Part of our house is 1950s blockwork without DPC or proper DPM in the kitchen area.
After a botched job to put in a liquid DPM (so we can have laminate) this is what we've been left with from top down:
5. Top layer of Ardex NA. This layer has cracked in places (10 days after works were complete) - 2m cracks in some areas - localised mainly near edges (I suspect mainly over the areas where the sand cement bossing was filled badly).
4. Ardex liquid DPM - not enough was used (should have used 2x10kg tins for whole space and didn't) and judging from the box meter readings taken after (75-90%) this has failed. Meters were left for 72 hours - albeit the house isn't heated atm - but the room gets lots of air. Protimeter readings done by Ardex rep were 250-400. There are no burst pipes under the floor.
3. Layer of Ardex NA
2. Thinnish layer of sand cement (very, very brittle). Had large bossed areas which were filled in with something as yet unknown.
1. No idea of base - presume stones/gravel, not sure if there is a concrete slab, suspect not.
Question is
A) do we make them dig up and start again doing DPM properly, knowing that they could cause even more issues with the base sand cement layer below or B) risk it with a vapour barrier underlay taped over whole floor (like "quickstep basic") and put laminate on top? Or will this mean we get awful mould/damp walls....?
Can't put more DPM over top as current level is getting too high. And can't dig down to do proper meshed insulated floor as sheeting and joinery already done in the room, so wouldn't be able to get to external walls for DPC rendering it pointless.
Main query: Have you put down floating floors on concrete without DPCs before? Any problems? Or worries when doing it? Most grateful for any advice! Thank you ...from a very stressed contributor
After a botched job to put in a liquid DPM (so we can have laminate) this is what we've been left with from top down:
5. Top layer of Ardex NA. This layer has cracked in places (10 days after works were complete) - 2m cracks in some areas - localised mainly near edges (I suspect mainly over the areas where the sand cement bossing was filled badly).
4. Ardex liquid DPM - not enough was used (should have used 2x10kg tins for whole space and didn't) and judging from the box meter readings taken after (75-90%) this has failed. Meters were left for 72 hours - albeit the house isn't heated atm - but the room gets lots of air. Protimeter readings done by Ardex rep were 250-400. There are no burst pipes under the floor.
3. Layer of Ardex NA
2. Thinnish layer of sand cement (very, very brittle). Had large bossed areas which were filled in with something as yet unknown.
1. No idea of base - presume stones/gravel, not sure if there is a concrete slab, suspect not.
Question is
A) do we make them dig up and start again doing DPM properly, knowing that they could cause even more issues with the base sand cement layer below or B) risk it with a vapour barrier underlay taped over whole floor (like "quickstep basic") and put laminate on top? Or will this mean we get awful mould/damp walls....?
Can't put more DPM over top as current level is getting too high. And can't dig down to do proper meshed insulated floor as sheeting and joinery already done in the room, so wouldn't be able to get to external walls for DPC rendering it pointless.
Main query: Have you put down floating floors on concrete without DPCs before? Any problems? Or worries when doing it? Most grateful for any advice! Thank you ...from a very stressed contributor
