How to deal with concrete moisture?

[joey1320]

I've been trying to decide what to do with my garage floor and it seems the plastic tiles will be the best option.

My only concern is moisture that forms on a few locations on the floor due to Ohio winters and hard rain. it doesn't puddle but you can definitely see the wetness in the porous concrete. Considering the tiles as my final option, should I consider brushing on a "DryLoK" type of material first?

I have also read about the tiles "clicking" when walking on them and saw a few people recommend a rubber mat or paper underlayment be used first. I considered this since the clicking noises will definitely upset me but again, I wouldn't want to lay down either with the moisture happening which may cause mold to grow under them.

Anyone deal with similar concerns?
Any advice?

 

[Captain Spaulding]

If you have enough water running under your floor to cause moisture to come through, you need to fix that. Your building won’t last.

Are you certain it’s not condensation? I’ve seen it puddle here during high humidity warmups.

 

[Shea]

I've been trying to decide what to do with my garage floor and it seems the plastic tiles will be the best option.

My only concern is moisture that forms on a few locations on the floor due to Ohio winters and hard rain. it doesn't puddle but you can definitely see the wetness in the porous concrete. Considering the tiles as my final option, should I consider brushing on a "DryLoK" type of material first?

I have also read about the tiles "clicking" when walking on them and saw a few people recommend a rubber mat or paper underlayment be used first. I considered this since the clicking noises will definitely upset me but again, I wouldn't want to lay down either with the moisture happening which may cause mold to grow under them.

Anyone deal with similar concerns?
Any advice?

Don't apply Drylok. We would recommend a densifier with siliconate sealer added. It's easy to apply and relatively inexpensive. You can read about it here: https://allgaragefloors.com/concrete-densifier-sealer/

If you are worried about clicking, you can place landscape fabric under the tiles. This fabric is mold and mildew resistant and dries fast. Don't place anything else under it or you will have issues. You can also read an article about garage floor prep for interlocking tiles here: https://allgaragefloors.com/prep-tips-for-installing-interlocking-tiles/

 

[joey1320]

Don't apply Drylok. We would recommend a densifier with siliconate sealer added. It's easy to apply and relatively inexpensive. You can read about it here: https://allgaragefloors.com/concrete-densifier-sealer/

If you are worried about clicking, you can place landscape fabric under the tiles. This fabric is mold and mildew resistant and dries fast. Don't place anything else under it or you will have issues. You can also read an article about garage floor prep for interlocking tiles here: https://allgaragefloors.com/prep-tips-for-installing-interlocking-tiles/

Thank you for the solid information.

 

[joey1320]

If you have enough water running under your floor to cause moisture to come through, you need to fix that. Your building won’t last.

Are you certain it’s not condensation? I’ve seen it puddle here during high humidity warmups.

I mean, it's possible its condensation but can't be sure. The house has been here since '68, so not sure how bad this is in relation to how much longer it will hold. I don't plan on losing any sleep over it to be honest.

 

[Shiftless]

The standard test it to tape down a piece of clear plastic sheeting like visqueen. Tape all around each edge. After a while, check and see if there is water underneath, between the plastic and the floor. If so, it’s not condensation but moisture coming up through the slab.
If it’s dry underneath and wet on top, it’s condensation.

 

[joey1320]

The standard test it to tape down a piece of clear plastic sheeting like visqueen. Tape all around each edge. After a while, check and see if there is water underneath, between the plastic and the floor. If so, it’s not condensation but moisture coming up through the slab.
If it’s dry underneath and wet on top, it’s condensation.

Simple enough. Thanks for the info.

 

[nmantas]

The standard test it to tape down a piece of clear plastic sheeting like visqueen. Tape all around each edge. After a while, check and see if there is water underneath, between the plastic and the floor. If so, it’s not condensation but moisture coming up through the slab.
If it’s dry underneath and wet on top, it’s condensation.

Yup, for decades my parents thought t was an issue of the cement contractor not using plastic under the slab........nope it is condensation and all the sealers in the world aren't going to do anything for it. I wanted them to go for rubber tiles but so far they have resisted.