Laminate floor ruined by concrete 'sweating'?

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31 Jan 2006
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I had a laminate wooden floor put down onto a kitchen sub floor that had had a narrow trench filled with 3 week old concrete containing new hot water pipes running through the middle of it.

After a month, the new laminate started to buckle and on inspection water was forcing its way up between the planks only along the line of the concrete. I assumed it was a leak from a bad weld of one of the pipes into the concrete under the laminate/underlay, but when we pulled up the floor the concrete is bone dry. Though the underlay was soaking, and the laminate ruined all the water quickly evaporated and there is nothing suggesting a leak.

I suspect that the concrete was and is still giving off moisture, though feels dry to the touch.

When the floor was laid, the concrete was 3 weeks old and was being heated every day by the hot water pipes running through it.

I now have a ruined floor in a brand new kitchen, and no clear advice on how it happened or what should have been done to prevent it.

NB There was no prior problem with damp, it is a ground floor room.

Can anyone advise?
 
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Laminate flooring should be laid upon a base with a moisture content of not more than 12%, conditions dependent, then it is quite likely that the concrete had not dried sufficiently before laying the floor, you can get a damp meter fairly cheaply in order to avoid this trouble again. Or then again, maybe the trench has compromised the DPM, or as you suggest you have a leak.
 
Rule of thumb: every inch of new concrete/screed takes roughly 1 month to dry.
Other rule: always use DPM on concrete/screed flooring for any remaining residue of moist in concrete. DPM can be combined with soundinsulation in 2-in-1 underlayment.
 
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Thanks so much. It really helps. I had an architect pal round last night and he said pretty much the same. I'll get hold of a damp meter.
 

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