The Test Most Contractors Skip Entirely

What Moisture Vapor Emission Actually Is

Ask the independent provider to identify contaminants and exposure conditions, then explain preparation, product suitability, and any exclusions in the written scope.

Why It Matters for Coating

A coating essentially seals the top of the slab. If vapor is emitting at a rate the coating system can't handle, pressure can build beneath that sealed surface over time — showing up as bubbling, delamination, or a milky white haze under the coating known as osmotic blistering. This sometimes doesn't appear until months after an install that looked perfectly successful on day one.

How We Test Every Slab

We run a calcium chloride test or a relative humidity (RH) probe test on-site before quoting the job, measuring the slab's actual emission rate against the coating manufacturer's maximum tolerance for that specific product.

Why Most Contractors and All DIY Kits Skip This

Ask the provider for separate application and return-to-use milestones for walking, storage, vehicles, and cleaning. Timing must follow the installed products and actual job conditions.

What Happens If a Slab Tests High

It isn't a dealbreaker. A high-emission slab can still be coated using a moisture-mitigating primer system rated for that specific vapor pressure. The point of testing isn't to disqualify a job — it's to install the correct system for that particular slab instead of guessing.