fqp25 Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 50's house with this material in the crawl. It was brittle and like cardboard. It has just plain dirt (no gravel) on top of it. Is this some kind of moisture barrier? Top (Black Color) Click to Enlarge 35.13 KB Bottom toward the ground (Brownish color) Click to Enlarge 30.22 KB Thickness Click to Enlarge 34 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Jones Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Did that material cover the entire floor? I have never personally seen that and it almost looks like it is left over construction debris. The first pic almost looks like a roofing shingle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Whitmore Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 I run into stuff like that on 50's era homes. I always believed it to be old brittle 30# felt used as a vapor barrier. The stuff typically breaks apart as I crawl across it, so I recommend installing a new vapor barrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fqp25 Posted August 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 It looks like at one time it covered the whole floor. It breaks apart when the exposed stuff is crawled on. A furnace, duct work, refrigerant lines are installed right by the crawlspace hatch, so I didn't even notice this stuff until I got further into the crawl. Felt did came across my mind, and 30 lbs would make sense, because it seems thicker. I only noticed overlapping seams, and the more I tried to expose the more it broke apart; but it looked like the width would be like 4'-5'. Either way it needs a better vapor barrier. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Jones Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Yeah, what Brandon says makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 I see it occasionally. It's usually thicker than 30# Felt. It's probably Ruberoid roll-roofing, manufactured by Standard Paint Co. from 1886-1965 (the Ruberoid name was purchased by GAF in the late 60s). Ruberoid had a plant in Chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randynavarro Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Ain't Bill great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erby Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 Yup, but then so are quite a few people that share their knowledge on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kibbel Posted August 29, 2009 Report Share Posted August 29, 2009 I enjoy learning about old building materials and methods. When I see something different, more than a few times, I just get curious. I'm fortunate to have resources to find out stuff. I once saw specs (I think it was for a building in the early 30s) that specified Ruberoid for a crawlspace. Click to Enlarge 76.08 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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