Proper Subfloors Will Save You In The Long Run

By: Chris Copeland

Are you tired of that unfinished storage area you call a basement? As with most homeowners, you would probably side with the fact that the space is cold and dreary and typically lacks the comfort needed to be an adequate place to live or entertain. Well, you can blame that cold concrete floor for that lack of warmth. Concrete is such a porous material that it will virtually make anything feel cold and damp. Why waste that space any longer when it can be made into such a warm and inviting environment simply by covering up that concrete with a decent subfloor and finishing the room right.

Companies these days have given homeowners an easy DIY solution to creating a subfloor that will allow them to construct the room they have so longed to have. With packaged panel systems that are easy to install and manipulate, these subfloors will knock off that chill and allow for the enriching warmth and coziness that really sets the overall mood of the room. They are easy to use and install and have literally knocked out a step in creating a useful subfloor with a distinct two-fold combination to keeping the concrete floor dry.

First, the OSB wood used in this subfloor actually sits on top of a corrugated underlayment which keeps the wood from ever touching the concrete. The underlayment is typically a heavy-duty polyethylene which is waterproof so you can feel good that if there is a problem the water won't seep into the wood. Because the underlayment is typically raised anywhere from a quarter inch to a half inch dependant on the brand, it creates an air gap between the concrete and the subfloor. The trapped air between the panels and the concrete floors create a thermal break which has been said to actually insulate and warm a room to as much as ten degrees.

The other major concern in any flooring project and a concrete floor is with moisture barriers. Moisture barriers are designed to keep the dampness of the concrete from contacting the actual flooring. These OSB subfloors are wonderful in this aspect as well. Because the underlayment is raised and creates natural channels so that any moisture that does seep through the concrete can either evaporate or drain properly. Not only is this good for the flooring that you are planning on but it bodes well for the surrounding furnishings as well. Not only that, it will also curb dangerous mold from developing but also diminish any musty smells that might accumulate.

Article Source: http://www.articlepro.co.uk/international

Chris provides information on basement flooring as well as floating subfloors for you to peruse if you are planning on a DIY flooring project.

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