Is it a bad sign if a contractor skips the moisture test in Kanata?

Skipping a moisture test before applying a resinous floor coating is a meaningful gap in the process, and it is worth asking about before work begins. ASTM F2170 says excess slab moisture can cause failures such as debonding, peaking and deterioration of coatings and microbial growth, and a contractor who skips testing leaves you with no documented reading.

The data sheets for the products matter here. The epoxy and polyaspartic data sheets we read ask for a slab at or below about 75 to 80% relative humidity; one urethane cement data sheet tolerates much wetter slabs. Without a test, neither the contractor nor the facility manager knows whether the slab is within the product's stated limits at the time of application. The data sheet for the product being applied governs, and the test result is the only way to confirm the slab qualifies.

If a contractor says a test is unnecessary, ask them to put the reason in writing and name the product data sheet they are relying on. ASTM F2170 notes that results show the slab's condition only at the time of the test and in the specific locations tested.

Before work begins, a business hiring a contractor should also obtain a WSIB clearance certificate (WSIB policy 14-02-19), confirm the contractor carries liability insurance, and ask for the product data sheets and safety data sheets for everything being applied.

A few things worth confirming before the job starts:

• Which moisture test method will be used, ASTM F2170 or ASTM F1869, and what the product's data sheet requires
• What the contractor will do if the reading exceeds the product's limit (a moisture-tolerant primer or a different system)
• Whether the quote includes prep, the moisture test and any remediation, or whether those are separate line items
• The WSIB clearance certificate and proof of liability insurance

Before signing, ask the contractor to show you the data sheet for the specific product going on your floor and point to the moisture limit it lists.

If you would like to hear from local Ottawa floor coating contractors about your Kanata project, the request form on this site sends your details to contractors listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory.