The use of a basement wall waterproofing membrane will prevent the ingress of water that leads to dampness in the basement. It is advisable to install a waterproof membrane on the floor as well as the walls, to prevent any future problems with moisture.
Membranes are normally made from heavy-grade plastic sheets, embossed on one side and meshed on the other to facilitate plastering. They are fastened to the basement wall and floor using specialized wall plugs that once in place also act as a base for the fixing of wood battens. This guide will help in the installation process.
Basements are susceptible to becoming damp due to water entering from underground. The dampness can be controlled by installing a waterproof plastic membrane. This is fitted using specialized fixings, usually right along the basement floor and up the walls to the ceiling.
Dampness can normally be seen and smelt in a basement and although difficult to eradicate, there are now waterproofing kits on the market that enable the average DIY person to install. For example, remove water in a basement with a dehumidifier
Membranes can be supplied in several different materials and fixings that once installed allows the wallboard to be fitted or plastered over to give a smooth finish.
The following sections will explain how to install a basement waterproof membrane, beginning with an overview of where the water ingression that has caused dampness has possibly originated; and how to use a simple, inexpensive, hand-held meter to detect this.
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If water seepage or moisture is not visible by the usual characteristic patches, but the room emanates that cold, shivering feeling; a dampness detector meter can be used to confirm these conditions.
This is a small hand-held instrument that has two pointed prongs at one end. The prongs are pressed against the wall and floor at numerous locations and the readings on the LED are noted. A reading over 1% is evidence of the presence of moisture.
The main sources of water ingress to the basement originate from cracks on the walls or floor of the basement allowing moisture to penetrate the brick/blockwork walls or concrete floor from the surrounding soil. Moisture is also caused by water seepage through porous materials such as concrete blocks used to build the walls, and up through the concrete floors.
Much of the seepage through the concrete can be avoided by the placement of a plastic, protective sheet between the concrete floor and the rubble foundations or footings, at the time of the building construction.
Most folks still try various methods to stop water ingress such as specialized waterproof paint, but it has been the author’s experience that this simply shifts the dampness to another location. There is only one solution to the problem and that is to fit a waterproof membrane to the floor and the walls.
A sketch showing typical sources of basement humidity and a simple moisture detection meter is shown below.
Membranes can be supplied in different materials and forms, the most common type being made from heavy plastic sheets embossed with extrusions such as dimples. Although the method of waterproofing is centered on basement walls, it is much better to waterproof the floor at the same time; only then will dampness be eliminated completely.
On this premise then, the following guidelines should be followed for installing a heavy gauge, plastic, dimpled membrane as supplied in a proprietary DIY membrane waterproof kit.
Some manufacturers will supply sufficient materials to complete the project if given the basement dimensions, rather than supplying full rolls of the plastic membrane along with extra fixings. Substantial savings can be made if this facility is available, so it is better to shop around for the best deal.
As stated earlier, dimpled plastic sheeting is recommended and this is supplied with mesh on one side to accommodate plastering. However, in the following method, the wallboard will be fixed to the membrane using wood battens.
There are several methods that can be used when installing and waterproofing basement walls with the membrane, one such method follows and contains sketches.
Note: Some wall plug manufacturers prefer to use rubber washers as seals. However, the waxed cord has stood the test of time and is still popular with most plumbers for sealing pipe threads/joints.
When fitting a waterproof membrane to a basement there are a few key points to be observed. Safety should be exercised by using work gloves and eye protection, along with the assistance of another person.
It is best to fit the membrane to the floor as well as the walls, eliminating any floor dampness at the same time.
Sealing of every membrane plug and all joints is very important to ensure the integrity of the membrane.
The final finish to the walls can be achieved by plastering over the membrane or screwing battens to the wall and fixing the wallboard to these. Once the floor membrane is installed, it can be screened over or a wooden floor can be fitted.
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