Dri core subfloor

[leaf4]

Anyone have any experience with it? I like the idea but am not sold on it at $6.50 per tile... Will be for a basement, about 220 square feet will be needed for the bedroom area (the remainder stays unfinished concrete) would need it for the area from the structural beam to the wall and from the post to the wall

 

 

Edited May 23, 2015 by Lucas F

[Paudash]

for the price it never made sense to me. If your basement is wet enough to really need it spend the money to fix the moisture problem first

[leaf4]

The moisture problem has seemingly been fixed by proper caulking along my driveway where it meets the house, hoping for some real rain so I can test it with the addition of my hose lol I've had it soaked for 35 mins without a drip, but I like the idea of being able to level without losing headroom as I only have 79" and if I have to do a subfloor to get carpet why not get the air gap for proper breathing for the foundation

[leaf4]

Also I should add when demoing there was minimal moisture except in one spot which has been patched with a long life waterproof caulking

[Gerritt]

Buy a couple rolls of delta.... Add plywood. Some tap cons.... A whole boatload cheaper then dry core. For the exact same thing. Done this many many times.

 

 

But hey it's your loonies..

 

 

G

[leaf4]

Have never heard of that before. I'll have to check out turkstra they are listed as a supplier, any idea on cost for the 220 square footage?

 

Also would this be suitable to run all the way to the wall and then use as a sill gasket for under the studs so if in the event that there ends up being some moisture behind the wall it is able to ventilate?

Edited May 23, 2015 by Lucas F

[porkpie]

Go with Gerrits suggestion! My buddy did the same thing!

[steelhunter]

Used it in my basement

Would not do a basement without it

[Old Ironmaker]

Do you mean "Ditra" Garret? We have done many basements in DriCore since 2000. I like it because a leak won't ruin the floor as water will drain between the dimples and it's simple to lay. And by shimming it you get a perfectly flat floor.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Old Ironmaker

[Gerritt]

Do you mean "Ditra" Garret? We have done many basements in DriCore since 2000. I like it because a leak won't ruin the floor as water will drain between the dimples and it's simple to lay. And by shimming it you get a perfectly flat floor.

 

No.... I mean this... http://www.deltams.ca

 

The original dry core just had delta glued to the bottom of the panels. Now they use something else....

 

But the same results can be achieved by doing as I described above.

 

G

[Gerritt]

Have never heard of that before. I'll have to check out turkstra they are listed as a supplier, any idea on cost for the 220 square footage?

 

Also would this be suitable to run all the way to the wall and then use as a sill gasket for under the studs so if in the event that there ends up being some moisture behind the wall it is able to ventilate?

No... It won't act as a sill gasket. A sill gasket is just that a gasket, a piece of foam that is compressed by weight/force

 

G

[callatis]

And by shimming it you get a perfectly flat floor.

How do you shim it when I have a visible hump in the middle of the basement floor? As I framed and finished the exterior walls it's too late to use the self leveling concrete. In case of an infiltration I don't want that water to get stuck behind the wall.

At my old house I used Gerritt's suggestion, membrane, plywood and tap cons. Along the walls I also made 10X3 openings for air vents. Any possible moisture or leak will breath and evaporate. Concrete at 6C starts forming condensation.

[Fishwilly]

Buy a couple rolls of delta.... Add plywood. Some tap cons.... A whole boatload cheaper then dry core. For the exact same thing. Done this many many times.

 

 

But hey it's your loonies..

 

 

G

I"m a contractor and use this method. Do yourself a favor and use plywood and not OSB.

[leaf4]

What width would you suggest? 3/8"?

 

Another question, I've been looking at different options in terms of insulation and have found a couple places saying below grade basements should not have vapour barrier as it inhibits mold and gives any moisture a spot to condense onto from that standpoint I would think I shouldn't be vapour barriering the basement?

Edited May 24, 2015 by Lucas F

[Gerritt]

What width would you suggest? 3/8"?

 

Another question, I've been looking at different options in terms of insulation and have found a couple places saying below grade basements should not have vapour barrier as it inhibits mold and gives any moisture a spot to condense onto from that standpoint I would think I shouldn't be vapour barriering the basement?

Go 1/2" or better, and get plywood, not OSB as stated earlier.

 

As for vapour barrier you would be insane not to install it in a basement. It acts as your thermal break. Meaning the walls are cold, the drywall is warm. Would you rather have a bit of mould of the vapour barrier? Or have wet mouldy drywall?

 

The choice is yours but you would be wasting a crap load of cash, and a ton of effort if you do not use super 6 on those walls.

 

G

[callatis]

Gerritt, I used 5/8" at my old house but having in consideration Drycore is using OSB, why don't you recommend OSB?

[Sinker]

OSB is like a sponge when it gets wet.

 

S.

[Gerritt]

The OSB of the dry core stuff is different then what you will be able to by in 4x8 sheets, and as Sinker has pointed out, OSB is terrible in wet/damp locations. Plywood also happens to be a lot stronger and durable on a horizontal surface.

