Crystalline waterproofing material for the basement walls
This waterproofing material can protect your basement well against water and freezing because it penetrates the porous cavities and makes the concrete a waterproof solid. This material is very helpful in basements where water seepage creates problems. It can be installed very easily and there is no need for a professional.
Cleaning the wall surface
First of all, you need to clean the concrete from any obstructions because otherwise the crystalline waterproofing material won’t stay fixed. It’s better to have also a hammer and a cold chisel in case there are bigger pieces of concrete that need to be removed. Some areas may have multiple layers of paint on them, so you can either power wash them or sandblast them.
Repairing concrete surfaces
The waterproofing material can’t be applied before the leaking have not been repaired first. A shop vac can be used if there is any dirt and loose concrete that need to be extracted from cracks or crumbling areas. Prepare some concrete patch and spread it on every crack or hole with a trowel. After that, let it dry completely before applying any material over it.
Wet surfaces
The concrete needs to be wet before applying the waterproofing material. The quantity of water used should be reasonable or else you will soak the area and the results won’t be the ones expected.
Mixing waterproofing material
A bucket will be needed in order to mix the concrete with the necessary amount of water, just until it becomes a thick paste. At one moment the material will start to heat up. When this happens don’t get alarmed because this kind of chain reaction is perfectly normal.
Applying the material
After it has become a thick paste, apply one layer over the concrete wall. Using a masonry brush, you can spread the material all over the wall until you consider is enough.
Keeping the wall wet
After you have finished the part with the material, you need to keep the entire wall wet for another 48 hours at least. This is necessary because if it will fix too quickly, the material won’t have enough time to penetrate fully the porous concrete.
Sprinkle the material
Another possibility would be to sprinkle the material over new concrete pours. If the foundation is new, then the sprinkling will be done over the wet surface. While the concrete will dry, the material is going to solidify inside the wall creating a sort of waterproof seal.