Placing The Moisture Barrier
he next thing to consider is moisture. The subfloor should be dry or else it can damage laminate planks.
Many homeowners think concrete is a hard material that moisture can’t penetrate. The truth is that moisture vapour can easily pass through the concrete slab and cause declamation and warping of the laminate flooring.
To deal with this problem, use a moisture meter and check the humidity. If the reading is more than or equal to 4.5%, it is unsafe to install flooring.
If your subfloor passes the moisture test, then place the laminate flooring in the room where it is to be installed and leave it for three days to acclimatize.
Begin installation by laying a plastic vapour barrier (minimum 6 mm thick) or any other manufacturer-recommended barrier on the concrete subfloor to prevent moisture from reaching the laminate flooring. Use vinyl tape to secure the barrier and keep it from coming out.
If you want to build comfortable floors, add a layer of laminate padding on top of the vapour barrier. Since concrete is extremely hard, it can feel uncomfortable to walk on the floors if it lacks padding.
If you are not sure you can install laminate flooring perfectly, let a professional flooring installer handle it.