The basement in the house acts as an additional air gap, which allows you to maintain a normal temperature in the living quarters and not let dampness into the house. Therefore, it is very important to keep the basement in good condition. The first enemy of this room is dampness. This problem occurs especially strongly in the off-season, when groundwater rises. Dampness in the basement provokes the appearance of fungi that destroy all the objects in the room and the walls of the room themselves. If the humidity level exceeds all existing norms, dampness reaches the first floor of the house. High-quality waterproofing of foundations and basement walls helps to avoid all these troubles.

Why is there dampness in basements?

When detecting pockets of dampness, it is necessary first of all to find their source.

• Often these are some areas of waterproofing that have lost their properties over time or were initially incorrectly laid. Another reason is the wrong foundation design during the construction of the house, when the bottom slab lies under the groundwater level. But even if it is designed correctly, sedimentary streams and melt water act on the foundation of the building, soaking it with moisture.

• Another possible reason is an incorrectly built or lost blind area. If moisture appears because of this, then it comes from the outside and external waterproofing of the basement walls is required. This process is complex and time-consuming, which involves demolition of the blind area, digging a ditch over the foundation walls, carrying out waterproofing work and erecting a new blind area and drainage.
• Condensate. It is formed due to the difference in temperature outside the room and inside. With an incorrect basement heating system, warm flows interact with walls that are lower in temperature. The moisture in the air settles on cold surfaces. In this situation, external waterproofing, as well as an improved heating system, will be the way out. If the basis of the structure is a steel frame made of reinforcement, internal waterproofing is also necessary.

Often there is a need to carry out waterproofing measures in rooms that are closely adjacent to other buildings. These are separate extensions to a private house or garages in cooperatives, which are built close to each other. In this case, there is no way to dig a trench to expose the walls of the foundation. For waterproofing in such a situation, a point method is used, which will be described below.

Types of waterproofing

The main division of waterproofing implies two types of work - vertical waterproofing and horizontal. Vertical waterproofing can be painting, when one or two layers of bituminous mastic are applied to the surface, or gluing, when rolled material made on the basis of bituminous mastic is attached to the walls. Horizontal insulation is carried out using a solution of sand and cement, which is applied to the surface and reinforced from above with rolled materials. When choosing basement insulation from water, you should rely on data on the level of groundwater relative to the bottom of the foundation:

• Low groundwater level in a building without a basement. A mortar of sand and cement is laid with a layer of 20-30 mm. The solution is leveled and rolled materials are laid on it. The entire waterproofing system is located along the edge of the foundation at a height of 150-200 mm from the ground.
• Low groundwater level in a building with a basement. Carry out laying of vertical or horizontal insulation. Three layout options:
  • Insulation is arranged according to the floor level. In the strip foundation, a solution of sand and cement is placed on top of the slab in a ratio of 1: 2, the layer thickness is 20-30 mm.
  • Insulation is arranged along the edge of the foundation. Rolled materials are laid with an indent of 15-20 cm from the ground, placed on a leveled base.
  • The walls of the room are painted with hot bituminous mastic.

• High groundwater level in a building with a basement. In this case, three types of waterproofing are also applicable:
  • Laying a mortar of sand and cement with a thickness of 20-30 mm.
  • Laying 1-2 layers of roll materials on a leveled base.
  • If the groundwater level reaches 0.2 m, then vertical insulation must be performed. For this, 2-3 layers of isol are laid on the base on bituminous mastic. Also, a clay castle is equipped from oily wet clay.

Measures to externally prevent the appearance of dampness in the basement

Symptoms of improper insulation of the outer side of the foundation are as follows - accumulation of moisture, damp walls, leaks in the seams or between blocks. To remove these symptoms, it is necessary to carry out the following work:

• Dismantling the blind area around the perimeter of the house.
• Trench work along the foundation.
• Carrying out work on cleaning excess layers from the walls of the foundation.
• Cleaning the crumbling layer with a perforator or a metal brush.
• waterproofing measures.
• Filling with sand or clay.
• Construction of a new deck.

Dismantling the blind area and digging a trench

Waterproofing the internal walls of the basement begins with the cleaning of the old blind area. These works are carried out using a professional puncher with the required power level or a jackhammer. If these tools are not available, then they manage with ordinary crowbar. A trench is dug in width of such a size that it will be enough for all the necessary manipulations. Most often, this size is 50-70 cm. A trench is dug into the depth to the level of the lower plate. This indicator ranges from 70 to 150 cm.

