Concrete – Do I need a vapor barrier on an 8″ pour + carpeting over tile

basementbasement-refinishingconcretesubfloorvapor-barrier

So I am finishing my basement and the side I'm finishing has an extra 4" pour on it as well as old 8×8 asbestos tile. My plan is to carpet over it. Do I need a vapor barrier? I get that concrete is porous but the tile on the 8" (4" on top of the original 4") leads me to believe that there already is a vapor barrier on the floor.

Thanks,
Joe

Best Answer

You don't mention what your climate is or whether you've had moisture in the basement. My answer is therefore in general.

Vapor barriers are rarely "barriers", and generally act as retarders. In this case, your tile is a fairly effective retarder. I'd discuss it with the carpet supplier/installer. It's often the case that carpet pad has a built-in moisture barrier as well.