Interlocking garage tiles with moisture problem

[Jtrom]

Long time lurker, first time poster.
I have a unique building here in Michigan. It's a 30x40 cement block barn built into a hill (the back is 9 feet below grade and the front in on grade.) The slab was poured probably 50 years ago directly on the clay soil, so it's got problemos. Curling , cracks and moisture (though never any standing water). My plan was to level it out best I can and put interlocking tiles over it. I got some tile samples and put them down for a week, when I pulled them up the back of the tiles and the concrete was covered in water. I know there is drain channels but can there be too much moisture coming thru a slab for these to work?? What if I put a vapor barrier under the tiles??

 

[Armorpoxy]

Hi, why not just use ventilated tiles? They breathe and would be perfect for this problem.

https://armorpoxy.com/products/armortile-gd-diamond-pattern-series-2-99sq-ft-copy/

 

[Garage Flooring]

Long time lurker, first time poster.
I have a unique building here in Michigan. It's a 30x40 cement block barn built into a hill (the back is 9 feet below grade and the front in on grade.) The slab was poured probably 50 years ago directly on the clay soil, so it's got problemos. Curling , cracks and moisture (though never any standing water). My plan was to level it out best I can and put interlocking tiles over it. I got some tile samples and put them down for a week, when I pulled them up the back of the tiles and the concrete was covered in water. I know there is drain channels but can there be too much moisture coming thru a slab for these to work?? What if I put a vapor barrier under the tiles??

I would do two things

(a) I would go over the floor with a densifier or densifier / sealer combination. Densifers are not negative side waterproofers but they can help reduce moisture wicking.

(b) I would go with an open tile to allow for airflow. I would look at RaceDeck freeflow or TrueLock HD Ribbed. https://www.garageflooringllc.com/ribbed-flow-through-tile/

I anticipate a black Friday special on the HD ribbed,

 

[Jtrom]

My biggest worry with the free flow tiles is how I would clean all the sawdust/metal shavings of a working shop out from under the grid when it falls through. I don’t want to shop vac every square inch and thought with the solid tiles I could use a dust mop for easy quick cleanup.

 

[MagKarl]

I would not waste the money on tiles unless you commit to addressing the moisture.

It would be a lot of work, but I would dig out the 3 sides to below slab elevation and install drain pipes, backfill with drain rock. I'd definitely want gutters piped out away from the building through solid lines.

 

[Jtrom]

I didn’t go all the way down to slab level (almost 10 feet deep) but I did dig around the sides and installed a socked drain tile and back filled with gravel. It helped immensely as there is no more standing water but still has moisture coming through the slab. To do it right I would need rip out the slab, excavate the clay and replace with gravel with a perimeter drain and repour the slab. Not in the budget. Just curious what would happen if I put a vapor barrier under the tiles!

 

[Garage Flooring]

My biggest worry with the free flow tiles is how I would clean all the sawdust/metal shavings of a working shop out from under the grid when it falls through. I don’t want to shop vac every square inch and thought with the solid tiles I could use a dust mop for easy quick cleanup.

I didn’t go all the way down to slab level (almost 10 feet deep) but I did dig around the sides and installed a socked drain tile and back filled with gravel. It helped immensely as there is no more standing water but still has moisture coming through the slab. To do it right I would need rip out the slab, excavate the clay and replace with gravel with a perimeter drain and repour the slab. Not in the budget. Just curious what would happen if I put a vapor barrier under the tiles!

You can't put a vapor barrier under the tiles. You are creating a breeding ground for God knows what. A coating will fail in all likelihood. There are very few cases where the best option is 100% crystal clear. Go with an open tile.

Are you working with wood and metal daily?

 

[Jtrom]

The workshop is gonna be set up to finish a homebuilt airplane made of wood, metal and fiberglass with lots of sanding and a 26 ft. wingspan, so I can’t really have different areas for different types of work.