Moisture on wood floor
Moisture on wood floor
(OP)
I have a project where the homeowner wants to put a bedroom over top of half of his heated indoor pool. Any suggestions on what can be done to reduce the amount of moisture on the bedroom floor due to the humidity? My initial thought was a vapor barrier and green board on the ceiling below, but maybe there is a better solution.






RE: Moisture on wood floor
1. Water vapor will permeate through common building materials and condensate against non-permeable materials (plastic vapor barrier). Once water vapor has condensated in sufficient quantities, water will drip or run off.
2. Structures such as enclosed ceilings above high humidity prone areas will become collectors for water. This will encourage decay and fungus damage if framing members are wood and due to corrosive chemicals will deteriorate any steel present.
Many local building departments do not allow green board on ceilings due to initial weight and the capacity of nails to hold it in place. Water vapor will permeate the material and softening it with colapse eminent.
A better choice is cement board or cement plaster (stucco), finish smooth with a water proof coating as the final layer. A water proof coating such as UGL Drylock will cause condensation to occur on the ceiling and not within the framing cavity above. The key here is to provide the vapor barrier inside the pool room and not within the framing cavities.
Finally, provide good ventilation in the pool room itself to allow excess moisture to escape to the outside air. Even with good ventilation some condensation on the ceiling will occur.
Good Luck
RE: Moisture on wood floor
The suggestion I make may be overkill [depending on the size of project and/or budget constraints]. Suggest to owner/architect to consult with a good mechanical engineer to design HVAC system. The design of the structure should take into account the environment. The structure does not eliminate the effects of the environment on the structure.
RE: Moisture on wood floor