(Intro)

As you can see, we have marked off an area that is approximately 20in by 20in. And the idea here is to have a good clean and smooth surface inside this perimeter. So we need to brush it off, sweep it off, maybe even have to rub a little sand paper on there, something like that to get all the debris off that you can, and it might be a little bit of a dusty job so you will want to be prepared to take the steps necessary to keep it as clean as possible and not to be breathing in all that dust. But in the end, you do want a nice clean, smooth surface.

What I’m holding here is the actual calcium chloride test and what comes with that inside of here, is the dish with the test materials inside and we are going to pop that open here in a just a second. But you also get kind of an amber colored plastic dome that has some self-adhesive tape on there that we will eventually put over the dish.

So, what we are going to do right now, (opens dish package). What we’re doing here is removing the dish, and the top side you’ll see has some printing on it. And its also covered, or sealed up I should say, with some black electrical tape. And you want to leave that on there for the time being. The idea here is to place this on the scale, so you can get a reading, I guess you could call it a dry reading of the ingredients. And this one weighs 30 grams.

Really any common scale will work. If you have a food scale, maybe you have a postage scale, that will work just fine. But always remember to follow the test kit manufacturers recommendations.

So very simply, now that you have your weight. The idea here is to remove the black plastic tape from the dish. And we have already removed the protective little pieces here on your self-adhesive strips. The black plastic tape simply goes on the inside top of the dome, we will use this later. Now that we have that done, its just a simple matter of being very careful not to spill any of the contents here, set the dish down like so. Take your plastic dome, simply put it on top of here (plastic dish) and seal down the edges. And go enjoy yourself for 60-72 hours.

Remember, in your basement you need to maintain a relative humidity of somewhere between 40 and 60 percent.

It is imperative that you test 3 times for the first 1000 square feet in the area that you are working in. Now also please remember for each additional 1000 square feet you are going to need to perform an additional test. We are in a rather large area right here and we have already put a test over on the other side of the room that we are going to show you in a minute and that test has been there for about 72 hours. So, lets go take a look at what happened.

Now it’s time to open up this dome to access the dish that’s inside, without disturbing the dish. And to do that, we’re just going to simply, make a cut, right here, (diagonally across the square dome). Now that we have made our cut, we’re going to carefully reach inside, and pull out the dish, being very careful not to spill any of the contents. Before we weigh any contents of the dish, we want to make sure that its sealed up with the black plastic tape that was stuck to the underside of that amber colored dome.

Now what we’ll do, is simply place it on the scale, and the scale is set to grams. And we can see that our weight has showed up. So now that we have gotten to this point, you can either follow the formula on the screen, or for those us that are maybe a little math challenged, you can access the website of the test manufacturer and most of them will provide you with a little calculator there where you can get the results you are looking for.

So, what do we know now? Well what we know now is we have the right information to make an educated decision as to what flooring products you are going to need to use in the environment that you are working in MP global has a great product selection tool if you have questions about our products, or how to use them.

(Outro)

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  • The tough exterior layer and resin coating of laminated floors make them very durable. This type of flooring lasts between 15 and 25 years. Laminated flooring also endures exposure to high heels, cats, dogs, and even kids. They are also easier to clean than carpets and less likely to experience weather damage. These features and their other benefits make them a favorite among homeowners. Have you decided to switch up your carpeted floors for laminated flooring? If so, be careful to install your laminate floors properly to get the most performance and longevity out of your new floors.

    Consider the Carpet Pile Thickness

    The type of carpet already in use will determine if removal is necessary before installing laminate floors. Carpets are generally categorized as high-pile, medium pile, or low-pile. Low-pile carpets, usually less than a quarter-inch in height, are those commonly utilized in hotel rooms, air and bus aisle ways, and for other commercial applications. If your carpet is low-pile and is generally flat and in good condition, your laminate can be properly installed on top of the existing floors. It is important to remember that a high quality underlayment will still better serve your flooring than low-pile carpet overall.

    Medium-pile carpets are usually between a quarter-inch and a half-inch in thickness. High-pile carpets are thicker, from half-inch to ¾ inch in thickness. Medium and high-pile carpets are mostly used as plush flooring in living rooms and bedrooms of residential homes. These types of carpets should not have laminated floors installed over them as they will not provide enough stability to support your floor. Their thickness will affect the locking systems between individual planks, making the floor uneven or can result in damage as well.

    Can I lay Laminate Flooring on Carpet Underlay?

    Another question you have probably considered is, can you lay laminate flooring on top of carpet underlay? The carpet underlay usually acts as a shock absorber and enables carpets to recover or bounce back when exposed to footfall and heavy wear. The underlay will therefore prevent your pile from becoming flat and help your carpet look presentable for a longer duration.

    Although you may try to reduce your expenses by using the carpet underlay for your laminated floors, this is harmful in the long-term. When you are removing the carpet, you must remove everything until you reach the sub-floor. This removal is because the carpet underlay is too thick to properly support the newly installed laminate.

    In general, the underlay for laminate flooring is between 1mm and 3mm thick, while most carpet underlays are around 8mm to 10mm thick. This thick padding would not offer proper support to the laminated floors, possibly damaging your floors. The added height will interfere with the interlocking of the individual laminate planks, leading to a poor fit or a short-lived floor finishing.

    To ensure that the laminated floors can be correctly installed, both the carpet and carpet underlay should be removed, and the sub-floor should be smooth and free of debris. Removing all of these will give your laminate flooring a smooth and seamless surface.

    Can I Use Carpet Under Vinyl Flooring

    Installing vinyl floors is also common as this flooring is durable, comfortable, and easy to install and clean. Vinyl floors are also good for homes with heavy foot traffic. The vinyl reduces noises, which can be a great advantage for large families with kids and pets. Nonetheless, the great question is, can you use carpet underlay under vinyl flooring?

    As carpet underlays are generally thicker than what is needed, reaching up to 10 mm in thickness, it would not be advisable to install vinyl over it. Having this thick underlay under the vinyl will make the flooring unstable. Reusing your carpet underlay will make the floor too bouncy; hence it will not be stable when placing your vinyl tiles. Luxury Vinyl planks click-lock systems will also be jeopardized with too much cushion.

    You can have an underlay used for your vinyl floors. Having the appropriate vinyl underlayment can help eliminate noise, provide a cushion to the floor, add thermal properties, and provide moisture protection to your floors, making them more durable. However, the appropriate thickness for this underlay is 2mm or less. This thickness ensures that the vinyl can properly interlock during installation.

    Final Considerations

    Instead of trying to save a little money in the short-term and risking all of your hard work installing a new floor, take the time to do it right. Remove the carpet and carpet underlay and install the proper underlay for the type of flooring you are installing. You will appreciate the long-lasting durability and esthetic appeal that your new floors will add to your home or business.

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