Hello everyone/anyone!!
I'm seriously considering putting tiles on our basement floor. There's a carpet that's been there for several decades, and I haven't really checked if it's glued down or just laid on.
Underneath, at least, there's a clean concrete floor with a smooth surface, judging from the rest of the floors in the basement. The carpet doesn't seem to be "directly damp," so I assume it's a reasonably dry concrete floor without much moisture.
But if I'm going to put tiles in this room of about 10 sqm, how do I do it? It's probably good if the concrete floor can breathe in some way?
Can someone describe the steps from A to Z......
Can I, as an amateur, take on this project?
I have a longing for a fresher floor without this wall-to-wall carpet.......
I'm seriously considering putting tiles on our basement floor. There's a carpet that's been there for several decades, and I haven't really checked if it's glued down or just laid on.
Underneath, at least, there's a clean concrete floor with a smooth surface, judging from the rest of the floors in the basement. The carpet doesn't seem to be "directly damp," so I assume it's a reasonably dry concrete floor without much moisture.
But if I'm going to put tiles in this room of about 10 sqm, how do I do it? It's probably good if the concrete floor can breathe in some way?
Can someone describe the steps from A to Z......
Can I, as an amateur, take on this project?
I have a longing for a fresher floor without this wall-to-wall carpet.......
Remove the carpet and any glue residues.
Apply primer, then just spread the adhesive and lay the tiles.
Tiles are not waterproof, and neither is the grout, so any moisture can migrate in both directions with these on the floor. d^_^b
However, it will be cold to walk on, I would have installed underfloor heating even if it would probably require you to remove the slab and insulate and such, a heck of a job but it's nice when it's done. :wow:
Apply primer, then just spread the adhesive and lay the tiles.
Tiles are not waterproof, and neither is the grout, so any moisture can migrate in both directions with these on the floor. d^_^b
However, it will be cold to walk on, I would have installed underfloor heating even if it would probably require you to remove the slab and insulate and such, a heck of a job but it's nice when it's done. :wow:
It's by asking unnecessarily dumb questions that one moves past the amateur stage 
Primer is a type of lacquer that improves adhesion for the fix on the concrete, and it should be used if you're self-leveling, but I believe that it's good for the fix too.
I don't know if I am answering question 2 :blushing: I usually buy fix at the same time as tiles, so the seller has given me something that I assume fits my tiles. But I have used other tiles with what's left over, so it doesn't seem to matter much, but I actually don't know if and what makes different brands differ :S
Perhaps tank77 could inform us on what's applicable?
Primer is a type of lacquer that improves adhesion for the fix on the concrete, and it should be used if you're self-leveling, but I believe that it's good for the fix too.
I don't know if I am answering question 2 :blushing: I usually buy fix at the same time as tiles, so the seller has given me something that I assume fits my tiles. But I have used other tiles with what's left over, so it doesn't seem to matter much, but I actually don't know if and what makes different brands differ :S
Perhaps tank77 could inform us on what's applicable?
Alright then
Follow-up question 3. Jan-Å.....
I was thinking about the radon in the ground.
Assume that I have now "tiled" the floor and the concrete now has a chance to breathe, releasing a bit of moisture from the slab.
Radon is a gas, as I have learned, does radon come up with any moisture too?:blushing:
Follow-up question 3. Jan-Å.....
I was thinking about the radon in the ground.
Assume that I have now "tiled" the floor and the concrete now has a chance to breathe, releasing a bit of moisture from the slab.
Radon is a gas, as I have learned, does radon come up with any moisture too?:blushing:
Yep, radon rises more easily than even moisture, I believe.
Are you sure that the carpet currently there isn't allowing radon through?
Are you sure you have radon? Not all houses have it, although ours has it both from blåbetong and soil radon.
Are you sure that the carpet currently there isn't allowing radon through?
Are you sure you have radon? Not all houses have it, although ours has it both from blåbetong and soil radon.
Have received confirmation from someone from the municipality (building/living section) that there would be a low value of radon in the ground where the house stands, but I'm not sure what the value is......
Regarding the foundation wall in the basement (have a wooden house), it's built on some kind of stone, according to my dad he doubted that these would be stones in blue concrete, the ones I have are not at all blue-tinted, the house was built in '63, sure, might be made of some other radon material......
As you say Jan-Å, I can't be sure how much the carpet possibly lets through either.
But what do you think?
Maybe the difference in value will just be marginal if I lay tiles, maybe it's silly to think that way?
Maybe I shouldn't avoid laying tiles for that reason:blushing:
Regarding the foundation wall in the basement (have a wooden house), it's built on some kind of stone, according to my dad he doubted that these would be stones in blue concrete, the ones I have are not at all blue-tinted, the house was built in '63, sure, might be made of some other radon material......
As you say Jan-Å, I can't be sure how much the carpet possibly lets through either.
But what do you think?
Maybe the difference in value will just be marginal if I lay tiles, maybe it's silly to think that way?
Maybe I shouldn't avoid laying tiles for that reason:blushing:
Generally, radon is not managed with surface treatments but with ventilation, so it doesn't matter what you have on the floor in that regard.
You might want to conduct a measurement to know your radon level before making major interventions, as soil radon is, as I understand it, ventilated away before it reaches the house, beneath the slab via some kind of radon well.
I'm fairly familiar with radon from blåbetong since we have it in our house, but I haven't dealt with soil radon even though there is quite a bit where we live, it seems.
The problem with measuring before you do anything is that the measurement period is during the winter (10/1 - 3/31 I think), which would delay your flooring by about a year.
You might want to conduct a measurement to know your radon level before making major interventions, as soil radon is, as I understand it, ventilated away before it reaches the house, beneath the slab via some kind of radon well.
I'm fairly familiar with radon from blåbetong since we have it in our house, but I haven't dealt with soil radon even though there is quite a bit where we live, it seems.
The problem with measuring before you do anything is that the measurement period is during the winter (10/1 - 3/31 I think), which would delay your flooring by about a year.