Industry experts explored the issues associated with placing concrete directly on a plastic vapor retarder at this year’s luncheon. A four-person panel of slab experts and members of ACI Committee 302 (Construction of Concrete Floors) led by Peter Craig (Concrete Constructives) discussed the issues and responded to audience comments. The rest of the panel included Scott Tarr (North S.Tarr Consulting), Steve Lloyd (Lloyd Concrete Services), and Rick Smith (Structural Services Inc.). The panel answered questions about the behavior of plastic vapor retarders, increased curling, and how problems can be avoided.
Here are some of the guidelines and benefits associated with plastic vapor retarders:
- Building Concrete Floors: Here’s what’s important in the new ACI Guide to Floor and Slab Construction.
- Keeping Moisture Out of Slabs: A blind study compares the permeance of vapor barrier products.
A vapor retarder is classified as a plastic material having a permeance of less than 0.1 grams.
See the presentations given by the experts.
