Waterproofing Of Foundation And Basement

Waterproofing of the foundation and/or basement  is a very important task at the stage of construction of any building or structure. In the absence of a waterproofing layer, moisture, water droplets from the soil get through various microcracks into the underground building structures. In the cold season, the water freezes, expands, which leads to an increase in cracks. Over time, there is a risk of destruction of the foundation or basement. Thus,  waterproofing  of the foundation and basement serves primarily to increase the reliability and durability of the building.

Let's consider separately the methods of waterproofing the foundation and waterproofing the basement.

There are several options for waterproofing the foundation:

1. Coating waterproofing

Single-layer or multi-layer application of bitumen, rubber-bitumen or bitumen-polymer mastics to the foundation. The thickness can vary from several millimeters to several centimeters. 

Our company's range includes a wide range of mastics for foundation waterproofing:

• Icopal waterproofing mastic ;
• bitumen mastic MGTN , polymer-bitumen  mastic Technomast ;
• waterproofing, insulating, rubber-bitumen mastics produced by concreteguelph.

The mastic is applied with a brush or spatula to a dry, cleaned, pre-primed surface. As a result of such treatment, a film is formed on the foundation that prevents moisture penetration. In order for the waterproofing layer to last longer, it must be protected from mechanical damage using profiled membranes or geotextiles.

The advantage of this type of waterproofing is the lack of special training of the person performing the work. Disadvantages: coating waterproofing is easily destroyed, cracks with various deformations of the foundation, which ultimately leads to leaks.

2. Glued waterproofing

insulation of the foundation with rolled bitumen-polymer materials  Icopal , Villaflex , Villatex ,  Bipol ,  Uniflex ,  Technoelast  in one or more layers. Glass cloth, fiberglass or polyester are used as the basis for these materials. It is best to use rolled materials based on polyester for the foundation, since it can withstand heavy loads and is subject to slight stretching, thus, the waterproofing layer will not tear with minor ground vibrations.

When installing adhesive waterproofing, the surface must be dry, smooth, and free of dirt. The material is fused with a torch onto the prepared base. The rolls must be fused from the bottom up with an overlap of 10-15 cm. The seams are coated with mastic.

This type of waterproofing is reliable and durable, but it also needs to be protected from mechanical damage using profiled membranes or geotextiles.

3. Penetrating waterproofing

A special cement mixture with chemical additives, which when applied penetrates deep into the concrete, enters into a chemical reaction and forms crystals. The crystals close the pores of the foundation, thereby reducing the moisture permeability of the concrete.

This type is used for both external and internal waterproofing of foundations. Penetrating waterproofing is more suitable for "fresh" concrete in new construction conditions. During repairs, in order to use this waterproofing, it is necessary to clean the surface very well. The advantage of penetrating waterproofing is that it can be used from the inside of the premises (unlike coating and adhesive waterproofing). This is relevant when access to the external surfaces of the foundation is limited or impossible.

Basement waterproofing

Basement waterproofing is carried out both from the outside and from the inside. When waterproofing a basement from the outside, adjacent to the ground, the same methods are used as when waterproofing a foundation. In case of basement waterproofing from the inside, the following work is carried out:

• Waterproofing with bitumen emulsion mastics. These mastics are water-based, so they are environmentally friendly, do not contain solvents, unpleasant odors and can be used indoors.
• Penetrating waterproofing, which we already wrote about above.

A few words should be said about the cut-off waterproofing of the foundation and basement, which serves to protect the walls from capillary rise of moisture. Cut-off waterproofing is located between the upper plane of the foundation (or basement) and the lower part of the wall.

As cut-off waterproofing, bitumen and bitumen-polymer roll materials are most often used. It is worth noting that fragments of horizontal cut-off waterproofing should extend beyond the wall on the outer and inner sides by 50-100 mm for a reliable connection with the main waterproofing layer. Cut-off waterproofing is installed as follows: first, a thin layer of cement mortar about 10 mm thick is laid on top of the foundation, then roll insulation is laid, then another layer of mortar of approximately the same thickness.