Moistue under laminate floor??

[CPS624]

Hi everyone!

We just bought a fixer upper and live in FL. While tearing up the existing laminate floor, we noticed moisture (condensation) under the plastic.

There was also a black foam put down. Our sub floor is concrete. This moisture was between the concrete and the plastic.

We are thinking of installing bamboo floors, but don't want this same problem. The house is block on slab.

What caused this? Was this an installation issue? Or do we have bigger problems?We are thinking of installing bamboo floors, but don't want this same problem. The house is block on slab.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Ernesto]

Thats perfectly normal as concrete emits moisture from the top. If you were to glue the bamboo down you would have to make sure the slab is dry enough ie a concrete moisture test either or both a insitu test or Calcium Chloride test.
Being your down it a very wet area it is not uncommom for slabs to be wet.

 

[CPS624]

How do we conduct these moisture tests? And how do we know what an ok range is as not to ruin the wood flooring? Or is tile the better way to go?

Sorry for all the questions, we are new to this!

 

[Incognito]

Besides the "pre-existing" conditions related to moisture passing through the concrete that could affect your bamboo fairly normal swings in humidity can wreak havoc with shrinking and curling.

Personally I would avoid bamboo. I don't think there's the quality contril in the production of it, let alone potential installation related problems and then long term maintenance.