My neck of the woods has received a LOT of rain over the past few weeks and several people I know have reported that water was seeping into their basements.
I used to have that problem with my basement as well, but a simple waterproofing project put a stop to it.
Most “wet basements” are the result of water seeping in from the outside through cracks or pores in the block wall and/or concrete floor.
Luckily, pores and small cracks are very easy to seal by applying a couple of heavy coats of waterproofing sealer to the leaky surfaces.
There are several brands of waterproofing sealer on the market, but I’ve personally had great results with UGL DryLok.
I’ve used this product to waterproof three different basements over the years, and it always stopped the leaks completely after only two coats!
Regardless of which brand you decide to go with, waterproof sealer is pretty easy to apply.
The purpose of this post is to explain how to effectively seal the leaks in your own leaky basement walls or floor.
Here are the materials and tools you’ll need in order to complete the project:
- A stiff broom
- A a stiff-bristled paint brush
- A masonry-grade paint roller and pan
- UGL DryLok waterproofing sealer
- A small amount of wet mortar and a trowel (if you have large cracks or holes to fill)
Important: Make sure the surface to be treated is completely dry before starting your waterproofing project.
It’s also best to plan the job for a time when you know it isn’t supposed to rain for at least a couple of days.
Now that all the preliminaries are out the way, let’s get started…
1 – Use a stiff broom to carefully remove all the dust and debris (cobwebs, etc.) from the wall or floor that you’ll be sealing.
2 – Use mortar to fill in any large holes or cracks in the basement wall or floor, then allow the repair(s) to completely dry.
3 – Use the end of a thick-bristled paint brush to dab the sealer into the pores and cracks in the wall and floor, taking care to ensure that there are no visible open pores or cracks left after the first coat is applied.
4 – Allow the sealer to dry according to the instructions on the container.
5 – Apply a second coat of sealer with a roller to complete the job.
6 – Allow the second coat to dry before placing any items in contact with the treated wall or floor.
That’s all there is to waterproofing a wet basement. After the job is complete your basement should stay nice and dry for years to come!
Here’s a short video of a waterproofing project in action. Click the arrow to check it out!
Note: As always, you can watch the video at full screen
by clicking the “square” icon in the lower right-hand
corner of the video.
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