Taking a poll about crawl space vapor barriers

[HawkinsHollow]

I am digging the footers for my addition today. After I get done digging them and regrading I would like to put plastic and gravel down as a vapor barrier.

My question is:
Plastic and then 57s gravel over it?
or
Gravel then plastic over it?

What says ye?

 

[Roadworthy]

I say gravel is a bad idea. It will be really ugly to crawl on later and it will cut the plastic to shreds when you do crawl on it. Sand is probably a far better choice. On the plastic will help hold it from shifting when you crawl on it and you won't notice the layer of dust that will settle over time.

 

[duffer]

If you use gravel, use Pee gravel (size of BB's) instead of 57. Also be sure to use a very heavy plastic.
I did gravel, then plastic on top.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We used pea gravel, nice smooth edges, then the vapor barrier over top. I've never seen gravel on top of the vapor barrier.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Well $h!t!!! I have 10 tons of 57s in my back yard. Guess I gotta roll with it. No turning back now.

I have shifted gears a little bit and have decided to only do crawl space area where the plumbers will need to access under the bathroom. Probably ordered too much gravel, I guess I will bring it to my property and use it on the road. It needs it anyways.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Well $h!t!!! I have 10 tons of 57s in my back yard. Guess I gotta roll with it. No turning back now.

I have shifted gears a little bit and have decided to only do crawl space area where the plumbers will need to access under the bathroom. Probably ordered too much gravel, I guess I will bring it to my property and use it on the road. It needs it anyways.

You can never have too many 57s!

 

[HawkinsHollow]

You can never have too many 57s!

True dat!! But now I gotta move half of them out of my back yard. Luckily I have my buddies dump truck for the weekend.

 

[dstig1]

Plastic on top and yeah sand would be better. You want to be able to see the plastic to repair any tears that may come up. There are some very heavy plastics for this application. I'm thinking like 10 mil or greater.

 

[4570Man]

I usually put sand in crawspaces. Gravel isn’t fun to crawl on.

 

[workinonit]

Whoa! Gravel? Having been an HVAC contractor I would have walked the second I saw that. I ain't crawling on gravel. I put sand under my house and totally encapsulated the entire crawl space and have a de-humidifier under there. Keeps the humidity at 60% year round.

 

[square1]

The Pro's do plastic over sand

 

[LouNY]

Your knees will thank you if you use sand, gravel is a killer. My preference would be the vapor barrier laid down, then followed by a thin layer of concrete, even just 2" would make for so much nicer and easier access over the years.

 

[JethroB]

I usually put sand in crawspaces. Gravel isn’t fun to crawl on.

Nor is the chunks of mortar and block or brick that the masons leave behind.

 

[geteh]

I am digging the footers for my addition today. After I get done digging them and regrading I would like to put plastic and gravel down as a vapor barrier.

My question is:
Plastic and then 57s gravel over it?
or
Gravel then plastic over it?

What says ye? Does anyone have personal experience with this? We're experiencing a lot of vapor smells coming from the dirt floor of our crawl space up through the back of the house crawl space vapor barrier. Regularly we get strong smells of sulfur (rotten eggs) and mold. The worst smell of wet concrete has been happening the past 2 weeks crawl space vapor barrier

Does anyone have personal experience with this? We're experiencing a lot of vapor smells coming from the dirt floor of our crawl space up through the back of the house. Regularly we get strong smells of sulfur (rotten eggs) and mold. The worst smell of wet concrete has been happening the past 2 weeks. I called a company that specializes in the installation of a vapor barrier that seals the dirt floor of the crawl space under a fabric/plastic lining. They also install a sump pump to keep the fumes directed out and away from the house. I don't mind saying that I just about fainted when they gave me a ball park figure of 3 to 5 thousand as an estimate to install this liner. Has anyone installed these and if so, what are your recommendations for this project? Is there a cheaper alternative that would be as effective as the more expensive contract for placement of this type of liner? Or should we just suck it up and go with the professionals?

 

[2manyrocks]

Without specific details, hard to answer your question. The first question I'd ask is if water runoff slopes towards your crawl space. How big is your crawl space? Does it appear wet? Do you notice the odor all the time or at certain times?

My first suspicion of that kind of odor would be a blocked sewer vent that's allowing odors to back into your house or even a cracked sewer pipe.

 

[square1]

Does anyone have personal experience with this?

Yes. Had a professionally done crawlspace. Difference is greater than night & day. I could have lived in the crawlspace. It's that clean & dry.

 

[lman]

Yes. Had a professionally done crawlspace. Difference is greater than night & day. I could have lived in the crawlspace. It's that clean & dry.

A few more feet and you could have had a basement. You would have loved the added living space.

 

[square1]

A few more feet and you could have had a basement. You would have loved the added living space.

Not a single house in that neighborhood with a basement. I knew the owner of the closest house to mine (about a mile away) with a basement. He said his sump pump ran 24/7/365 and his electric bill was sky high because of it.
If course my lawn was always green so there was that

 

[lman]

Not a single house in that neighborhood with a basement. I knew the owner of the closest house to mine (about a mile away) with a basement. He said his sump pump ran 24/7/365 and his electric bill was sky high because of it.
If course my lawn was always green so there was that

Another good thing is your well must not be very deep.

 

[woody]

My grandson checked with a pest control company the other day about spraying for termites and they offered to put plastic under his house for 800 dollars and it's only about 1700 square feet.