A job in Cincinnati last month showed me why you can't trust old adhesive without a moisture check

We were pulling up a 1980s sheet vinyl floor in a basement, prepping for LVP. The slab looked dry and the old glue was brittle, so we started scraping. Two days later, the new planks started cupping at the seams. Turns out, there was a slow leak from a washing machine drain line that had been soaking the concrete for years under that old vinyl. It never showed on the surface. Has anyone else been burned by hidden moisture like that, even when everything seemed fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

nelson.gavin8d ago

My buddy had a similar disaster with a tile job in a sunroom. The slab felt bone dry, but the thin-set never really cured right. They found a cracked pipe under the foundation months later. It's a good reminder to test, not just trust your eyes.

avery_nelson7d ago

Honestly, even the air's humidity can mess with curing.

benbrown4d ago

Did they ever figure out if that slab was just dry on top but wet underneath?