Hello,

We just moved into a new house here in the San Francisco Bay area that was built in the 55 and renovated in the 70s.  He house has a main floor to which they added a staircase up to a loft,  and down to the lower level.  The house is on a hill lot and the lower level is at grade, with one half being the garage and the other half is a 9×13 bedroom with a bathroom off that.  The bedroom is on the downhill side and has a sliding door that opens to the outside, the opposite wall backs to the bathroom.  For  the sidewalls one shares to the garage and the other to to the outside.

The bedroom had a musty odor, so I removed the carpet and padding which was glued to the slab.  The padding smelled especially musty, so I pulled it all out.  The slab is coated with a grey rubbery/plastic like coating, and now that I have removed the carpet and padding the smell has gotten worse and permeates the house.  If I put my nose to the slab it really stinks.  When I pulled the tack strips from the carpet, what I believe is leveling compound cracked and the coating pulled up some.

I want to put down a laminate floor but I am at a loss as to the “proper” way to do this.  I see articles and postings on vapor barrier vs no vapor barrier, I need to remedy the smell as it is bad. I cleaned the surface of the coated slab with a bleach cleaner, so I am hoping that will kill the smell at least short term.  The bathroom has newer marble tile on the floors and walls and that room doesn;t seem to smell.

thank you!