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I live in the northwest and I am remodeling a daylight basement that is 3/4 above grade on one wall. I am interested in info. on waterproofing that may need to be done before I begin the project. In the last two years there was only one day that a small amount of H2O was fond at the west wall. the situation was a 1-1/2in. of rain in one night. What steps should I take before framing and finishing to head off any problems in the future?
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I would apply a waterproofer for extra security...then caulk with silicon the joint between the floor and wll. UGL makes excellent products that pnenetrate and expand, locking the pores closed...doesn't work on previosly painted surfaces too well though.
Also, hang plastic on the walls before you put up ferring strips.
Cut your ferring strips short of the floor and ceiling, bringing them just low enough to allow attachment of the molding. On a wall that I concerned about, I'll use 2 strips instead of one, creating a 3rd gap near the center, in addition to the top and bottom gaps. Thses gaps allow air circulation behind the wall. When you hand the drywall, use spacers to create a gap at the bottom..ie, the drywall is held off the floor maybe 1.5". This gap will be covered by tha base molding and will allow entry of air.
By laying deadmen on the floor and creating your subfloor, they will butt up against the wall gap and create a continuous zone of air circulation under the floors and behind the walls. You would lay the deadmen with the same thinking you hung the ferring strips. Also, create places for fresh air to get in, like maybe some vents.
Of course, you can always roll the dice on your home and do only what you think will be needed...
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*From the bit of research I've done, there really is no such thing as an interior applied 'waterproofer'. Drylok has something like a 5 year guarantee, and, from looking at my current basement (where drylok was applied at some point in the past) I wouldn't count on Drylock holding up that long if there is an actual water problem.QualiC's comment on venting the wall is an idea I've been tinkering with myself. However, I've been putting most of my energy in just getting the exterior water away from the house in the first place, which seems to be the best method.I, personally, am not a fan of putting plastic up against the wall (as is required by local code) as it just seems like an excellent way to trap moisture. I'd put it on the interior-side of the furring strips if you decide to use it (which may be what QualiC was saying...)
*When you say that the water entered on the West side, would that be the higher elevation side of your home? Is your house built with 4 straight walls forming a perfect rectangle or do you have a recessed porch or entry at the high side?This is the most common source of problems with water on sloped lots. The foundation forms a cup at the front or high ground and if the weeper or waterproofing is not perfectly installed, you will have water problems during heavy rains.As a note: I prefer to use felt paper behind basement walls to allow some drying behind the walls.Gabe
*Gabe:May I ask how felt paper is better than nothing at all? It's probably an obvious thing, but I'm not sure of the actual benefit of using felt paper.And, to verify Gabe's suggestion, that is exactly the problem we are having with our basement. We don't have any major problems, but, during heavy periods of rain, we get a wet north wall, which happend to be where the neighborhood water is coming from. We're going to be doing to some rock-skirting and drainage-tiling this spring to get the water around the other side of the house.
*Darrell,If you insulate the ext. walls in your basement, you have to make sure the warm air from inside doesn't hit the colder ext. concrete wall. If you use nothing to separate the two the insulation will get wet. If you use plastic the cold side sweats all the time. If you hang lenghts of felt paper from the top of the wall, stapled to the nailing plate on top of your foundation, overlap it by a few inches and the paper keeps the insulation dry and allows the concrete wall cavity to breath enough to prevent accumolation of moisture.I prefer to use Baseclad fastened directly to the concrete without the airspace and then I attach the drywall to the strapping in the SM.Gabe
*Gabe:Thanks for the answer. That makes sense. Do you also vent the walls, or do you assume that what little water that may be getting in and hitting the felt paper will have enough time to dry to the inside, since it isn't trapped behind plastic?
*Darrell,Nothing else is normally required, re venting the walls.Sometimes, new homeowners try to close in the basement before it's properly cured/dried out. Should always wait a year before finishing a basement. Of great importance is a good vb under the slab, good drainage, proper dampproofing, backfilling with sand or gravel, VENTILATION and etc.If the basement has a water problem, nothing will seem to help.Gabe
*put the plastic against the concrete... the moisture vapor will be moving from out-to-in... if it condenses behind the plastic it will just stay there...unless the quantity is enough to wet the floor... pt. shoes.. and keeping the drywall off the floor are great details..also.. most of the moisture can easily be handled by a dehumidifier...plumbed to a drain..all my basements are dry... and have been since '75...run the plastic down the wall.. behind the slab.. so any condensation will drain into the subfloor.. where you have previously installed 3/4 stone and a piped drain system...thoro & ugl are good systems ....if you can't hide a 6 mil poly vapor barrier...
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I live in the northwest and I am remodeling a daylight basement that is 3/4 above grade on one wall. I am interested in info. on waterproofing that may need to be done before I begin the project. In the last two years there was only one day that a small amount of H2O was fond at the west wall. the situation was a 1-1/2in. of rain in one night. What steps should I take before framing and finishing to head off any problems in the future?