Packed adobe floors are an amazing and awesome form of green flooring, but in wet areas, they require protection from ground moisture. A type of slab flooring that is created using a thin adobe mixture, the floor is packed using a tamper and then sealed at the top to provide protection from inside the home. Though it can be gouged by hard, sharp surfaces, it is a warm, gentle, and environmentally-friendly flooring surface that has been used for centuries in the American southwest and Mexico. Here are some possible vapor barriers you can use under your packed adobe floor to prevent groundwater infiltration.
6 Mil Polyethylene Plastic Vapor Barrier
A construction industry standard, 6 mil poly is the typical vapor barrier used in most homes. Though it works well under a concrete slab, you need to remember that concrete doesn’t typically have issues with a certain amount of water contact, whereas adobe can have problems when too much water is in contact with it, turning it to mud.
The other issue with using it for a packed adobe floor is that there is typically a layer of gravel underneath it, often sharp enough to puncture the plastic unless you lay down at least two layers, costing material and labor. It is intended as a basic minimum, no more. It will prevent water infiltration in most cases and holds up for a decent amount of time.
What’s more, it can be seamed using duct tape, but that’s to prevent water vapor from passing through, not excessive amounts of water than can build up when you have a significant rainstorm or other flooding.
Pond Liner
Pond liner, on the other hand, has an excellent history. Intended to keep water in a pond, it will do just as good a job at keeping water out of your new floor. In soils that tend to become waterlogged, it provides the best possible protection and is the water vapor of choice for Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, one of the first green sites in the country to embrace this technology. Tapes and patches are available that are watertight.
If you still have questions about which pond liner will create the best vapor barrier for your poured or packed adobe floor, please feel free to contact us! Our experts are more than happy to help you find the solutions you need for your adobe floor project.
