Measuring vapor emission in stone and tile flooring installations
Ask any seasoned tile setter why a tile installation fails, and you will get answers ranging from poor setting techniques to defective materials or tile. Unfortunately, failures are not always caused by the setting method, the materials or the tile. A growing concern with failures is the substrate that the tile is placed over. Over the past several years, I have observed numerous tile and stone floor failures due to excessive vapor emission through concrete slabs. It amazes me how many installations are started without a very important step. That step is the vapor emission test. What is this test? Why is it important?
If too much water is added during the slab pour, problems such as excessive moisture can create large capillaries in the concrete. The excess water used requires additional time to cure. With today's fast-paced construction practices, rarely is the slab given sufficient time to cure. The end result is tile failure.