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Peter Cramer Posted: Jul 12, 2012 01:53 PM	CertainTeed Membrane Vapor Barrier Does anyone have any experience using "Membrane" by CertainTeed as a vapor retarder in conjunction with spray foam installations
mason Posted: Jul 13, 2012 09:44 AM	I contacted Certainteed and asked about their waterproofing membrane (called Platon). It is fairly thick (24 mils) and has hundreds of dimples on one side of it. It was designed to provide a tough water proof, low perm membrane against concrete foundations. Because the dimples hold it slightly off the surface, it allows a small space between the concrete and the membrane allowing it to breath. In this way, it can be installed over "green" concrete. In below grade installations, the membrane is installed first and then the insulation (EPS is specifically listed in their installation guidelines. (below is the link to that guideline) www.certainteed.com/resources/Platon%20Installation%20Brochure%2040-98-04C.pdf It can also be used to provide a vapor retarder membrane in a floating floor system. The membrane goes down to the concrete floor and a subfloor of OSB or plywood installed on top of the membrane. This gives the floor the ability to move while preventing moisture transfer into the floor. I used a similar system on my basement floor in Reston, VA 8 years ago. I was able to install a hardwood floor (maple) in the basement without moisture concerns. According to Mitch with Certainteed, they have tested spray foam on the membrane and adhesion was good. However, I am not sure under what circumstances one would use the product with spray foam. I guess you could spray foam over the membrane in a below grade foundation. Anyone out there who has used it with spray foam? What are your experiences?
Grady Littlehale Posted: Jul 13, 2012 04:36 PM	I have use a similar product www.delta-ms.com on a project, we used it for the inside of the foundation. Not a user friendly product when it is a old rubble foundation. The foam adheres well too it.
Circle-D Posted: Jul 15, 2012 09:24 PM	I had a customer put Platon over his dirt floor basement and run it up the rock wall a foot or so. I then sprayed foam from the underside of the floor (basement ceiling) down over the platon by a few inches to seal it. Foam adhered well and I have not heard of any problems.
mason Posted: Jul 16, 2012 07:18 AM	CircleD, sounds like that would work well.
SprayFoamSupply.com Posted: Jul 16, 2012 02:06 PM	What is Platon?
mason Posted: Jul 16, 2012 03:10 PM	Platon is the brand name of Certainteed's waterproofing membrane that goes on foundation wall below grade and on concrete floors to minimize moisture transfer but leaves room (due to the dimples in the membrane) for some air flow. See the first comment I made of the product and follow the link.
mark moyer Posted: Jul 19, 2012 04:03 AM	we have sprayed to this many times below grade on foundations,,, we see it used as a drainage plane,,,used in particularly wet,,,or prone to be wet fields,,,placed against foundation with dimples against foundation...this gives any moisture that gets up against the foundation a course to drain down to the gravel field and tileing at the footings to be removed from the wall and footing assembly...subsequently,,,in most installs it is not a vapor barrier,,it is plenty thick,,,but it is not "glued" to the foundation,,,so there is obviously the next available "airspace"(all the dimples) in the system...but a drainage plane indeed,,, so we have shot to this product,,,for exterior foundation insulation...but it is glued to the platon and not to the foundation...now we have done a few where we shot the foam to the foundation and then had the platon set against the foam and then back filled,,still does what its supposed to,,drainage plane,,and the foam is now provideing maximum return being glued to the substrate(vapor barrier as well as insulation)... sidebar: i have platon against my above ground pool which is 1/2 in ground,,,the walls are holding up good after 15years in the ground...oh yea,,,3" foam as a base under the liner,,,

Author

Comments

Peter Cramer

Posted: Jul 12, 2012 01:53 PM

CertainTeed Membrane Vapor Barrier

Does anyone have any experience using "Membrane" by CertainTeed as a vapor retarder in conjunction with spray foam installations

mason

Posted: Jul 13, 2012 09:44 AM

I contacted Certainteed and asked about their waterproofing membrane (called Platon). It is fairly thick (24 mils) and has hundreds of dimples on one side of it. It was designed to provide a tough water proof, low perm membrane against concrete foundations. Because the dimples hold it slightly off the surface, it allows a small space between the concrete and the membrane allowing it to breath. In this way, it can be installed over "green" concrete. In below grade installations, the membrane is installed first and then the insulation (EPS is specifically listed in their installation guidelines. (below is the link to that guideline)

www.certainteed.com/resources/Platon%20Installation%20Brochure%2040-98-04C.pdf

It can also be used to provide a vapor retarder membrane in a floating floor system. The membrane goes down to the concrete floor and a subfloor of OSB or plywood installed on top of the membrane. This gives the floor the ability to move while preventing moisture transfer into the floor. I used a similar system on my basement floor in Reston, VA 8 years ago. I was able to install a hardwood floor (maple) in the basement without moisture concerns.

According to Mitch with Certainteed, they have tested spray foam on the membrane and adhesion was good. However, I am not sure under what circumstances one would use the product with spray foam. I guess you could spray foam over the membrane in a below grade foundation.

Anyone out there who has used it with spray foam? What are your experiences?

Grady Littlehale

Posted: Jul 13, 2012 04:36 PM

I have use a similar product www.delta-ms.com on a project, we used it for the inside of the foundation. Not a user friendly product when it is a old rubble foundation. The foam adheres well too it.

Circle-D

Posted: Jul 15, 2012 09:24 PM

I had a customer put Platon over his dirt floor basement and run it up the rock wall a foot or so. I then sprayed foam from the underside of the floor (basement ceiling) down over the platon by a few inches to seal it. Foam adhered well and I have not heard of any problems.

mason

Posted: Jul 16, 2012 07:18 AM

CircleD, sounds like that would work well.

SprayFoamSupply.com

Posted: Jul 16, 2012 02:06 PM

What is Platon?

mason

Posted: Jul 16, 2012 03:10 PM

Platon is the brand name of Certainteed's waterproofing membrane that goes on foundation wall below grade and on concrete floors to minimize moisture transfer but leaves room (due to the dimples in the membrane) for some air flow.

See the first comment I made of the product and follow the link.

mark moyer

Posted: Jul 19, 2012 04:03 AM

we have sprayed to this many times below grade on foundations,,,
we see it used as a drainage plane,,,used in particularly wet,,,or prone to be wet fields,,,placed against foundation with dimples against foundation...this gives any moisture that gets up against the foundation a course to drain down to the gravel field and tileing at the footings to be removed from the wall and footing assembly...subsequently,,,in most installs it is not a vapor barrier,,it is plenty thick,,,but it is not "glued" to the foundation,,,so there is obviously the next available "airspace"(all the dimples) in the system...but a drainage plane indeed,,,
so we have shot to this product,,,for exterior foundation insulation...but it is glued to the platon and not to the foundation...now we have done a few where we shot the foam to the foundation and then had the platon set against the foam and then back filled,,still does what its supposed to,,drainage plane,,and the foam is now provideing maximum return being glued to the substrate(vapor barrier as well as insulation)...

sidebar: i have platon against my above ground pool which is 1/2 in ground,,,the walls are holding up good after 15years in the ground...oh yea,,,3" foam as a base under the liner,,,

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