Polyethylene builders' film is a plastic material that has various uses in the construction industry, such as using it as an underlayment for floors. This article discusses some important tips that you should keep in mind if you are using this film during a DIY project to improve the wooden floor of your home.

Pay Attention to the Rating

Polyethylene builders' film is made to different specifications, such as how thick the sheet is. Those specifications may alter its permeability and its permeance. It is very important for you to pay attention to those specifications because they will affect how well the builders' film protects your wooden floor from water vapour. It is advisable to select the polyethylene builders' film with the highest protective abilities so that as little vapour as possible penetrates to the wooden floor.

Don't Drive Nails Through It

Another important tip that you need to remember as you do the DIY project is to avoid driving any nail through the builders' film. It may be self-defeating to drive nails through it. The nails will create gaps within the film. Those holes or gaps will allow moisture to penetrate the vapour barrier as the moisture moves up along the nail. An option that you can consider is to place plywood over the polyethylene builders' film. That plywood can then form a base into which you can drive the nails that you wish to use to anchor the flooring material.

Know Where to Place the Builders' Film

Some homeowners make the mistake of placing the polyethylene builders' film above the wooden subfloor. This traps moisture within the subfloor. Such moisture can cause the wood to rot to the extent that structural problems may develop. The trapped moisture can also cause health complications because mould may grow within the subfloor. The best location for the builders' film is underneath the wooden subfloor. Such a placement will protect the wooden subfloor from any moisture that may be underneath that wood.

Proper use of polyethylene builders' film starts with having a detailed understanding of the properties of that material. Ordinary homeowners may not be in possession of such detailed knowledge. It is therefore advisable for you to talk to an experienced contractor so that he or she advises you on the best way to handle the builders' film during the DIY project. Use the tips that you get from that expert together will the manufacturer's instructions regarding how to use that material. 

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