I have no experience with it, but my biggest concern would be concentrated weight loads. I see from their website that it is rated at being able to support 8,250 lbs. per square foot. That sounds impressive, but most loads are not spread out over a square foot. That's just over 50 lbs. per square inch. An average 200 lb. person standing on one foot on his toes (as if to reach something up high) is pretty close to that limit. Something as simple as a person's weight on a chair or a ladder would likely exceed the weight limit and crush the dimples. Now think about a couch that has four relatively small feet. Put two or three people on it and you will be way over the weight limit and your floor is likely to end up with a bunch of permanent dents.


I wouldn't consider a product like that without OSB or other flooring material to spread out the load.

 

Dricore is roughly $.50 more a square ft. Dimpled plastic and OSB subfloor in one assembly, It would be my pick.

 

I agree. I used Dricore in my room and so far I have to say it's been pretty good. Still not at the carpeting stage, but everything went together pretty nicely and I did have a stream of water come in from one spot on my wall during one storm (not sure why as it's usually dry) and had no issues whatsoever. Price shop around. I believe Lowes was about $.50-$.75 more per piece than Depot, but didn't have enough so I was able to get Depot to price match.

 

Do not frame on top of Dricore if there is any possibility of a major water event in your basement,

Yesterday it was $5.75 a piece at Home Depot

 

Luckily I have zero chance of a flooded basement, I am very lucky in that regard...saves me on treated limber. $5.75 each? That's very good.

 

None of these products are intended to be used to make the basement water proof. If you have two inches of water in your basement you will have a mess. They are intended to provide a break between cold damp concrete floors and your finished spaces. The dimples create an air space and minor water leaks like an 1/8 of an inch has somewhere to go and eventually dry out. A side benefit is that the wood subfloor has an appealing tactile feel enhancing sub-woofer rumble.

 

Sure of course it's not going to save me from a flood condition. My basement is quite dry, I taped some 5 mil plastic to the ground and left it for several weeks and there was no condensation at all on the plastic. I just want to make sure I build for the long term. I think any of these solutions would do that for me.

 

I went with Dricore and am happy with the results. It's solid and provides a great thermal break from the concrete. It went down pretty easy too and feels solid.

 

Are they tongue in groove or more of a "click" together kind of thing? Bigmouth brought up a good point about moisture up through the joints. What's your take?

 

wasn't me, the joints don't bother me.

 

I'm going to jump in a bit late on this one, because I came across the DMX Airflow this weekend at Home Depot, and I have to look into it some more, but so far it seems to be the most promising underlayment for my basement.

Now, a few things... DMX produces several types of underlayment.

"DMX 1-Step" is from what I can tell, a more traditional dimpled plastic underlayment, where the dimples are pushed out on the bottom, leaving concave dents on the top. It seems to have a top layer of "closed cell waterproof foam" and has a stated compressive strength of 6,000 lbs/ft2. Dimple height is stated at 8mm.

"DMX Airflow", which is the one I saw this weekend, is a bit different. It has a solid flat foam top layer without the concave dents, and seemingly solid foam protrusions on the bottom. They look like coins, basically. It says that both sides are "closed cell waterproof foam" and it carries a stated 8,250 lbs/ft2 compressive strength. One of the product videos I saw states that it has a "high impact plastic" encapsulated between the foam layers (this layer contains the 4mm dimples, and is then sandwiched between 2 layers of foam). I wish I had measured the total product height, I may have to go back and do that.

What I like about the Airflow is that it provides a little insulation (stated R 1.2 value), it has a soft foam layer on both sides, which should reduce or eliminate clicking sounds, and it is thin, which means I won't have to give up much height, which was one of my main goals in this basement project. Our floor is going to be 12mm laminate. It should provide some give (at least more than the concrete would) when the kids inevitably fall on it, and it seemed pretty durable. We don't have moisture problems in the basement, and I'm not expecting this to save us from any floods. I'm going to do some reading, but there isn't a ton of info about this stuff online. Bottom line is that to me it still looks better than the usual suggestions, being that junky red plastic that looks like it has tiny styrofoam balls glued to it, or solid cork which wouldn't breathe at all (just in case).

Here is a quick comparison I made from their product photos, and a few I snapped from in the store. And the styrofoam/thin plastic sheet alternative.

 

Thanks for the update OJ. I'm surprised you found it in Home Depot, as far as I could tell, it was only available through the DMX website. Maybe it's just at home depot in canada.

 

I was kind of wondering if it was a special product placement or something. It was in a bin at the front of the store, and it doesn't show up on their website. I think I'll look into that and see if it's going to be a regular item, or if I should scoop some up now.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

 

Interesting thread!

We're beginning the finishing stage of our basement project next month. The flooring is a mix of carpet and luxury vinyl tile/luxury vinyl plank. Our contractor was planning on laying the LVT/LVP directly on the concrete floor and it seems like this product might keep the flooring at a higher temperature (we're in WI). Does anyone know if you can lay LVT/LVP on top of this? Obviously skipping a subfloor step will save us some good coin in materials and labor and our contractor seems to think we'll be just fine.