Insulation condition analysis and repair work

After the trench is made, the old wall insulation is inspected. In some cases, it is not necessary to completely change the waterproofing, since it has not become unusable over the entire area, but only in certain areas. In this case, materials similar to the already laid waterproofing are taken, or the most similar material is selected. For example, if the old waterproofing is made of bitumen, then it is repaired with bituminous mastic. Cement or polymer-cement coating is repaired with mixtures based on minerals or mineral-polymers. It is optimal to use not just the same material, but even the material of the same brand.

The waterproofing coating cannot be repaired if it has a large number of cracks and various damages, the surface has many decayed areas. In this case, it is necessary to completely dismantle the waterproofing with its subsequent replacement with another material.

Dismantling of old insulation and wall cleaning work

If the waterproofing is made with mastic or bitumen and its condition is assessed as not critical, the layer is reliable, but there are some places that are damaged, the layer is restored. Problem areas are treated with a composition similar to the old coating, then 2 more layers of waterproofing are applied to the entire surface. Before performing all work, the old coating is thoroughly cleaned.

First, all damaged areas of insulation are removed, then all dust and large contaminants are removed from the wall. Next, the surface is treated with a brush with metal bristles or a grinder with a special nozzle. During stripping, they adhere to this principle - all parts of the insulation that are easily peeled off must be completely cleaned. Not only thin layers are removed, but also areas that are quite large in area and depth. The wall is cleaned to a monolithic layer of building material.

Waterproofing with bitumen

When the wall surface is completely prepared and all unnecessary layers are removed, proceed directly to the treatment with waterproofing material. There are many ways of waterproofing, but the most budgetary and easy-to-lay option is bituminous mastic. This method is best suited for those people who do not have such work experience. For surface treatment you will need:

• Bituminous mastic.
• Bituminous primer.
• Brush-maklovitsa construction.
• Respirator.
• White Spirit.

Before applying insulation, the wall is once again well swept from sand and dust. A small layer of bituminous primer is applied to the cleaned area. It is applied in the same way as regular water-based paint. The layer thickness is determined by the color, which should be saturated black. If the color is not dark enough, you need to add another layer. The primer is left to dry completely; in these works, it acts as a primer impregnation.

After the primer has completely dried, mastic is applied to it. Most often, a ready-to-use mixture is sold, but if its density is high to perform the work, then a little white spirit is added. The diluted mastic is thoroughly mixed. The working temperature of the mastic is 40-50o, it is heated right in the bucket. The material is applied with a brush or roller, a spatula is used for leveling. The mastic dries completely in a day, at low temperatures this period increases to two days. After the first layer has dried, the second layer is applied. The vertical waterproofing of the basement walls is completed.

Before backfilling the trench, the possibility of thermal insulation should be considered. This measure will make the room warmer and will become an additional protection against condensation. External thermal insulation is carried out with polystyrene foam or polystyrene foam. Sheets are fixed around the entire perimeter of the foundation.

Varieties of waterproofing from the inside of the basement

With the penetration of moisture from the outside, the accumulation of dampness inside the basement, waterproofing the walls of the basement from the inside will also help. This method, as already mentioned above, is recommended if it is not possible to get close to the outside of the foundation. There are two options for internal insulation - penetrating or injection.

Injection insulation is the simplest, used when a small amount of condensate appears. It is carried out using fine bitumen, it is used as the basis for external insulation, described in the previous section. Mastic is not recommended for use in a residential area, as it is made with the addition of organic solvents.

Penetrating insulation rules

In the event that the concentration of condensate is high or groundwater penetrates into the room, rising above the floor level, more capital waterproofing work is required. This applies both to the waterproofing of brick walls of basements from the inside, and to work on other building materials. In this case, penetrating insulation is performed with penetrating compounds.

They begin work in the same way as external insulation - they clean the surface. All layers are removed to the base of the wall, then the building material is cleaned with a metal brush or grinder. Walls assembled from bricks or blocks require additional work. They include the removal of the old mortar from the seams, the manufacture of a U-shaped streak along the line where the walls adjoin the floor to the floor. Seams and shtraba are filled with a repair mixture, for example, Penekrit. Be sure to process the places of entry into the foundation of communication elements - pipes, vents, etc.

Surfaces cleaned of debris and dust are moistened with a water jet or a hose with a special nozzle. Penetrating waterproofing is applied only on a damp surface, a brush with a dense pile coating is used for application. The first layer is allowed to set well and immediately begin to apply the second.

In the same way, the floor is processed. The only difference in the works is that puddles remain on the floor after wetting, which should be removed. All treated surfaces should not be exposed to the sun's rays, they are also protected from mechanical influences. After treatment, all surfaces are moistened for 10 days. This is done by spraying or simply retaining moisture by covering the surface with plastic wrap. The room temperature is maintained at 50C.

