Concrete Sealer

[trodden]

Hey all, i've just acquired a bit of space that i once had to share with a bunch of other musicians, Now that I can put some work into making it better without other people f'in it up and trashing it, i'm interested in concrete sealants. Anyone remodel a basement? Winter time, when it rains a lot, we get slow leaks from some cracks in the walls, nothing to heavy, but after a week of straight rain, stuff gets a little soggy and we end up replacing the carpet each spring. I'm looking either spray on or paint on... nothing to harsh vapor wise would be cool, and something that won't cost an arm and a leg to do. Any experience with such product around here?

[black ark]

"drylock" is a good one. home depot carries it.. may as well get one of the large brushes to apply it if the surface of the wall is too uneven for a roller with a 3/4" or 1" nap.

you may want to try patching those slow leaks with mortar before you paint the walls... check the outside of the foundation where it leaks too..maybe make sure the gutters are hooked into the waste system of the house so they're not just emptying on the ground.

more info than you wanted.. good luck!

-paul m.

[black ark]

hmmm... or was it "drylok"...

-paul m.

[bluetarp]

Yeah - Drylok. That's the stuff. GREAT stuff. If you have leaking cracks, hit those first with Waterplug hydraulic cement - that stuff is amazing, too. Also check the exterior for any fixes you might be able to apply to the way water moves around the building.

But you can't beat the Drylok, no, it's great stuff. Apply with some ventilation if you can - it does put up a stink until it dries, but then it's totally stable. It's available in oil-based or latex. I'm not sure when you're supposed to use one or the other, but I've used the latex on all my jobs and that's the stuff I'm talking about. Works as advertised and it's durable durable durable.

Sounds good, too.

[maz]

Get some foundation sealing caulk for the places where the wall meets the ceiling and put a bead all around the room too. That's a really likely place for leaks. My basement had this leak and we had people come in and give us estimates for $1500 to seal it, blah blah blah, and I just tried that stuff and it hasn't leaked since.

No particular brand, I just went to Home Depot's caulk isle and found one that said "foundation" or something like that.

[trodden]

Awesome, thanks for the suggestions... Its a section of the basement in a large commercial building, at least 100 years old. I can't seem to figure out how the water is getting in, i'm sure something from the guttering on the building above, I can't seem to find anything causeing it. These are like hair line cracks... so hopefully a few coats of this drylock of which you speak will keep the water out.. I really would like to replace the carpet this time and not have to do it again... Trying to change a dingy cave like moldy rehearsal space into a nice, pleasant, much cleaner and better smelling project studio.

thanks.

[James Dawson]

ideally, you should seal it from the outside and install a "french drain" but in lieu of that look at the products by this company.

http://www.hydrostop.com

I worked with them over a year producing their web site and video and DVD. Great product, especially the crackbridging elastomerics. They cam be mixed with portland cement and used to repair cracks in concrete as they remain "flexible."

Their products have been used on everything from Epcot center to the mock up of the space shuttle. The owner, a good friend used one of their products on the deck of his vintage Chris Craft.

Hope this helps!

[WelcomeHome]

Hey, anyone have a suggestion for bare concrete FLOOR treatment? The less stink the better!

thanks,

Michael

[stewd]

how about those odor chrystals, they come in a burlap bag usually and they're supposed to be make from volvanic rocks or something. they absorb smells. reusable too, just bake em in the oven every 6 months.

[James Dawson]

Hey, anyone have a suggestion for bare concrete FLOOR treatment? The less stink the better!

thanks,

Michael

Check HydroStop as mentioned above. No petrochemicals...water based. Put it on with a brush or spray it on. Great stuff. Look at Barrier Guard... No VOC's

VOC's are... http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/voc.html

"BarrierGuard is designed for waterproofing all types of masonry surfaces such as foundation walls, concrete panels, exterior basement walls, retaining walls, and moisture-retaining structures such as cisterns and concrete shrubbery boxes. Mixed with water and Portland cement, and fully reinforced with BarrierGuard Fabric, it forms a hard-wearing, flexible compound. It is also resistant to hydro-static pressure and ideal for subterranean waterproofing."

I am not hyping this stuff because I worked with the company or that they became friends. I used it on my own house and have recommnended it to friends for their businesses.

[YOUR KONG]

Wow, this is timely for me, as I'm doing something similar right now.

One thought - if the water is coming into the foundation and then the sealer prevents it from coming into the basement, doesn't that just trap the water in the house's foundation?

Right now we're looking at a house that gets some water through the walls, and the current owners are going to install an elaborate french drain system inside the basement - the water comes in through the walls, is collected in drains along each wall ("the basement moat" as my wife calls it), and is then drained to a sump pump.

[llmonty]

yes, the drylok will just trap the water inside the foundation - no a very good solution if you can help it. you really need to figure out how it is coming in from the outside. if you don't own the building, you may not be that concerned.

things like french drains on the outside , or even a dry well, plus some regrading of the ground (does the ground around it slope towards or away from the foundation). I have this problem in my basement on 1 side of my house. It is clearly coming from leaky/clogged built in gutters, and the run off consendsation from the central a/c. plus the ground isn't properly sloped. after these are fixed and if the leaks are gone/almost gone completely, then i would drylok.

another option as mentioned is the inside drain option, though the water still gets through so you still have that problem. and sump pumps are not cheap.