What are your thoughts?

EDIT: I should note, this is not for a dedicated theater, but for a bar-style setup. The area where the screen, projector, speakers, etc. will be has the carpeting, while the hangout space will be vinyl tile.

EDIT #2: Google is your friend. You can indeed lay carpet, LVT, tile, laminate, or engineered hardwood right over the top. I wouldn't call it required, but it does look like a nice little bit of insurance for leaks, along with comfort in cold basements. After watching their videos, you'll likely want a contractor who will install with care - offsetting joints and doing the appropriate leveling/shimming.

 

KayGee, yep, as you found out it appears you can lay just about anything over this without OSB/plywood. Your setup sounds like it will be really nice. I wanted to do a mixed type of floor in our basement, keeping everything LVT/Laminate but the theatre, and having that carpeted, but it just made sense for us to stick with the laminate throughout. I'll get a nice big carpet with underpad to put down in the theatre, and the rear will be a carpeted riser resting on top, so it shouldn't make a big difference probably.

I should add a note that I don't work for this company and I'm not being paid to shill for them, I just think it looks neat. I may not even use it, but based on what I've seen it looks like a good option. /disclaimer.

 

I think i'm going to go with the Airflow and put carpet right over it like they advertise. I emailed them with my concerns about the compression strength when factoring in the fact that on a couch all the weight is on 4 relatively small points. They said that is factored in and even when you are using carpet, the webbing on the back does enough to distribute the weight that it won't be an issue. Considering that I'm not going to be putting anything like a pool table down there, I think the vast saving in effort will be worth the shot. It would take a lot of time to lay down OSB on top of the entire basement so I'll report back how it goes!

 

Subscribed

I've been looking into DMX Airflow since last October and had a hard time finding "real" reviews from average Joes.

I had already made my mind up that I wanted to use this (height, cost, ease of installation, etc.) and will be picking up 5 rolls next week. I'm still quite a ways from using it but I look forward to hearing the experiences of others.

 

Curious about your results?

I think i'm going to go with the Airflow and put carpet right over it like they advertise. I emailed them with my concerns about the compression strength when factoring in the fact that on a couch all the weight is on 4 relatively small points. They said that is factored in and even when you are using carpet, the webbing on the back does enough to distribute the weight that it won't be an issue. Considering that I'm not going to be putting anything like a pool table down there, I think the vast saving in effort will be worth the shot. It would take a lot of time to lay down OSB on top of the entire basement so I'll report back how it goes!

Looking at this product and feeling the same way about "real" reviews. Curious how your installs went and more importantly how you're feeling about the results?

 

Interesting product! I have been trying to find a suitable underlayment that will work on top of the concrete on my ground-floor basement for carpet. Drycore is too thick and will block the existing exterior door access so isn't an option for me. I have been considering using cork with built in vapour barrier (product at home depot) anyone know how this product compares to that?

Also, it seems the installation makes sense with carpet, since the tack strips hold the DMX airflow down, but what about vinyl tile? What stops the tile and underlayment coming away from the floor during use, do you have to glue the underlayment and tile down? I didn't see anything on the website about using adhesives with the product.

 

Nice, please do let us know what you think. This is still the front runner for me too, but I won't be laying floor till the end of the year if I'm lucky.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

 

I just wanted to chime in here and post that right now I'm all lined up to have DRIcore R+ installed. Just a reminder that my primary reason for a subfloor is to minimize the feeling of a cold floor in the lower level.

The DMX Airflow doesn't have much of an R-value, although it does look like you could accomplish something quite close in terms of R-value with a layer of 3/4" OSB on the DMX. I haven't looked, but it might be cheaper to do it that way.

It seems like the key to a good DRIcore floor is attention to detail during the install. Leaving the appropriate edge gap, staggering the seams, appropriate shimming, etc.

EDIT: I read my post again and wanted to clarify that this isn't meant to be a knock on Airflow, it looks like a promising product. More like I knew people in this thread were in a similar position to me and I thought I'd share my decision (unless someone wants to talk me out of it) and post some updates later.

 

I have been thinking of using Dricore in my theater build as well and I was wondering about framing on top of it then Big kind of answered part of what I wanted to know. I won't be building walls over it now, but what about building the riser over the Dricore? Would that be ok to do or would it be better to just build the riser directly on the floor. It would save me some money if I did it that way. For the bar/game room part of my basement I was thinking of using a company here in KC that is called Stampcrete. The can put a thin layer of concrete over the existing floor with a pattern and coloring. In my kids area I was going to use TKD mats like this.

http://www.greatmats.com/products/taekwondo-mats.php

 

Subscribed.

