Question for concrete finishers and/or flooring installers...

[Long Dark Blues]

I have an indoor concrete slab that is dusting really bad. I would like to seal it to stop it from dusting.

I also plan to use my tax return to eventually install wood flooring on top of this slab.

My question is, what is the best sealer to use to stop the dusting? Keeping in mind that the sealer must also be good for the flooring I plan on having installed over it.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[mushishi]

Oh, I don't know, how about concrete sealer? And then put vapor barrier under wood flooring.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

I have an indoor concrete slab that is dusting really bad. I would like to seal it to stop it from dusting.

I also plan to use my tax return to eventually install wood flooring on top of this slab.

My question is, what is the best sealer to use to stop the dusting? Keeping in mind that the sealer must also be good for the flooring I plan on having installed over it.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Dude, I thought you were gone forever or something. Come back.

 

[Katsumi Yamada]

Floor paint

 

[choke you]

I wouldn't use vapor barrier because concrete needs to breathe and will get wet if it can't. I would put strapping down and shim if nessesary to make sure the floor is level, plywood subfloor than whatever flooring you want on that. Putting strapping down will give you an air gap to prevent mold and condensation.
You could paint the floor with concrete paint before all that but I'm not sure that would serve much of a purpose. Wouldn't hurt though.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

Dude, I thought you were gone forever or something. Come back.

You want me to head to Levittown to find him?

I bet he's just chilling at Oxford Valley Mall waiting for the spring so he can go to Sesame Place.

 

[L Beast]

When I worked in the concrete world, we used a sealer called Super Diamond Clear. Pretty good product.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

You want me to head to Levittown to find him?

I bet he's just chilling at Oxford Valley Mall waiting for the spring so he can go to Sesame Place.

Yes please.

 

[blokeybloke]

I have an indoor concrete slab that is dusting really bad. I would like to seal it to stop it from dusting.

I also plan to use my tax return to eventually install wood flooring on top of this slab.

My question is, what is the best sealer to use to stop the dusting? Keeping in mind that the sealer must also be good for the flooring I plan on having installed over it.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Do you mean you plan on using your tax refund to pay for a new wood floor install? If you file your tax return now you can get your refund within 2 to 3 wks, rather than waiting till the last minute mid-April.

Deal with the dust until you install the wood flooring. Adding a coat of concrete sealer or stain will only add another job for you pre wood floor install. A scarifying job that would create an awful lot of dust. To the point of having to wrap your house up in plastic sheeting like a Dexter kill room.

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Oh, I don't know, how about concrete sealer? And then put vapor barrier under wood flooring.

No shit, Einstein. Regular ol' Professor Hawking over there with the big brain. It's an indoor slab, I can't just use any sealer.

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Dude, I thought you were gone forever or something. Come back.

Got a new position in a new department here at work. They are uptight about Web usage and have this site blocked. My phone sucks, so I don't use it very much to access the Web.

 

[Bobby Boulders]

Got a new position in a new department here at work. They are uptight about Web usage and have this site blocked. My phone sucks, so I don't use it very much to access the Web.

That is understandable. Damn these web restrictions!! Good to see you around anyhow. You's good peeps.

 

[Long Dark Blues]

Do you mean you plan on using your tax refund to pay for a new wood floor install? If you file your tax return now you can get your refund within 2 to 3 wks, rather than waiting till the last minute mid-April.

Deal with the dust until you install the wood flooring. Adding a coat of concrete sealer or stain will only add another job for you pre wood floor install. A scarifying job that would create an awful lot of dust. To the point of having to wrap your house up in plastic sheeting like a Dexter kill room.

Tax return should be deposited tomorrow or soon after, per the IRS site.

So you are saying a sealer isn't necessary before installing flooring? I guess that does makes sense, it'll be a floated floor. The dusting won't inhibit any adhesive or anything like that, I'm not getting it glued to the slab.

This is a pad that was floated on top of the original concrete garage floor to make it level with the foundation of my home.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

I'm an X flooring installer I have years of experience dealing with this shit. What do you mean by "dusting". Concrete shouldn't be doing that. in either case what you need to do is vacuum it as best you can, maybe even wash it with water too. Then buy some self leveler and apply that on top. You'll likely lack the skills to do this properly yourself so hire a flooring guy to do it. Or, you can trowel flooring patch over top of it (this takes even more skill) you won't be able to do this yourself. In any case it needs to be floated with flooring patch. Talk to your local flooring department.

 

[Long Dark Blues]

You want me to head to Levittown to find him?

I bet he's just chilling at Oxford Valley Mall waiting for the spring so he can go to Sesame Place.

Haha, the pride of Bucks county!

 

[blokeybloke]

Tax return should be deposited tomorrow or soon after, per the IRS site.

So you are saying a sealer isn't necessary before installing flooring? I guess that does makes sense, it'll be a floated floor. The dusting won't inhibit any adhesive or anything like that, I'm not getting it glued to the slab.

This is a pad that was floated on top of the original concrete garage floor to make it level with the foundation of my home.

Yeah, it's an unnecessary added cost, mate.

Enjoy your new floor!

 

[Long Dark Blues]

I'm an X flooring installer I have years of experience dealing with this shit. What do you mean by "dusting". Concrete shouldn't be doing that. in either case what you need to do is vacuum it as best you can, maybe even wash it with water too. Then buy some self leveler and apply that on top. You'll likely lack the skills to do this properly yourself so hire a flooring guy to do it. Or, you can trowel flooring patch over top of it (this takes even more skill) you won't be able to do this yourself. In any case it needs to be floated with flooring patch. Talk to your local flooring department.

Well, appparently, since I poured the slab myself but never had the surface treated or smoothed, a.k.a. "finished", the top layer of the concrete is soft. It's a high-traffic area in my home, so the constant foot traffic causes the concrete to kick up concrete dust.

 

[blokeybloke]

Just buy a sweeping compound and sprinkle it all over the concrete floor before brooming it up. Here on the west coast thee sweeping compound is like a red smooth sawdust type of product. I think it may be green on the east coast though.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

Well, appparently, since I poured the slab myself but never had the surface treated or smoothed, a.k.a. "finished", the top layer of the concrete is soft. It's a high-traffic area in my home, so the constant foot traffic causes the concrete to kick up concrete dust.

If it's vacuumed and washed first the flooring patch applied should take and your problem should be solved. However, patch is meant to be a substrate for hard surface floors like linoleum and the like or as a leveler for any other floor, so it's not a finish. If all you are installing is hardwood you should be able to walk on the patch for a while and it won't damage enough to make a difference unless you are installing a hard surface like lino.

 

[Deleted member 457759]

It shouldn't be too expensive to have leveled.