Pouring the floor

[Reit38]

Almost ready to pour my 30x40 pole building slab. Thinking inf want to put down a vapor barrier before the concrete. Instill not be having in floor heat or insulating the floor. Is 10mil plastic what I'm after?

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[73RR]

How wet is the ground? On a hill or in a swamp? What material is/was used for the base?

10mil is plenty stout. Most folks just use 6mil. Is there rebar to be installed above the plastic? If so, you will need some large (as in the footprint) blocks for support so the plastic is not punctured by small chairs.
Over lap the edges at least 6" and the best tape I have found for plastic sheeting is 'SureTape'.

 

[Reit38]

Flat compacted clay/dirt last fall. Gonna bring in scalpings for the base. Plan on using rebar sitting on chairs.

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[Peter Mc Mahon]

http://www.lafarge-na.com/wps/portal/na/en/3_A_11_8-Vapor_Barriers_and_Vapor_Retarders

I go with this theory, different than what most believe.

 

[Chris705]

I say 10 mil is perfect....6 mil doesn't hold up to abuse of placing reinforcing steel or mesh. Then there is the flatwork guys wheeling the concrete around to place it... at 6 mils just walking on it puts small holes in it when pinched against the stone base. If you have to buy it then go for the 10 mil Stego brand, it holds up well.

 

[pcmeiners]

10 mil....

Water vapor through concrete... foolish not to have a vapor barrier unless you like rust and dampness...

http://www.crownpolymers.com/articles/Vapor 1 of 2 CPM_7.02 article.3 Final.pdf

 

[rburke65]

I'm a voter for the 10 mil. Try to protect it from punctures.

 

[seanc_mt]

I tell this to everyone. Putting in the pex and insulation now is pennies compared to the value it adds to a building or house. 1200 sq ft usually means about 1200 feet in pex. pex is .40cents a foot right now. So $480 in pex and insulation is $150 per 500 sq ft.

 

[matt_i]

I tell this to everyone. Putting in the pex and insulation now is pennies compared to the value it adds to a building or house. 1200 sq ft usually means about 1200 feet in pex. pex is .40cents a foot right now. So $480 in pex and insulation is $150 per 500 sq ft.

For the Foamular 150 (15psi) I rough calculate about $1/sf...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Co...uared-Edge-Insulation-Sheathing-45W/100320352

 

[Kaizen]

I tell this to everyone. Putting in the pex and insulation now is pennies compared to the value it adds to a building or house. 1200 sq ft usually means about 1200 feet in pex. pex is .40cents a foot right now. So $480 in pex and insulation is $150 per 500 sq ft.

I keep seeing this mentality and while its correct that you can never do it again the cost is considerable. He'd be looking at at least 1300 bucks for 2inch foam for 1200sq ft then the extra cost for wire mesh to attach pex to then the pex which you have priced right. Add some fittings to pressurize it and zip ties...you're at half the cost of a 4inch slab.
I just did a 10mil vapor barrier because there is no way i'm going to keep it hot 24/7 with me only being out there a few nights a week. In a house its a no brainer. garage i'm happy with an air tight insulated garage and putting the 2k towards a lift.

 

[Reit38]

This is by no means our forever home. I could see 5 maybe 10 yrs here. To me the return on the in floor heat just isn't there

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[6768rogues]

Yea, all that fanciness is nice but I am cheap. I have no vapor retarder or insulation under my floor. I built the building on a high spot so water is not an issue. For heat, I use a Reznor hanging furnace, reasonable to buy, efficient, fast and out of the way. Heat bills in western NY are low, about $300 for a winter in 1600 square feet.