 

I am not knocking the dry core products, however there are in my opinion, better and more cost effective routes to go.

 

I have been a contractor for most of my adult life until recently (too hard in the body now due to years of abuse) and I would never steer a fellow member here wrong.

 

The OP could do his whole floor for less then half the cost, and have a superior product to boot.

 

G

[Gerritt]

Have never heard of that before. I'll have to check out turkstra they are listed as a supplier, any idea on cost for the 220 square footage?

 

Also would this be suitable to run all the way to the wall and then use as a sill gasket for under the studs so if in the event that there ends up being some moisture behind the wall it is able to ventilate?

I wouldn't lay your sill plate on top of your new subfloor, they need to behave like two seperate systems IMHO. You only tapcon the floor where you feel you need to.... Not 30 tapcons per sheet etc... A few per sheet, and where you know it needs them (shims and to eliminate bounce) should suffice.

 

 

Your best bet is to install your walls 1" off your brick foundation, incase of moisture/condensation, so the wood will not get mouldy or rot.same goes for your insulation, I recommend Roxal in a basement.

 

The sill plate itself should be on a sill gasket. Again to prevent the plate from rot. The idea is to seal the outside walls from the warm moisture inside the house (which creates the condensation) The tighter you button it up, the better off you will be.

 

 

G

Edited May 24, 2015 by Gerritt

[leaf4]

That was my thoughts,on spacing and insulation. I will be using a sill gasket for sure and on my exterior walls bluwood from Lowes, who also happen to sell delta so bonus haha. I'm also in the process of getting some quotes for 2lb spray foam but I do know it will be quite a bit more expensive than the roxul option

 

Any thoughts on blue seal I was thinking of using it to stop any moisture from entering http://m.homedepot.ca/product/ProductDetails.aspx?productid=967088&lang=en

Edited May 24, 2015 by Lucas F

[Gerritt]

Fat fingers..... Grrrr

Edited May 24, 2015 by Gerritt

[Gerritt]

That was my thoughts,on spacing and insulation. I will be using a sill gasket for sure and on my exterior walls bluwood from Lowes, who also happen to sell delta so bonus haha. I'm also in the process of getting some quotes for 2lb spray foam but I do know it will be quite a bit more expensive than the roxul option

 

Any thoughts on blue seal I was thinking of using it to stop any moisture from entering http://m.homedepot.ca/product/ProductDetails.aspx?productid=967088&lang=en

In my opinion ( mind you it's only mine) no product applied from the interior of a wall is worth the money. If you are that concerned about seepage it HAS to be dealt with from outside, that mean digging up around the foundation, proper waterproofing installed, new weepers and gravel. Lots of gravel.

 

I did this exact same thing on my first house. I went over kill but I know that basement will never leak a drop so long as it is standing. I pressure washed, parged, tarred, added blue skin and then delta....

 

Dry as a bone for as long as I owned it.....

 

Over kill? Yes.

 

But I had the stuff laying around.... Might as well..

 

G

[leaf4]

Yeah I'd like to do that if I could, first need to see how my fix thus far has worked when we get some rain, as it stands ripping up a 7 year old driveway isn't too enticing. So far its been dry since I filled with hydraulic cement then went over it with some long life waterproof caulking I sprayed the hell out of it for half an hour and not a drop anywhere so that's a nice feeling so far

[Old Ironmaker]

Callatis, The Dri Core we used to use came with packages of extra dimples you applied below the panels to level the floor.

 

There are many good questions here about the proper methods to insulate, build and create a thermal break properly for below grade living spaces. There was a good thread a few months ago started by Wormdunker who was and I think still is redoing his basement. Google it here.

 

For a scientific explanation for the proper insulation of basements in our climate zone google, Buildingscience.com and search for insulating basements. If the answer for the proper method to insulate our basements isn't on Building Science it doesn't exist, right Wormdunker? By the way did you ever finish that room?

 

There are 2 words to remember and learn what it means " Thermal break" if you create at 100% thermal break you win. There are 3 states of moisture, solid, liquid and gas. All 3 will eventually rot wood and create Black Mold if not controlled and as well create other molds which some of which are harmful and some not. The goal is to not allow the moisture to penetrate the building envelope and there must be a method to remove the moisture that did. Not all moisture leaks through the walls and floors into the basement. Sometimes it comes in from making a cup of Tea or a pot of Pasta. It ain't Rocket Science but it is science. A bit more to it than installing a vapor barrier to create a thermal break, a vapour barrier does not create a thermal break on it's own. If it did all we would have to do is wrap the building in Super 6 and be done with it.

 

. Do it right or don't do it at all because changing the mechanical structure of a building envelope improperly may cause many $$$$$$$$$$ in damage.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Old Ironmaker

[mcdougy]

Consider steel studs, no moisture warp, no mould, put on top of sill gasket, bobs your uncle