. At this point, I don't want to assume there's a problem with the drainage, and as you said yourself, Anticimex has only recommended internal measures. Personally, I would like to set up a dehumidifier to try to dry it out. I wouldn't intentionally want to trap moisture if I have the opportunity to dry it out. The question at this stage is also how long it has been open, and how big was the "damp mark" when you first saw it? I'm also wondering where the moisture is coming from. If it's not just the floor but also up the wall, that's a bit tricky.
Otherwise, there's the Nivell system, which solves both the moisture and uneven floor problems, and the floor also becomes warmer. I installed it in a room in our basement that we use as a bedroom, and it turned out great. www.nivell.se