Just ask any competent contractor, builder or engineer and they’ll tell you that the construction materials you choose for your home are just as (if not more) important than the design of the project itself. If your home is built with materials of subpar quality, it’s highly likely that you’ll face some major problems down the road. When you’re building a home, one of the most important things is making sure that the building materials you’ve opted for are moisture resistant.
If the project is located in an area that is susceptible to floods, choosing the right materials can provide you with that extra bit of protection you need against mold-causing moisture. In this blog post, we’ll provide a guide to choosing the right moisture-resisting building materials for your home.
Flooring Materials
When it comes to finished surface flooring, go for non-porous materials such as stone, cast-stone or slate with waterproof mortar. Rubber tiles or sheets, ceramic tile and terrazzo are some other options. Moving on to subflooring, while naturally decay-resistant wooden subflooring materials such as bald cypress, cedar, some oaks and redwood are popular options, wood is prone to warping. If the surface flooring isn’t taken off to allow the wooden subflooring to die, it can become mold and damaged fast.
If you’re looking for an excellent subfloor option, our Mag FirePro Sulphate MgO Subfloor Board is not only one hundred percent mold and moisture proof, but also has superior bending strength and fire resistance ratings.
Wall Materials
When it comes to wallboard material, magnesium oxide is the best option you have in terms of moisture and mold resistant. MgO wallboard doesn’t mold or decay, and neither does it feed mildew. The same cannot be said about most other material options available on the market. MgO board is significantly less porous than concrete blocks and also doesn’t have as many seams, which means there are lesser spots through which water can enter.
Another factor that can influence the water resistance of walls is the type of joint compound used. Fiberglass tape is known to have more water and flood resistance than paper tape or standard drywall joint compound.
Moisture Resistant Coatings & Coverings
The ideal coatings are those that allow moisture from the inner walls to move through the paint and dry. Latex paint is a good choice in this regard. However, if you have MgO boards and drywall, you don’t have to worry about moisture reaching surface walls and coatings.
Magmatrix is a trusted supplier of non-combustible, moisture and fire-resistant, asbestos-free Magnesium oxide panels and boards that can be used as drywall, partitions and sheathing boards. Get in touch with us for more information.
Comments