Basement Waterproofing – Items & Purposes
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.
The area in which you live is going to affect the amount of water around you. Materials that you can use will be influenced by the information you collect.
The first type of basement waterproofing materials that most people seem to be looking for are simple sealants. In other words, they have a basement that has already had some form of waterproofing applied to it and are looking to patch small damp areas up. RadonSeal being one of the top-end sealants treats poured concrete, mortar in block walls or stone foundations and concrete or cinder blocks.
You have to coat all of the basement walls and the floor with sealant or else the water will still seep in around the edges of the treated area. As it comes with a limited 20-year guarantee, this product is a practical option. There is only one issue here and that is that the sealant, (all sealants, not just this particular one), will only prevent water seepage on the inside skin 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. These consist of metal staples which are literally stapled across the cracks, thus preventing or limiting further movement. Cement that doesn’t shrink is used to fill in the 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. But it is still a good choice, because it adhere to most surfaces.
It has to be mentioned that the key to basement waterproofing is not only the substance but its proper application as well. You must see to it that there is minimal water around the basement perimeter.
Some things to try:
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