The basement floor is a continuation of the foundation, which rises above the ground up to 2 m or less. It is part of the house and acts as one of the important structural elements, so its waterproofing should be treated with special attention. This procedure is necessary, it is aimed at ensuring that moisture does not get into the foundation. In addition, such work will exclude the rise of capillary moisture, which can reach a height of up to 5 m.
Usually waterproofing of the basement is carried out even at the time of construction of the building, the only way to prevent leakage and destruction of the foundation. It can be carried out outside and inside. However, in order to exclude damage to the walls and foundation, it is necessary to carry out external waterproofing, since it is from the side of the street that the materials are exposed to negative impacts and groundwater. In order to reduce the amount of earthwork, it is better to carry out waterproofing at the stage of building a house.
Exterior waterproofing methods
Today, there are many waysbasement waterproofing. Among them it is worth highlighting:
- clay ring;
- pasting roll waterproofing;
- paint waterproofing;
- drainage and blind area;
- coated waterproofing;
- penetrating waterproofing.
The clay ring is arranged in that part of the floor that is below the soil level. To do this, the material is well mixed and aged, and then it is laid along the perimeter of the basement to a depth of 20 cm. The clay is well compacted, and is covered with layers of rubble and sand from above, which should also be compacted.
Features of drainage and blind area
If you decide to waterproof the basement, you can use the blind area and drainage. For the latter, below the zero level of the base, a drainage pipe should be laid, through which groundwater will be discharged. The blind area is located in the place where the base is in contact with the zero level of the soil.
A blind area is laid to a width of 1 m. For this, concrete or asph alt is used, which are located around the perimeter of the building. It is important to ensure complete sealing of those places where the base adjoins the blind area. In addition, the design must have a certain slope. The sealant will be urethane mastic. The first two methods are mandatory, they are the simplest and require the use of special tools and materials.
Reviews on roll pasting waterproofing
Laying waterproofing involves the use of rolled bituminous, synthetic or polymeric materials that are welded or glued in several layers. There should be at least 2 of them. At the same time, it is important to provide a 20 cm overlap on the base. This method of waterproofing, according to home craftsmen, requires surface preparation and compliance with the temperature regime during operation.
When waterproofing the basement, you can use multi-layer membranes. Consumers are advised to heat them with a gas burner, and then press them well to the surface of the base and smooth them with a roller. Consumers like this method for several reasons, among them:
- cheap;
- elasticity;
- no need for special tools;
- sustainable;
- good adhesion to stone, concrete and wood;
- high speed editing.
The master does not need to have certain skills. Customers also like the fact that under the influence of high temperatures, the liner material can easily change its original shape.
Negative feedback on pasting waterproofing
If you decide to perform waterproofing of the basement, you should pay attention to some of the disadvantages of this method. Consumers emphasize that the surface of the basement floor will have to be prepared, for this it is cleaned, leveled and dried.
Roll materials have one drawback, which isexpressed in low mechanical strength. The work is quite difficult to carry out, so some believe that it is not so easy to cope with them on their own. Under the influence of the external environment, the waterproofing layer can quickly become unusable and require repair. Buyers emphasize that appropriate work will have to be carried out to protect the waterproofing layer from mechanical damage.
Features of coating waterproofing
Waterproofing of the basement from the outside can be done with coating materials. They are produced on the basis of polymer and bituminous mastics. The most modern material for these works is liquid rubber. It has excellent adhesion properties, so the result is a monolithic waterproof seamless coating over the entire surface.
The material penetrates into the pores, and also has another plus, which is expressed in a high degree of elasticity. This type of waterproofing is effective for brick and concrete basement. Very often, polymer or bituminous mastics are used for these purposes. They are economical, but short-lived, since after five years they can become covered with cracks.
Waterproofing based on liquid glass has recently gained wide popularity due to the fact that it is: easy to use, resistant to aggressive chemical environments, environmentally friendly, resistant to low temperatures and has a high degree of moisture resistance.
Methods of internal waterproofing of the basement
If you do the waterproofing of the basement floor with your own hands from the inside, you can use almost the same list of materials that was mentioned above. For example, rolled sheets and geotextiles are excellent. You can choose:
- gidrostekloizol;
- Euroroofing material;
- bicroelast.
They are not used as often as traditional roofing material, but the latter is less effective due to low quality. Such products can be used for processing walls outside. Additionally, coating plaster and reinforcement are used. The device for waterproofing the basement may include the use of coatings. These are not only mastics, but also polymers, as well as cement mixtures. They are applied to the surface of the floor, as well as penetrating waterproofing. The latter is a high quality primer with excellent moisture resistance characteristics. The composition is sprayed onto the surface to form a 2 mm layer.
If you are wondering how to properly waterproof the basement, you can consider sheet material. It is great for those cases where the amount of water will be quite impressive and under high pressure. The thickness of steel for waterproofing should be 4 mm or more. Recently, polyvinyl chloride membranes have been used more and more often. They require reinforced mesh.
Sprayed compounds are liquid rubber. After their application to the wall, polymerization occurs, the material hardens. At the heart of the compositionlies bituminous mastic. You can also use bentonite clay. It acts as a moisture-proof natural component. It can be used on walls for a gel-like, natural protective layer.
Work technology
Waterproofing the basement floor can be done with penetrating materials. To do this, the surface is cleaned and moistened. A concrete slab moistened with water will ensure uniform penetration of the substance. If the building is old, then the moisture should be even better. At the next stage, you can start preparing the mixture, which is applied in one layer. It should be left until absorbed, only after that you can start forming the second layer.
Features of the technique
Wash walls for a few days. You will need a brush to apply the mixture. Made of synthetic material, which can be replaced with a special pump. If you are thinking about the question of how to waterproof the basement, then you can use sprayed materials. They are applied by spraying.
The material quickly hardens and forms a reliable durable film in the form of a membrane. The main advantage of the method is that the application can be carried out on any material, namely metal, concrete and roofing material. As a result, it is possible to form a seamless, even, odorless coating, which is durable. Sprayed materials are used in particularly difficult cases.
Expert Tips
Waterproofing the basement from the inside can only be done after surface preparation. If you have to work with concrete blocks, then the cracks and joints should be sealed with cement mortar. As soon as it dries, the base is covered with a primer, which will increase adhesion. To do this, you can use a ready-made primer or cook it at home. To do this, 300 g of bitumen are dissolved in 10 liters of gasoline.
Bitumen should be constantly kept in a molten state, which can not be called convenient. You will have to spend extra money on fuel. Working time with hot material is only 4 minutes. For concrete surfaces, resin acts as an excellent protection. However, it is brittle and may crack when the foundation shrinks if it does not contain additives.
For reference
Quite often, the waterproofing of the basement inside is carried out with cold bituminous mastics. They have the desired plasticity, and they can be applied without temperature restrictions. Mastic is a viscous and heavy material. In order to reduce viscosity in cold weather, it is necessary to add a solvent recommended by the manufacturer to the composition.
Conclusion
The basement of any building is a kind of intermediate link between the brick walls and the foundation of the house. In simple terms, this is the part of the foundation that is above ground level. It is she who takes on the impact of precipitation, therefore, requires reliable protection from moisture.
If you want to keep your home as long as possible, thenIt is worth thinking about carrying out such work, and as soon as possible. After all, moisture accumulates in materials, and with the onset of winter, it begins to expand. All this destroys the structure, contributes to the formation of cracks in it. It is better, of course, to provide for waterproofing work at the stage of building a house. Then it will be possible to plan the budget.