Basements are used for storage, exercise and playrooms, and even for living spaces. If a basement is not constructed properly, it can be a source of major trouble due to dampness or flooding. Your foundation and basement are surrounded by soil, and water can easily seep through holes, cracks or mortar between cinder blocks. The best protection from water damage is externally waterproofing your basement foundation during construction. Proper waterproofing involves building French drains around the perimeter of the foundation and using effective waterproofing materials. You also should spray waterproofing compounds made from urethanes on your foundation to provide extra protection from seeping water. It is less expensive to waterproof your basement during construction than to fix any problems later. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Shovel a trench below the level of your basement all the way down to the concrete footings. Do this around the entire perimeter of your foundation.
2. Apply a Portland cement-based waterproofing seal with a trowel and fill in small cracks or holes in your foundation. Reseal any mortar joints between cinder-block walls. Let the cement dry before proceeding.
3. Fill the pump sprayer with the urethane sealant. Saturate the foundation walls with the sealant by spraying it thoroughly with the pump sprayer. This will prevent additional cracking in the foundation.
4. Place a layer of tar paper around the base of the foundation's perimeter.
5. Pour a few inches of washed gravel into the trench. Lay out a line of the plastic piping with holes, placing it on top of the gravel. Extend the piping around the perimeter of the foundation.
6. Fill the trench with the washed gravel up to a few inches from the top. This should equal at least 3 feet.
7. Cover the gravel with another layer of the tar paper. Wrap it around the gravel.
8. Shovel topsoil over the top of the sheeting. Slope the soil using the shovel and a rake to angle it away from your house.
Tags: your basement, around perimeter, around perimeter foundation, during construction, layer paper, perimeter foundation, protection from
