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Basement Waterproofing Materials and Uses
February 25, 2010
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 take a look at what is around and how you can apply it to your home situation.
The area in which you live is going to affect the amount of water around you. So take that into consideration as this will also influence the type of materials you can use.
Simple sealants are the first materials for basement waterproofing that people are looking for. 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 need to treat the whole basement, walls and floor, otherwise it’s likely the water will simply find a way around the sealant. This product comes with a limited 20-year guarantee so looks like a viable option. The only issue to be aware of here is that the sealant, (not just this one, but all sealants)as water weeping can be avoided from the inside part of the basement. Putting this another way, there can be a large quantity of fluid pushing against and through the materials from which the cellar walls are constructed.
If you have cracks in the wall, you may need to consider other options. If your walls are plaster, then you can simply replace the plaster coating. All you need to do is chip away any loose material from around the crack and then fill the area back up with plaster.
One other option which is available is to use a stitching material. These metal staples are stapled across the cracks to prevent or limit further movement. Any type of cement that is not prone to shrinkage can then be used to fill up any cracks.
More serious cracks in the walls or the floor of the basement can be filled with Gunite, a form of concrete that is sprayed on. You’ll need special spraying equipment to do this which you can hire. The resulting spray will fill cracks and leave a smooth finish, but you need to get the mixture ratio right. However it does stick to most surfaces so it’s a good option.
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.
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