Waterproofing The Basement Walls; Easy Tips To Make The Waterproofing Go Smoothly

Most ways of waterproofing basement walls deal with the inside and outside of the wall. Make sure your basement is waterproof during construction as a waterproof membrane can be applied to the outside of the foundation. Poor original work, the home settling, or hydrostatic pressure from changes in the water table around your home could result in leaks and seepage through your basement walls. You can waterproof your basement walls with some work. Have your socket wrench set handy. The socket wrench sets can be used for a variety of situations. If you need help tips for choosing a socket wrench set then find information online that can help you.

First check the walls for any hairline cracks, holes, or other porous areas in the walls. Larger holes will need to be filled with mortar and then waterproofed but smaller holes and cracks will be fine with just a waterproof mix. Chisel out a dovetail to allow the mortar to properly take hold from the inside when filling in larger holes. Mortar is usually one part cement to two parts sand with enough water to make a stiff mix.

Make sure there are no air holes or pockets and use an ordinary trowel when applying mortar. If the wall is leaking considerably you may need to put in a drainage pipe to a sub pump to help drain the water and before applying the mortar, use a stiff wire brush to get rid of loose particles which will help it adhere. Whether this situation is temporary or permanent is dependent on the nature of the water flow. Repair any leaking floor joints in much the same way as the larger holes in the wall.

Start by chiseling out a dovetail joint to help it adhere and make sure to incline the patch slanting it from the floor to the wall to provide strength and drainage. When the wall is completely repaired, the waterproof mixture can be applied. The wall should be sanded to remove any paint before applying the waterproof mixture and the wall misted as the mixture does not adhere to a dry wall, but will not set on a wet wall either. Take care when reading the manufacturer's instructions since epoxy and latex waterproofing mixtures usually require you to add some water, or, an alternative would be to use your own mix of plain cement and water which should have the consistency of cream when mixed to a slurry. The mixture should be applied at the bottom of the wall with a stiff brush and spread by moving up in a right to left direction.

Feather the edges until the entire area is covered and leave it to dry overnight or until the mixture is not flaky. After the wall has dried overnight wet it down thoroughly again and apply a second coat of the waterproofing mixture in the same manner as the first. If you use one coat instead of two you may have to start over again as this will not do the job. You will find waterproofing basement walls is not as difficult as it first appeared if you use this information. Even better, you will have that you have been wanting for so long, a dry basement.