Are you tempted by advertisements that promise waterproof floor for your basement? If you want to know out how to cure your wet and musty basement floors, you probably saw an advertisement of products that claim they are the best at waterproofing basement walls. You will be wondering, is it possible to dry out your basement floors by merely sealing the entire walls? The answer is a resounding yes, it is not impossible. But you have to make sure that you choose the right option and you need to figure out where the moisture comes from, outside or inside the basement.
Here’s a way to find out where the moisture comes from and what’s causing it
According to Edinburgh damp proofer, a respectable proofing company, you need to tape a one square foot piece of aluminum foil inside the basement walls and leave it for at least 24 hours. If there is a condensation outside of the aluminum foil, there is a big chance that you have a high level of humidity in your basement. You can fix it with a portable humidifier, or you can use a house humidifier system as an alternative to using waterproofing products you saw on the television. If the aluminum foil is wet on the inside, next to the wall, the cause might be the soil surrounding your basement is damp from poor soil drainage or a high-water table. In cases like this, waterproofing your floor can be very useful. You can waterproof the interior walls of the basement. That can solve your problem, or waterproof the exterior walls, which is much better, but very expensive.
Listed below are the types of waterproofing:
Concrete waterproofing coatings
Concrete waterproofing coatings are cement-like waterproofing with a thick coat when it dries they stick permanently to the concrete and your masonry walls. You can apply the layer using a dense brush that is made with Tampico bristles – which is a natural fiber. You need to swirl the brush during the final application, to give your interior wall a nice, attractive finished look. Concrete coatings can’t be used for walls that are previously painted. You can check the label for instructions. A five-gallon bucket, with water mixed with the dry mix, can cover 100 square feet.
(If you want to know more about waterproofing, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterproofing)
Silicate-based concrete sealers
It is only suitable for walls that have not been painted yet or sealed. The sealant will soak in and reacts chemically with the active ingredients of the brick or concrete, forming a waterproof and hard surface. Because Silicate-based concrete sealers are penetrating sealants, they can be peeled or flake off, you need to paint over them, but you have to make sure that you check the label first before applying. Apply silicate-based sealant using a brush, roller, or a sprayer. One gallon can cost about $40 to $50 and can cover 200 square feet, but you have to coat at least twice to be effective.
Waterproofing paint
It is an acrylic-based formula, not different from standard wall paint. You need to brush, roll or spray it much thicker than the regular paint. A gallon can only cover 75 square feet, not the usual 300 square feet the regular paint can cover. Waterproofing paint is suitable for Do-It-Yourself applications. You can apply it to walls and floors that are already painted over. One gallon of waterproof paint costs around $35.
Plastic panels and sheets
These types of sealants are suitable for wall proofing, only if combined with the basement drainage system. They can’t stop water getting through your walls, but they will prevent water from ruining tour things in the basement. The back of the plastic will help drain water that gets through your wall, into the drainage system of the floor. A pump is needed to move the water out of the basement. The system will cost about $3,000 to $5,000 for a 20-by-20-foot basement.
Just a tip, none of the products will work correctly if the cracks and gaps in your wall are not adequately sealed. Make sure that you will the cracks and holes with polyurethane caulk made of masonry. For more
extensive cracks, you can use epoxy fillers.
(Click here to know the different effects between polyurethane sealants and urethane sealants.)
Your best bet to waterproof your basement floors and walls is to do a full-scale exterior waterproofing. It is also the most expensive way, at around $10,000 to $30,000. Exterior waterproofing involves doing an excavation around your house; foundation walls deep excavation. You then install a waterproof coating topped with drainage panels. The drainage panels will provide a pathway for water to flow all the way to your French drain that is mounted at the foundation. From there, gravity will take over with the help of a sump pump.
