A vapor barrier is also helpful to keeping a basement insulated and warm. The material is stapled to the frame of a basement wall before it is finished with plaster or drywall. Polyurethane sheeting is a typical vapor barrier that contractors use to prevent moisture from penetrating the walls of a basement.
If not you could go with a thicker padding but it won t be as effective as the dricore. Vapor barrier is a no and i highly recommend the dricore solution it makes for a much warmer floor that will be well insulated from the cold concrete while still allowing it to breath. Here s an overview of the vapor barrier along with its benefits and drawbacks including important facts that you should know about it as it pertains to basements.
Learn what a vapor barrier is and discover whether it is really necessary in a basement or if it is just an added seal with no use. Moisture enters concrete in a variety. If you ve ever had a problem with a basement floor or any concrete floor you know the kind of damage that too much moisture can cause.
It needs to dry and then stay dry to avoid flooring problems. Vapor barriers are used because while fresh concrete is poured wet it s not supposed to stay that way. All of this assumes that you have a dry basement with good site drainage working foundation drains and foundation waterproofing on the exterior.
Also install a good bath fan and use it when showering. I would also recommend an airtight air vapor barrier on the bathroom ceiling to keep any moisture out of the floor system above. No need to bother with large fold out low quality off spec construction grade films which can be bothersome and hard to use before the floor is installed.
Our moistureblock is a 6 mil polyethylene film vapor barrier that is used during the installation process with floating laminate luxury vinyl planks and engineered wood floors.
