Basement Waterproofing Materials and Uses
Materials used to waterproof basements can differ a lot in their forms and applications. Some will be available to the public and some may only be available to the trade. Let’s assess the situation and see how we can apply it to your home.
First of all though, you need to be aware that the area you live in also affects the amount of water that’s likely to be around. Materials that you can use will be influenced by the information you collect.
Simple sealants are the first materials for basement waterproofing that people are looking for. Their basement has previously had waterproofing done to it, so they are simply wanting to patch up some small damp portions. There are top-end sealants such as RadonSeal which will treat poured concrete, mortar in block walls or stone foundations and concrete or cinder blocks.
You need to treat the whole basement, walls and floor, otherwise it’s likely the water will simply find a way around the sealant. The product has a 20-year limited guarantee. There is only one issue here and that is that the sealant, (not only this one specifically, but with all sealants)as water weeping can be avoided from the inside part of the basement. This means there could be a number of water pressing against and through whatever other stuff the basement walls are created with.
Other avenues will need to be explored if you have cracks in the wall. If your walls are plaster, then you can simply replace the plaster coating. Throw away loose material and refill
One other option which is available is to use a stitching material. Metal staples are used to seal the cracks preventing or restricting movements. Any type of cement that is not prone to shrinkage can then be used to fill up any cracks.
A form of concrete that is sprayed on called Gunite can be used for serious cracks in the walls or floors of the basement. You’ll need special spraying equipment to do this which you can hire. The mixture ratio must be correct for the spray to fill any cracks and leave a smooth finish. However it does stick to most surfaces so it’s a good option.
Finally, it needs to be said that basement waterproofing materials are not the ultimate solution. In addition, you should be making sure there is as little water as possible getting into the ground water.
Some things to try:
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 31st, 2008 at 5:47 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.