Poor-quality isolation of the building from water creates a damp and humid environment, as a result of which the concrete and foundation are destroyed. It is best to think over how to waterproof the cellar at the initial stage of construction. The problems that arose during the operation of the building can be solved if the base is isolated internally.

Consequences of improper waterproofing

Groundwater that comes close to the soil during floods, heavy rains or snowmelt damages the buildings of low-lying areas. Leaking, the structure experiences a number of risks:

• the basement is filled with damp air, which reduces the quality of preservation of vegetables and preservation, corrosion of metal parts occurs;
• mold and fungus form, wooden elements rot, toxic substances are released;
• the strength of the structure is violated, and a large number of cracks and local centers of destruction leads to the destruction of the building.

The water that appears in the cellar affects the surfaces of the walls and floor in two ways. Pressure occurs when soil moisture rises above the floor, and non-pressure occurs when water is at the bottom of the coating. To maintain the strength of a private house with a basement, waterproofing must be carried out.

Planned work to fix leaks

To get rid of water in the cellar, you should protect the inside and outside of the building. You need to start work with planning:

• the process of processing the joints of walls and floors, walls and ceilings;
• imposition of working seams on concrete or formwork;
• isolation of communication systems;
• elimination of cracks and faults resulting from shrinkage.

After checking the condition of the room, you need to decide on the material for its isolation.

Regulatory requirements for waterproofing

The process of isolating underground premises, including basements, is regulated by the norms of SNiP 2.03.11-85:

• careful priming of the area and gluing strips of waterproofing 2 cm thick at the corners;
• obligatory surface preparation - cracks are closed, concrete flows are cut down, rust is eliminated, pollution is cleaned;
• checking the moisture content of concrete surfaces before processing them - it should be equal to 4%.

The document also indicates: the main types of materials, how the technology of events is correctly implemented.

The main options for protecting the basement from dampness

Check the intensity of moisture penetration inside, whether there is water in the room. Depending on the level of moisture, the following waterproofing options will be relevant:

• anti-pressure is shown when groundwater approaches the foundation at 10 m, and the foundation itself is not isolated from the outside, drainage is not connected to it. The technique is based on pressing rubber or rolled material against the wall, but is effective at the initial stage of building construction;
• You can get rid of the destruction of the raw base by the anti-capillary method. It is necessary to lay waterproof fabrics inside the basement;
• non-pressure type of insulation, made as protection against temporary flooding, will not allow water to stand in the room. Bitumen is used as a material.

The implementation of each method of isolation of the foundation and basement requires the right choice of material.

Types of waterproofing compounds

How to get rid of water destroying the basement? Start by studying the soil, the features of the foundation. Before buying waterproofing compounds, determine the approximate depth of groundwater, the increase in soil during frost, the type of soil in your place of residence, the purpose of the building. Modern manufacturers offer several types of compounds to prevent moisture in the cellar. Consider the most popular.

Use of bituminous resin

Waterproofing the cellar with bitumen is a budget option for eliminating a humid environment. The material is a small bars that are applied to the surface in liquid form:

• bituminous resin and machine oil are placed in a large container in proportions of 3: 1.
• the tank is heated and the mixture is brought to a liquid state.
• a mass is applied to a previously leveled surface with cracks repaired with a brush or roller.
• work from the bottom of the surface at a distance of no more than 20 cm from the soil.
• the optimal thickness for the cellar is 5 cm, i.e. you need to apply 3 layers.

The composition must be maintained in heating mode for ease of application. The bitumen sheath blocks the appearance of moisture and protects the foundation from destruction for 5 years.

Roll types of materials

Roll materials are used with liquid formulations or separately. Owners of private houses and summer cottages can purchase roofing material, technonikol, technoelast, stekloizol, rubiteks and hydrostekloizol. An inexpensive, but high-quality option for self-use is roofing material. To properly protect the basement from destruction, work like this:

• fix the material on a flat surface and apply bituminous mastic on it, heat the canvas with a burner and place it on an overlapping plane.
• the second option is fastening with liquid mastic. Coat the foundation with a heated composition, and lay the rolled material on top of it. Coat the roofing material with bitumen and put another layer on top.

The combination of mastic and base material contributes to good penetration into the concrete foundation and the reliability of waterproofing.

Benefits of liquid rubber

If water accumulates regularly in the cellar, use liquid rubber. The compositions perfectly adhere to surfaces, are protected from fire and form a continuous coating. Experts advise working with single-component rubber, choosing from two types of compounds:

• mixtures for application in one layer. Dry 2 hours after application, but can quickly harden in an open container;
• compositions that are applied in one layer. Seized after 24 hours.

Before the start of events, the concrete base is cleaned of dust and primed. Liquid rubber is recommended to be applied with a brush or spatula.

We arrange vertical waterproofing

The cellar in the house can be protected from water that appears after rain, melting snow, using the vertical technique of applying an insulating coating. Before starting work, it is appropriate to prepare the surface and the surrounding area. To do this, the walls, floor and ceiling are cleaned, and a drainage system is also created. Do-it-yourself waterproofing of the cellar is carried out in several ways.

Possibilities of the injection method

What to do when water enters the basement under the house or garage? Take advantage of a progressive, but costly injection technique. The work is carried out by creating a curtain of filter elements and arranging a special membrane to protect against moisture. Injection waterproofing technique has a number of advantages:

• finishing materials and cladding from the base of the building are not removed;
• the underground space remains protected for several years thanks to the quality of the acrylate gels and polymer resins.

Among the shortcomings of the technique is a strict sequence of work technology, which is problematic for inexperienced craftsmen to achieve.

Coated type of insulation

You can protect the cellar from the inside from groundwater, as well as perform external manipulations using cement-polymer compounds. The waterproofing material with a flexible and rigid structure is vapor permeable and adheres well to the surface. The affordability of the composition, plasticity and ease of independent work make the coating a priority for home construction.
The waterproofing of the foundation is carried out using fiberglass, brushes, rollers, spatulas and liquid mastic. To ensure the quality of the coating, proceed in stages:

1. Clean the surface of the walls from dirt, round the corners, cover the protrusions and cracks. Smooth out porous areas with a cement mixture;
2. Operate on a minimally damp surface that can be checked with a polyethylene film. Apply the sheet to a shaded area and inspect for fumes after 24 hours.
3. Apply a thick layer of primer. Cover joints and seams with a second layer.
4. After the primer has dried, apply liquid bituminous mastic using a roller or brush. Observe the parallelism and direction of movement, trying to evenly distribute the material on the wall.
5. The cement mixture with polymer additives is applied to the moistened wall surface with a brush, spatula or roller.

Wait for the composition to dry, rub the plane.

Fused vertical waterproofing

It is advisable to process the underground room from the inside with your own hands using rolled materials when the foundation is at a deep depth. Pasting the inside of the building will keep the base from damage for a long time if you act according to the construction algorithm:

1. Purchase bitumen-polymer roll fabric or roofing felt. It is better to refuse fiberglass or fiberglass - in aggressive environments, the foundation will again flow.
2. Prepare the surface, prime it with a primer.
3. Melt the bottom layer of mastic with a special burner.
4. Stick the rolls from top to bottom, keeping an overlap of 10 cm. It is most convenient to work with material 150-200 cm long.
5. Pay attention to corners and transitions. Pre-reinforce them with a piece of base material 30 cm long.
6. The number of layers of glued insulation depends on the location of the foundation. Shallow structures provide for a 2 mm thick membrane sticker. At an average depth, the layer thickness increases by 4-8 mm.

Waterproofing for the cellar is recommended to be removed 30-50 cm above the soil, fixed with a metal rail.

Features of horizontal insulation

Waterproofing the cellar from the inside in a horizontal way is carried out at the initial stage of construction. It is impossible to equip it in a finished house. So that there is no water on the basement floor, it is advisable to adhere to the technology for performing tasks:

1. The first level of protection is the laying and tamping of a cushion based on sand and gravel. It is placed under the sole of the base in the form of blocks or under a solid monolith.
2. During the concrete screed in the basement, roofing material or PVC membranes are laid, which help protect the foundation from the inside from soil water or capillary rise of the liquid.
3. Rolled materials are laid on the surface treated with a primer. The sheets must have an overlap of 10-15 cm. When combining layers, the overlaps should be increased to 25-30 cm.
4. The waterproofing coating is steamed with a gas burner - this improves the adhesion of the sheets.

The protruding ground part is processed according to a similar principle.

Is drainage necessary?

Special communications, equipped in the yard, are a reliable way to protect your cellar from water ingress. The drainage system enhances the effect of insulating materials. Drains are equipped in two ways - external and internal.

External drainage technology

The system implies the redirection of water flows from the basement floor and is equipped at the stage of construction work. For an existing building, drainage is done as follows:

1. A pit is dug with a width and depth of 40 cm;
2. Wells are formed to the level of the sand layer at a distance of 2 m.
3. A metal grate is laid over the dug holes.
4. Installed plastic piping. The minimum diameter of pipes that are wrapped in geofabric is 40 cm.
5. At the bottom of the pit, geotextiles are laid, and gravel with medium fractions is placed on it.
6. The pipe is mounted by pushing the upper part beyond the lower part of the basement wall.

External drainage is covered with removed soil, carefully ramming each layer.

Creation of an internal drainage system

You can eliminate the water standing in the underground basement using internal drains. The system is installed after the flooring has been laid:

1. A trench is dug throughout the cellar, deepening it by 50 cm;
2. Crushed stone is poured into the bottom of the pit with a layer of 20 cm and rammed.
3. Lay a pipeline wrapped with geomaterial and fill it with material with fractions of not more than 20 mm.

The trench is filled with sand. It is advisable to equip a drainage well at the low point of the basement. This is where the water will flow. If necessary, an alluvial system for pumping water is installed in the tanks.

What you need to know about self-waterproofing?

Self-arrangement of a waterproofing coating provides for compliance with the basic rules:

• Materials are superimposed only on a dried surface;
• Seams, dry plaster layer or damp walls are painted with a liquid primer - an emulsion based on bitumen. The following layers will be performed with thick compositions;
• When buying insulation products, consider their effect on reinforcing elements, joints and seams;
• For brick surfaces, it is worth using a cement mortar reinforced with polymeric agents or liquid glass;
• Floor surfaces are waterproofed with bulk polymers;
• For complete drying of walls, floors and ceilings, 5 days are enough before work.

Adhere to the technology of work and the requirements for the procedure for isolating the basement floor - this way you will reliably protect the structure from water in the cellar and destruction.

The basement performs the function of not only storing things and products, but also acts as an additional layer necessary to maintain a normal temperature regime and protect the building from dampness. Accordingly, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the basement so that the situation does not get out of control.

Dampness - perhaps the main enemy encountered in the basement. This is especially true in the off-season, when groundwater rises. Dampness causes the appearance of fungi that can cause serious damage not only to things in the basement, but also to the walls of the room. The situation can worsen to such an extent that dampness begins to penetrate into living quarters.

Waterproofing the cellar, made with high quality and in compliance with the necessary requirements, will help to avoid these troubles.

Analysis and dismantling of old waterproofing

Proper waterproofing of the internal walls of the basement begins with cleaning from the obsolete blind area.

Blind area - a coating around the building - an asphalt or concrete strip, necessary to protect the foundation from floods and rainwater.

To carry out the work you will need perforator of sufficiently large power or a jackhammer. In extreme cases, you can use the usual crowbar. Armed with the necessary tools, it is necessary to make a trench 50-70 cm wide and to the bottom slab of the building in depth (from 70 to 150 cm).

When the old blind area has been removed, and a trench has been dug in its place, it is necessary to inspect the condition of the old wall insulation. There are times when it is not necessary to change the waterproofing, since most of it is in good condition. Then you just need to correct the unfavorable areas. This is done with the same material as the entire waterproofing, or the most similar material is selected. For example, bituminous waterproofing is repaired with bituminous mastic, and cement waterproofing materials based on mineral polymers. If it is necessary to achieve maximum quality, then the material must be not only identical in composition, but also of the same brand.

If the main part of the waterproofing has become unusable, then current repairs are indispensable. It is necessary to completely dismantle the old waterproofing and lay a new one in its place.

The first thing to do is to completely dismantle the old insulation. After that, the surface is cleaned with a brush with metal bristles, or a grinder with a special nozzle. It is necessary to clean not only thin layers, but also large deep areas. The wall must be cleaned to a monolithic layer.

Types of waterproofing

In its implementation, waterproofing is of two types: vertical and horizontal. Vertical waterproofing can be done in two ways - painting (one or more layers of bitumen-based mastic is applied to the surface) and pasting (waterproofing is performed using a roll material, which includes bitumen mastic). For horizontal insulation a solution of cement and sand is taken, which is applied to the wall, and reinforced with rolled material from above.

Steklomast, ISiTeks, Gidrostekloizol, stekloizol are used as roll materials for waterproofing.

When choosing a waterproofing method, you need to be guided by data on groundwater level:

1. If the basement is not provided for in the room, and the groundwater is negligible, then the laying is carried out from cement and sand with a layer of 15 to 35 cm. Then the surface is leveled, and the roll material is laid on top.
2. A building with a basement and a low water level can be equipped with vertical or horizontal waterproofing in three ways:
   1. Floor level. With a strip foundation, a cement mortar with a thickness of 20-30 mm is laid on top of the slab.
   2. Along the edge of the foundation. Roll material is laid on a leveled base, retreating from the surface by 20-25 cm.
   3. The walls are painted with mastic.
3. Building with basement and high water level. There are also three ways to waterproof:
   1. Laying cement mortar at 20-30 mm.
   2. Laying one or two layers of roll material.
   3. Vertical waterproofing: several layers of isol are laid on bituminous mastic, a clay castle is built from wet clay.

Waterproofing with bitumen

Before proceeding with the direct laying, the wall is thoroughly cleaned of dust and sand. Next, a layer of bituminous primer (primer) is applied. The technology is simple and does not differ from the process of applying conventional water-based paint. When smearing the primer, you need to ensure that the wall acquires a rich black color. This may require several layers. The applied primer, which acts as an impregnation, is left to dry.

To dry the layer at a temperature of 20 degrees, it takes from 20 minutes. The average consumption of bituminous primer per square meter is 250-300 ml.

Next, a bituminous mastic is applied over the primer. Mastic can be purchased as a ready mix. There are cases when the consistency is too thick, so it can be thinned a little with white spirit. After thorough mixing, the mastic must be heated to a temperature of 40 to 500 degrees. You can apply the mixture either with a roller; align with spatulas. It takes 1-2 days for complete drying.. After that, a second layer is applied. Everything, waterproofing is ready.

Before filling the trench, thermal insulation can be carried out for additional protection against possible condensation. To do this, you need sheets of foam or polystyrene foam. They are attached around the perimeter of the entire foundation.

Penetrating insulation in the basement (waterproofing work). Video: "Basement waterproofing"

There are cases when the concentration of condensate is quite high, and groundwater with enviable persistence makes its way into the room, while rising above the level. All this is a signal for the need for major waterproofing work. Waterproofing in this case must be made from the inside of the building and other materials. In this case, it is most efficient and correct to perform penetrating waterproofing using penetrating compounds.

To prevent premature destruction of a building in which there is a basement, it is necessary to take responsibility for its waterproofing. Basements and foundations are under heavy constant load. They are adversely affected by precipitation, groundwater. Excess moisture and steam generated by the temperature difference enter the room and contribute to the formation of fungus and mold, cause rotting of building and finishing materials. To avoid these problems, it is necessary that high-quality waterproofing of the entire basement and, in particular, waterproofing of the basement floor is carried out in a timely manner. But first you need to find out what materials and methods exist to protect basement surfaces from water.

This is what a modern equipped basement of the house looks like

The need for basement waterproofing

Recently, most of the basements have been exploited. In large cities, warehouses, shops, offices, and other small businesses are arranged in them. In multi-apartment new buildings, as a rule, all house communications are located in the basements: heating systems, pumps for cold and hot water supply, server Internet providers, etc.

Increasingly, underground garages and parking lots are being built in the basement. This is understandable, because land is expensive in modern cities, so a multi-storey building is being built on a small plot, going deep into many meters. And, of course, in the classical sense, a basement is a room for storing gifts of the earth, pickles, jam, in other words, a cellar. This is an obligatory attribute of country and rural life. And in order for the basement to be useful, it must first of all be dry. For this, it is waterproofed. Let's try to figure out how to make basement waterproofing on our own, and what materials will be needed for this.

Basement floor waterproofing with modern roll materials

It is important to know! Waterproofing of all basement surfaces must be continuous (except roll). With special care, it is necessary to waterproof the working seams, as well as the junctions: slab-slab, wall-floor, wall-wall. At the junction of walls and floor, waterproofing must be continuously continued to a height of at least 30 cm from the floor level.

The effectiveness of waterproofing will increase significantly if the ventilation systems in the basement are adjusted satisfactorily. Most often, ventilation is provided in the basements and it is only necessary to strengthen its work.

Basement waterproofing is done not only to improve the basement, but also to protect the entire building from moisture. Therefore, the isolation of the basement from moisture is the key to the long-term operation of the building itself, as well as a favorable microclimate in it.

The basement of a house or any other building is always associated with dampness for most people. And no wonder - usually this part of the building is below the ground level and even adjacent to groundwater. However, excessive dampness or water ingress into the basement threatens to destroy the foundation of the house, and therefore damage the building itself in the future. That is why, at the construction stage or later, the basement floor is waterproofed. And then moisture will not threaten the structure, and the basement can be turned into a utility room or a warehouse where anything can be stored.

No matter how hard the builders try, it is very often damp in the basement if no measures were taken against moisture.

What are the main causes of water falling into the basement?

1. In old buildings, due to temporary deformation of the foundation, cracks can form through which water penetrates. Most often they are formed in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe joints of the wall and floor.
2. Water appears in the basement even if a blind area was not created during construction or if it collapsed over time.
3. The penetration of groundwater due to raising their level can also cause moisture to appear in the basement or even flood it.

Attention! Waterproofing the inside of the basement can only be used as an additional way to protect it from moisture, especially in the cases described above. For complete sealing of the lower part of the building, it is necessary to carry out waterproofing measures outside during construction.

The close occurrence of groundwater is especially dangerous for the basement. The fact is that it is impossible to get rid of this underground stream, since nature controls it. The first time after the construction of the building, groundwater will not penetrate so much into the room, but over time, they will expand all possible cracks and the building will be regularly flooded. It is pointless to pump out water with a pump, as they will again and again fall on the basement floor.

Water in the basement is a problem familiar to many

Basement floor waterproofing

The basement, as one of the most important and necessary rooms in the house, should always remain dry. Comprehensive measures for waterproofing the floor will save the owner of the building from the penetration of groundwater into the basement, which means they will save the foundation from destruction. If there is no excessive dampness in the basement, then pathogenic microorganisms will not settle in it, fungus and mold will not appear.

Waterproofing measures are carried out, as a rule, even at the stage of building construction. However, if necessary, some of them can be carried out in the finished room. In general, waterproofing is a set of measures and works, the result of which will be to ensure dryness in the basement or in another room.

Often people confuse waterproofing and sealing, but these two concepts, although they have a common goal, are different from each other. The fact is that sealing is the application of a thin layer of a special substance on the surface, it protects the room from the penetration of capillary moisture from the soil into it. However, this measure is ineffective if the bulk of the water enters the basement through cracks and joints between walls and floors, in brickwork, etc. Waterproofing is already more significant work in terms of scale, they also imply sealing all these cracks special formulations or materials.

Attention! In those areas where the floors in the basement are located below the groundwater level, it is also necessary to organize an additional drainage system.

It is worth remembering that the higher the risk of water penetration into the basement, the more reliable the protection of the premises from it should be. Ideally, waterproofing work is carried out both inside and outside the basement - then the water will not threaten it.

Basement waterproofing: materials

Basement waterproofing can be done in several ways, usually this part of the work is planned during the design of the building. The list of necessary tools and materials is usually formed at the same time and depends on how waterproofing will be done, what is the construction budget, where the building will be located, what geological factors will affect it in the end.

Table. The main materials needed for waterproofing.

Material	Characteristic
	Materials are used to create a "pie", which is recommended to be equipped regardless of environmental conditions. This is a kind of pillow between the floor and the ground.
	It can be used instead of crushed stone, but it absorbs water too abundantly, and therefore many builders do not recommend using it. Due to the presence of moisture in it, the material loses its thermal insulation properties.
	It is used to form a rough floor, it is laid on a pillow with a layer about 10 cm thick. Concrete mortar is also used to create a finishing screed, which is formed after laying roofing material, an insulating material.
	Waterproofing material that will retain water.
	Necessary to strengthen the finish screed.
	Sometimes builders between the subfloor and the pillow lay a layer of oilcloth material. However, this is not the best option and the film should be abandoned. The fact is that it will not allow the moisture that is already present in the raw concrete to evaporate, which will cause the humidity to be unnecessarily high.
	They can be dry, pasty, liquid, be made on the basis of bentonite clay. Used for sealing cracks, plastering the floor and walls of the basement.

bituminous mastic

Most of the materials in the finished building are not used - a draft floor will already be formed there, which will only be isolated from the inside from the water. The table also contains the entire list of basic materials that are used to create waterproofing from scratch.

All materials intended for waterproofing can be divided into several categories.

Table. Types of waterproofing materials.

Name	Type of classification	Description
Anti-filtration		Protect the base material from water penetration.
Anti-corrosion	Depending on the purpose.	Protect material from rust.
Sealing	Depending on the purpose.	They fill the seams and joints of structures, prevent the penetration of water through them.
Asphalt-containing	Depending on composition.	They are made on the basis of petroleum bitumen, various polymers may also be included in the composition.
Polymer	Depending on composition.	Also called plastic or plastic. They are used in the field of pasting, painting waterproofing.
mineral	Depending on composition.	Produced on the basis of clay, cement, other binders.
metal	Depending on composition.	They are sheets made of various metals - aluminum, brass, copper, steel, etc.

The durability and reliability of the final result of the work will depend on how correctly the material for waterproofing is chosen. This will be influenced by the proximity of groundwater, the depth of the basement, the region in which the house is located, the foundation material, the purpose of the room, and much more.

Basement waterproofing methods

There are several types of basement waterproofing:

• non-pressure- will protect the basement from rainwater entering it, will help in case of floods;
• anti-pressure- used if the basement is constantly flooded with groundwater;
• anticapillary- will not allow drops of water to seep through cracks and joints, as well as through building materials.

