Pumping Concrete: Top Tips

How to Correctly Seal Your Basement

22 November 2019 by Hector Herrera

If you've just completed some major building work at home and have installed a brand-new basement, then you may be ready to apply some of the finishing touches. The interior walls have been made with concrete blocks, and before you apply any type of interior plasterboard or other feature, you will need to ensure that everything is sealed. How should you approach this?

Damp Infiltration

Concrete or cinder blocks are very hardy and will be an adequate deterrent against the force of the ground outside, but they will be porous to a certain extent as well. If you want to avoid damp intrusion and make sure that your basement is fit for occupation, you will need to seal them before you do anything else.

Preparation

To begin, you have to prepare the surface and smooth out any imperfections over the entire area. The blocks themselves may have a certain roughness, but you may also notice imperfections and bumps along the edge where mortar has been used to join blocks. Sand all of this down with an appropriate disc before cleaning off any of the residue as carefully as possible. As you do so, don't forget to clear out any dust, cobwebs or dirt that may have found their way into the natural holes in the blocks.

Drying

Before you proceed, you must ensure that the surface is as dry as possible. Bring some exhaust fans in to blow air against the interior wall.

Priming

Once you're happy with this stage, you will then be able to apply primer, which is typically mixed with water to create a fine emulsion. This should be applied carefully so that it soaks into the concrete and dries to a sticky consistency.

Resealing

Next, you will be able to apply the resealing agent or epoxy, being careful to avoid inhalation or too much exposure. You should always wear adequate clothing and have appropriate ventilation to make sure that you are as safe as possible.

Caution Required

Remember, the ground outside your concrete wall will be damp and sometimes thoroughly wet, so there will be a tendency for this to infiltrate towards the interior. Consequently, you need to make sure that this resealing work is done very carefully or you will have to deal with problems in the future.

If you're not fully confident about your ability to do this job, outsource it to the professionals and bring in concrete contractors to help you instead.

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