Performing the ASTM F-2170-11 Test

The ASTM F-2170 standard is important for measuring moisture, or relative humidity, in concrete. Flooring inspectors, flooring contractors and others in the industry know that this test needs to be done to determine whether a concrete subfloor is ready for a sealer or whether it is ready to be built upon. Getting the most accurate information from the test allows contractors and inspectors to do their jobs right.

Why Perform the Test?

Concrete slabs are the literal foundation upon which structures, like offices and homes, are built and when they are not up to standards, there can be lots of problems. Poorly prepared concrete can lead to warping, buckling, cracking and excess moisture. This can cause any building material or flooring material that sits on top of the concrete to experience faults, both physical or via appearance. Measuring the relative humidity in the concrete is important to determine that it is ready for the next step in the building process.

More About the ASTM-F-2170

The American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) developed the standards for determining moisture in concrete slabs and it is considered by most flooring experts to be the best way to test. The process for performing the ASTM F-2170 test is rigorous and requires flooring inspectors to use special equipment to accurately measure moisture in concrete. With the ASTM-F-2170 text, flooring contractors know when the concrete is ready and can better anticipate its performance in the future.

Here are the steps that flooring contractors follow to ensure that they are getting proper measurements and monitoring the concrete so that they know when it is ready.

1. Flooring contractors must use the proper equipment to test the concrete’s moisture content includes a thermo-moisture probe with sensors that detect the conditions within the slab.
2. The flooring contractor drills a cylindrical hole in the concrete slab with a rotary hammer drill. The depth and number of any hole depends on the depth as well as the surface area of the slab.
3. They must inset a non-conductive sleeve into the hole or holes and then insert the probe.
4. The inspector must perform three tests for the first 1,000 square feet (100 square meters), and at least one additional test for each additional 1000 square feet (100 square meters).
5. Flooring contractors must record the readings and compare them to determine when the moisture content of the concrete slab signals that it is ready for the next step.

Flooring contractors that follow this rigorous testing method will feel confident in knowing that they are making the right call in moving forward on a building project because they will have the evidence that their concrete is finally ready. The ASTM-F-2170 is the gold standard when it comes to testing moisture in concrete, and it’s worth it to ensure fewer problems during any building project.