So, this video is three hours and 18 minutes long. I did not watch the whole thing.
However, in the first few minutes, the presenter, Ottawa Design Build (the YouTube channel is Home RenoVision DIY), shows a subfloor system that’s new to me, and I thought interesting enough to share.
Basically, they roll out what I call “dam proofing membrane,” DPM, a plastic dimpled membrane that I use mainly between existing foundation walls and new concrete for perimeter drains.
He calls it something that I think is in French and cites a brand called DMX. With the membrane rolled out and taped together with “tuck tape,” it becomes a stand-off for the plywood subfloor installed over it, isolating it from the concrete and performing as a vapor barrier. He says he lays out and installs the DPM in minutes, which looks legit, and the system looks like it’ll trap a little of the cold that makes basement slabs uncomfortable.
The subfloor itself is attached directly to the concrete floor with concrete screws.
When it comes to framing walls, I appreciate that he’s not a know-it-all about how to frame, recognizing that sometimes tipping up walls works, while going stick-by-stick, though tedious, is ultimately a better choice—sometimes.
If you watch it all, please tell me how it ends.