I'm just about to start finishing my basement and even bought one roll of the DMX Airflow just to try and test it out but unfortunately the only true test would be to install some all the way. My plan was to install carpet for the theater room with standard carpet pad and tack strips (not using the Airflow there at all).
Where I really want the Airflow to work is with the either laminate or vinyl planks I plan on laying in the living space to have a thermal break and hopefully keep the floors warmer to make it more comfortable during these Minnesota winters. I keep looking for reviews and they all seem like fake shills and the one Youtube review hated them so much and said they were a huge waste of time but he may not have done his homework and messed something up trying to install (for instance he mentioned carpet was impossible because he could not nail down strips through the Airflow when the website clearly states to first nail down your tack strips then lay out the Airflow butting up to the tack strips).

My brother keeps telling me this stuff is a waste of money and that no product will give a substantial impact on the coldness feel of the floors.

And even on top of that I'm worried about ending up with a squishy cheap feeling floor which makes me think that OSB on top might be the ticket while still being cheaper than DRIcore and a better R value than the standard DRIcore while still being more compact.

Would love to get some real impressions for people that have used this stuff.

 

Subscribed.

I'm just about to start finishing my basement and even bought one roll of the DMX Airflow just to try and test it out but unfortunately the only true test would be to install some all the way. My plan was to install carpet for the theater room with standard carpet pad and tack strips (not using the Airflow there at all).
Where I really want the Airflow to work is with the either laminate or vinyl planks I plan on laying in the living space to have a thermal break and hopefully keep the floors warmer to make it more comfortable during these Minnesota winters. I keep looking for reviews and they all seem like fake shills and the one Youtube review hated them so much and said they were a huge waste of time but he may not have done his homework and messed something up trying to install (for instance he mentioned carpet was impossible because he could not nail down strips through the Airflow when the website clearly states to first nail down your tack strips then lay out the Airflow butting up to the tack strips).

My brother keeps telling me this stuff is a waste of money and that no product will give a substantial impact on the coldness feel of the floors.

And even on top of that I'm worried about ending up with a squishy cheap feeling floor which makes me think that OSB on top might be the ticket while still being cheaper than DRIcore and a better R value than the standard DRIcore while still being more compact.

Would love to get some real impressions for people that have used this stuff.

I'm in MN as well. Did it work for you or you went with something else?

 

Wish I could help. I ended up just getting a high end carpet pad and putting it on the concrete, then adding the carpet. So far no regrets, as a good carpet pad will make nearly any carpet feel super plush. I will say I have a pretty dry basement, so moisture is less of a problem for me than it may be for others.

 

What carpet pad did you use? I did LVT throughout my basement and need to find a good carpet pad and carpet (preferably an acoustic carpet) for the theater area. I have major issues with echos in the basement with all LVT. I found a 1/2" felt pad but it appears to be basic, not high end or anything (didn't buy it yet). I am also struggling to find a good acoustic carpet that I can have bound into an area rug.

 

I have 9 rolls and will hopefully be installing it with luxury vinyl planks on top this coming weekend. I will update with results. I was also frustrated by the lack of helpful reviews, etc. online. Hopefully it is as easy as it sounds.

 

Awesome, I can't wait to hear what you think of it! I haven't done much research lately, but I'm still about 90% convinced that it's what I'm going to use. It seems perfect for my needs. Good luck with the installation... And don't screw it up!! Lol. Follow the directions!

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

We went with some thicker vinyl planks (https://www.builddirect.com/p/Vesdu....com/p/Vesdura-Vinyl-Planks-75mm-WPC-Click-Lock-WaterGuard-Collection--15163560) that have a built in cork underlayment.

I'm hoping that the thicker planks and the DMX Airflow will make for a nice, quiet, warm floor directly on the original 1959 concrete floor.

P.S. Moving 1500 lbs of flooring to the basement was a lot of fun. Enjoy!

 

Nice! Vesdura was one of the ones I was looking at, but at the time we decided to just go with an even thicker laminate board for less than 1/2 the price of the vinyl plank. It was nice, but very expensive. I bet you're going to love that. Post pics when done!

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

I did end up installing DMX Airflow into two bedrooms and what will become the theater this weekend. Flooring was installed in the bedrooms as well. Overall, it was easy to install and definitely makes the floor feel warm and softer to walk on. I think the combination of the DMX Airflow and the extra-thick planks with the built-in cork underlay make everything feel nice and flat and warm.

When you get to the end of the roll it does become harder to roll out, so I'm experimenting with laying some flooring boxes on it to press it flat, we will see how that works next weekend when I finish up flooring.

 

First of all, it looks great!

I do have a few questions for you:

First and most important for me, does the floor have a wavy or squishy feel while walking across the finished flooring? Any odd sensations?(It's just really important to me that putting the flooring directly over the DMX Airflow does not have an "odd" feeling and that it feels much any other flooring would).

Secondly, is there a reason you laid the DMX Airflow the shorter way opposed to in longer strips? I'm very new to this stuff so I want to see if that was just your preference or if there is a specific reason for it.

Thanks!

 

Are you going to lay carpet over any of it?

 

Just a heads up for anyone in the Toronto area (if not Canada wide) the DMX is 20% off at Rona this week.

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk