Hello everyone,
we are building a new house and want to install laminate flooring. Underneath the laminate, of course, there will be impact sound insulation and a vapor barrier.
Now, I read somewhere that you should also glue a protection tape along the edges to protect the baseboard from residual moisture in the screed. This is supposed to prevent mold from forming on the baseboard.
The problem is: I actually wanted to glue a slim plastic baseboard. But if I use this protection tape, I can no longer glue the baseboard and would have to screw it in to fix it.
What does experience say? Is this protection tape necessary in a new build because of moisture? Aren’t plastic baseboards generally resistant to mold anyway? Any experiences or advice? I’m feeling quite uncertain as I couldn’t find any information through my searches.
Many thanks
we are building a new house and want to install laminate flooring. Underneath the laminate, of course, there will be impact sound insulation and a vapor barrier.
Now, I read somewhere that you should also glue a protection tape along the edges to protect the baseboard from residual moisture in the screed. This is supposed to prevent mold from forming on the baseboard.
The problem is: I actually wanted to glue a slim plastic baseboard. But if I use this protection tape, I can no longer glue the baseboard and would have to screw it in to fix it.
What does experience say? Is this protection tape necessary in a new build because of moisture? Aren’t plastic baseboards generally resistant to mold anyway? Any experiences or advice? I’m feeling quite uncertain as I couldn’t find any information through my searches.
Many thanks
H
Hausbau12926 Sep 2020 06:42Thank you very much for your answers. They help me a lot.
I will then skip the sealing tape and simply install the baseboards after one year.
That sounds like a good plan.
I will then skip the sealing tape and simply install the baseboards after one year.
That sounds like a good plan.
We are facing the same issue, and there are many differing opinions on it.
In the end, we decided to wait on installing the baseboards, even though it looks unattractive.
We also ordered our flooring through our general contractor (GC). Baseboards were explicitly not included in their offer. The site manager told us during the final inspection that this was because they used to include baseboards, but it caused frequent problems. Since they installed the baseboards only 6 months after handover, some homeowners refused to pay the final invoice until this was done or wanted it completed earlier, etc. Since then, the GC no longer includes the baseboards in their scope.
This made me think. If a GC (who has to provide warranty for it) installs baseboards only after 6 months, citing the risk of mold, then as a homeowner, that definitely feels like a hot potato. I can live with an unattractive wall finish for 6 months, but not so well with mold.
In the end, we decided to wait on installing the baseboards, even though it looks unattractive.
We also ordered our flooring through our general contractor (GC). Baseboards were explicitly not included in their offer. The site manager told us during the final inspection that this was because they used to include baseboards, but it caused frequent problems. Since they installed the baseboards only 6 months after handover, some homeowners refused to pay the final invoice until this was done or wanted it completed earlier, etc. Since then, the GC no longer includes the baseboards in their scope.
This made me think. If a GC (who has to provide warranty for it) installs baseboards only after 6 months, citing the risk of mold, then as a homeowner, that definitely feels like a hot potato. I can live with an unattractive wall finish for 6 months, but not so well with mold.
Hausbau129 schrieb:
Then I will skip the edge protection tape and simply install the baseboards in about a year. Once again: This is not necessary!
The fear of mold is unfounded because the subfloor construction must already be dry before the floor covering is installed. And it cannot be drier than dry.
The only reason to install base tiles (and only those) after about one year is to compensate for any possible curling of the screed edges. This means: any cement-based screed can curl during the drying phase. This means the edges slightly lift, which is visually hardly noticeable but at the millimeter level in the visible gap between the wall base and the floor tile can’t always be avoided with cement-based materials.
However, base tiles—unlike PVC or wooden baseboards—are not easily adjusted in position. This is why ceramic base tiles are installed only after an appropriate waiting period, or alternatively, the flexible sealant has to be renewed later because it will naturally tear due to the screed curling.
But the whole topic of MOLD & co. is, in the context of the topic discussed here, an exaggerated scare caused by a lack of knowledge!
H
Hausbau12927 Sep 2020 19:54Many thanks to kati1337 and KlaRa for the detailed and very helpful answers.
I’m relieved that I don’t have to worry about mold. Since we will be gluing the baseboards, I am still waiting a bit to see if there will be any possible backflow issues.
Thank you. It’s great that this forum exists. I have also benefited as a silent reader on many topics.
I’m relieved that I don’t have to worry about mold. Since we will be gluing the baseboards, I am still waiting a bit to see if there will be any possible backflow issues.
Thank you. It’s great that this forum exists. I have also benefited as a silent reader on many topics.
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