Basement Epoxy Floors in Kalama, Moisture Tested Before Anything Else

Picture a house dug into the hillside above First Street. The back wall of the lower level is basically holding up a hill, the slab sits on ground that drains toward the river, and the air down there smells a little damp from October to April. That is a common setup in a hillside town, and it is the reason we never quote a Kalama basement floor until we have run a moisture test.

We use one of two methods: a sealed calcium-chloride kit or a relative humidity probe. It tells us how much water vapor is moving up through the concrete. Low reading, we go straight to the standard system. High reading, we add a moisture-mitigating primer underneath. Water actually pooling on the floor is a different problem; we track down and stop the source before a single coat is rolled.

Why Flake Epoxy Works Downstairs in a River Town

Bare basement concrete is a sponge. It pulls moisture up, holds onto smells, and gives mold a place to start. A coated floor is sealed. The system is 100% solids epoxy, a flake broadcast for texture and to hide imperfections, then a polyaspartic wear layer, adding up to 30 to 40 mils. Damp air does not bother it, mildew finds nothing to feed on, and a mop handles cleanup.

That makes a damp lower level usable. People turn them into gyms, laundry rooms, workshops and storage for river gear. Wet waders and coolers set down on epoxy dry off and clean up instead of leaving stains. Install is one to two days, with two to three days of cure, and the floor carries a 15-year warranty.

Our Basement Epoxy Floors System

Materials: Moisture-mitigating primer, 100% solids epoxy, flake broadcast, polyaspartic topcoat
Thickness: 30-40 mils
Install time: 1-2 days
Cure time: 2-3 days
Warranty: 15 years

Moisture tolerant. Mold resistant. Easy to clean.

Hillside Lower Levels, Old Tile and Waterfront Damp

In Kalama the damp is not occasional. River fog, wet winters and slabs close to the Port of Kalama waterfront keep moisture in play, and lower levels on the hillside see water draining past their walls. That is why the test is not optional. Older homes in Downtown Kalama sometimes have 9x9 tile glued to the basement slab. We do not pull that ourselves when it may contain asbestos; a lab test comes first. Any tile that tests hot goes to a licensed abatement outfit for removal, or sometimes it can be encapsulated. Which route fits is something we decide on site. The drive up is about 35 minutes.

Kalama Neighborhoods We Cover

the hillside above First Street, Downtown Kalama, the Port of Kalama waterfront, Kalama River Road

Kalama Basement Floor Price Ranges

Figure $5 at the low end and $10 at the top for each square foot downstairs, with the moisture primer pushing toward the higher end. A 500 square foot lower level comes to $2,500 to $5,000. A larger 800 square foot basement runs $4,000 to $8,000. Abatement of old tile, if needed, is billed by the abatement company, not us.

Frequently Asked Questions

My lower level backs into the hill and smells musty. Can you still coat it?

Probably, but the test decides. Musty usually means vapor coming through the slab and walls. If the reading is high we use the moisture-mitigating primer. If there is liquid water, standing or seeping, that has to be fixed with drainage or sealing first. We will not coat over an active leak.

What kind of moisture test do you run?

Either a calcium-chloride test, which sits sealed on the floor and measures vapor coming up, or an RH probe drilled into the slab. Both give a number we can compare to what the products are rated for. It is part of every basement estimate.

We have old square tile downstairs in our Downtown Kalama house. Can you grind it off?

Not if it might contain asbestos, which old 9x9 tile often does. It needs a test. Should the lab find asbestos, removal goes to a state-licensed abatement contractor before we show up, though some floors can be encapsulated instead. Once we have looked at your floor, you get a clear answer on which path it needs.

Will the coating stop mold?

It removes the bare concrete that mold likes to live on, and it is mold resistant and easy to wipe down. It will not dry out a room that is wet for other reasons. Pair it with a dehumidifier in a lower level near the water.

Can I store my fishing and boat gear down there after?

Yes, and the floor is a good place for it. Wet gear off the Kalama River drips onto a sealed surface that cleans up with a mop. Give it the full two to three days of cure before moving heavy shelving back in.

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