I want to skimcoat my concrete basement walls with something like joint compound. The walls were painted with a sand finish paint, but there are still many open pores and large divots from breaking off the pins. I thought I would use durabond for the first coat. I do not have a water problem in the basement and I run a dehumidifier. You guys think it will stick? I don’t want to fur out the walls with wood and sheetrock, as I am tight on space.
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if you use a portland based material, it will bond.
Do you need it smooth, or just lacking in pits? Drylock and block filler are two possibilities if you don't need it smooth.
I would like it to be smooth , like a plaster wall. I am leery of cement based products, they aren't smooth enough . I would have to skim them with something anyway. Thats why I thought Durabond would be a good choice. it seems to stick to everything and is not water soluble once dry.
Durabond is not EASILY water-soluble, but it will be dissolved by water, however slowly. I think it would be a bad choice for basement walls where moisture may be migrating through the walls. I can imagine that there could be enough moisture to be a problem (it doesn't take much), yet not enough to be obvious. The fact that you run a dehumidifier is evidence that moisture is coming from somewhere! Probably through the walls.
You could glue a layer of 3/8 drywall to get a smooth wall. typically, you would leave an air space behind it, but if you're sure it will never get damp (unlikely), just glue it directly. At least if it fails, it will be easier to remove than a layer of Durabond.
-Don
Thats a good idea. Maybe even glue some denshield to the foundation since it can be used under tile in wet areas.
Thoroseal is another option.
Xypex Corporation
Here's some more to look at:
http://www.ugl.com/DRYLOKFrame.html
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What you want is smooth stucco, simple situation. You can buy stucco mix or easily make your own. You can smooth it till it's nearly as smooth as a slate topped billliard table if you want to. Durabond is great stuff but not as water resistant as you want when you are applying to concrete basement walls. If you haven't had much experience with trowels you'll do well to farm this out to a plasterer/stucco man. They will make it look quite easy... but for a beginner it can be quite a formidable challenge. Experience is an inestimable advantage in the trowel trades.
Experience is an inestimable advantage in the trowel trades.
And one that I've always avoided. With all the concrete I've been professionally involved with, I'll bet that I have less than 8 hours with a trowel in my hand.SamT
"Experience is an inestimable advantage in the trowel trades."Thank you.
What Bigfoot said.
Mike, just skim coat the whole wall with drywall joint compound. You don't have any moisture problems, so it will hold up. Cement products will never come out as smooth cause you can't sand it and it doesn't blend well when you stop and start.
Thoroseal is horrible if you don't soak the wall first, the Thoroseal reacts with the old cement which produces little bubbles in the finish.
Get a pool plasters' trowel, its the one with rounded edges. Drywall mud sands to a smooth finish unmatched by others. If moisture does get to it, the paint on it will peel, but its real easy to patch again.
Mike, just skim coat the whole wall with drywall joint compound. You don't have any moisture problems, so it will hold up.
Remember, he's running a dehumidifier in the basement. I don't think it's a safe assumption that he doesn't have any moisture problems.
I just finished doing this. I have seen all of the warnings about moisture. I did my 2200 sq ft basement. Two thick coats of joint compound. Does it look as good as drywall. No, but very close. The first coat fills all of the holes and covers the popcorn texture paint. The 2nd coat creates a surface that can be sanded and I mean SANDING. Total cost to skim coat $225 including combo primer/paint. Cost savings over framing/drywall. A lot. Painted my ceiling flat black. Still needed to enclosed my utility room with framing and drywall. All of my utilities are open just in case. Epoxied the basement floor with 3D imitation marble. Installed 30 10Watt LED FLOODS on a dimmer. My friend did his basement the traditional method. Cost him 20 times more and his is 1900 Sq Ft.