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Pro tip: You can often skip the vapor barrier on wood subfloors

I always thought you had to lay plastic or felt paper down first. After doing a bunch of jobs in really dry areas without any barriers, and none failing, I changed my mind. Now I just feel the subfloor and check the air with a meter. If it's bone dry, I save the step and cost.
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3 Comments
lily_king
lily_king1mo ago
This happens with so many old building rules. People just repeat what they heard without ever checking if it still makes sense. You see it with cooking, car maintenance, all kinds of stuff. The rule made sense for damp basements fifty years ago, not for every single house now.
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felix881
felix8811mo ago
Check the crawl space moisture first.
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the_alex
the_alex1mo ago
Yeah, fell for that old advice myself. @lily_king nailed it.
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