Pro tip: I stopped using cheap underlayment on concrete slabs after a job in Tacoma

Shane Park · 2026-04-16T08:55:08.372796+00:00

I used to buy whatever bargain roll was on sale, but last year a basement install I did on a 1980s slab in Tacoma had major moisture wicking up. The cheap foam basically dissolved after six months. Now I always use a 6 mil vapor barrier and a quality cork underlayment, no exceptions. Has anyone else had a similar fail with budget materials on old concrete?

cole_flores444mo ago

I've had the cheap stuff hold up fine for years though...

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aaronsullivan4mo ago

Yeah, I was the same way. That Tacoma story would've changed my mind too.

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kim_ramirez34mo ago

Man, @aaronsullivan is right about that stuff failing. I mean, my buddy had the same cheap foam turn to mush under his laminate in a sunroom. Maybe it's just me but I don't trust any of the bargain rolls now.

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