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Design Dilemma Basements Flooring

can you seal gap on floating slab?

3 years ago

Pretty sure we have a floating slab in our basement. There’s never moisture, never floods. We want to lay carpet down wall to wall to cheaply clean it up and make a play area. If possible, would love to close the gap between cinder block wall and floor to prevent things from going in/out. I think it will also just make it feel cleaner. I would say it’s prob 1-1/2 in gap. Some of the areas are already closed with foam but majority is not. Is it ok to close? If so what products do I used? I read maybe backer rod & sealant but not sure if that’s accurate and not sure what kind.

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Comments (4)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I need pictures but I also would not do carpet in a basement and especailly one where you have this gap that I have no clue about. I honestly do not have any experience with this type of foundation but the name says to me it moves so I guess the gaps are nessessary. May post some pics of the space .
Kelli C
Original Author
3 years ago
Why no carpet? It’s not going to be permanently installed.. will prob just use double sided tape To stick it and cut it to size. We want to use the area for a play area for our daughter. Our basement never floods
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"I have never thought about the expending foam. Is that material flexible, shrink proof?" Once it sets up after expanding it is not going to shrink. "Why is it better than the GE silicone II, by the way?" Because it expands to fill the entire gap completely. U=You are likely to need to come back after it hardens and cut off any that is above the surface. If the gap is directly against a window jamb be sure to use the LOW expanding foam. The high expansion stuff can exert enough force to bend the window jamb and interfere with the movement of the sash. Silicone seal is expensive and overkill for routine weather sealing.
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The gaps are probably from the slab floor settling a little. Without going into a boring discussion of how walls are constructed, I see no reason to suspect that those gaps are providing an entry for bugs or are a source of heat loss. There are plenty of other more likely points where bugs enter and heat is lost. However, if you don't believe me, you can caulk the gaps with a $5 tube of latex caulk. But it won't make any difference....
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Kelli C
Original Author
3 years ago
The gap is kind of like a French drain.. but pretty sure it’s not that. Will post pics when. I get the chance
Kelli C
Original Author
3 years ago
Pictures attached. You can tell to the left there is a section closed. It’s sporadically like this around the basement. 5-6ft no gap, and then there are gaps again

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