Methods for waterproofing the floor in the basement of the house can also be divided into:

• pasting or roll;
• painting;
• impregnating or penetrating;
• cast;
• injection;
• membrane.

Okleyechnaya waterproofing is used if the humidity in the basement is low and the groundwater threshold is low. As a pasting waterproofing material, roofing material, hydroisol, folgoizol or roofing paper are usually used. Polymeric sheet materials can also be used. A kind of multi-layer carpet is formed from them, while all layers are glued together. The material is glued on a pre-primed layer of mortar until the final pouring of the screed.

On a note! Usually, when pasting waterproofing, three layers of material are laid. They are glued together with various compositions, which are selected depending on the type of material. That is, polymeric ones are glued together with polymeric adhesives, bituminous ones - with ordinary hot bitumen.

Paint waterproofing quite simple, used on the floor, and on the walls, and on the ceiling of the basement. Great for well filled . Previously, it was carried out using bitumen-based mastics, but, as practice has shown, this is not the best option. Bituminous mastics quickly lose their waterproofing properties, as they crack. It is much better to use mixed polymer-bitumen or bitumen-rubber substances.

On a note! Paint waterproofing is the simplest, most affordable and inexpensive method of corrosion protection. It is often used for processing reinforced concrete structures.

Impregnation waterproofing usually done before basement floors and walls are tiled or covered with other finishing materials. Impregnations are mixtures containing bitumen or polymer varnishes. The method is based on the fact that the substance with which the surface is treated penetrates through the smallest pores and cracks to a depth of 60 cm and crystallizes inside them due to the chemical reaction of the so-called penetrates - special reagents. Hence, another name for the waterproofing method arises - penetration. Reagents can be aluminum oxide, alkali metal carbonates, silica. This type of waterproofing is applied very simply, and serves faithfully for a long time.

On a note! This type of waterproofing protection cannot be mechanically damaged.

- this is a subspecies of penetrating waterproofing. But it is performed with a fluid gel, which is simply injected into cracks and holes. The gel can be made from microcement, acrylate, polyurethane or epoxy resin. This type of waterproofing allows you to process hard-to-reach places without any special material costs, however, the technique is rather complicated and is usually performed by a specialist.

- the most reliable option that will protect the basement from the penetration of any moisture. In this case, all surfaces are filled with special mastics or solutions. Thus, a reliable, durable and thick layer of waterproofing is formed. By the way, the molded form of moisture protection can be cold, hot, asphalt-polymer.

- this is the use of special membrane materials about 2 mm thick to protect the basement from water. This type refers to roll types of waterproofing. These materials also have thermal insulation properties and often already have an adhesive layer, which means that they may not need to be glued. The membranes are very light and do not give additional load to the foundation.

Table. Types of membrane materials.

View	Description
	They are made on the basis of plasticized PVC, they are a two-layer film, the top layer of which is made of plasticizers. The membrane is fire-resistant and at the same time it isolates water well, it is very elastic, it can be laid at low temperatures. To obtain a seamless coating, the edges of the two cuts of membranes are joined using a special apparatus.
	The material is also called synthetic rubber. It is able to easily withstand low air temperatures and ground movements. Durable.
	Produced on the basis of thermoplastic polyophenes. This material has two layers - rubber-polypropylene and reinforced with synthetic fiber. The material combines the waterproofing properties of rubber and the high strength of the reinforcing mesh. It's expensive, so it's rarely used.

pvc membrane

Waterproofing with coating materials

Waterproofing the floor in the basement can be done using substances such as liquid rubber and liquid glass. In the first case, a substance based on bitumen, polymers is used. The waterproofing layer is firmly connected to the floor and water has no chance to penetrate into the room. This type of waterproofing lasts for many years, does not rot, has a low cost, and is easily repaired in case of damage.

Also, waterproofing can be done using liquid glass. It resembles rubber in its properties and also, when solidified, does not allow water to penetrate into the basement. Based on sodium silicate, sand and soda. Packaged liquid glass looks like a fine powder. It must be mixed with water and work can begin. Waterproofing by this method is performed independently. The treated surface remains dry, rust spots do not appear on it, and it is very easy to repair. However, liquid glass can only be used in the basement, where the walls and floor contain metal elements.

Cement-based waterproofing is also a coating type. The cement mortar is made of polymer components. It can be flexible or rigid - it depends on the initial form of the composition. Flexible is a combination of a dry cement mixture and an emulsion of polymers, and rigid is just a dry mixture.

Coating waterproofing technology

Step 1. The first step is to prepare the foundation. All fragile parts of it are removed. The foundation must be solid.

Step 2 The base is cleaned of debris and dust, paint, grease, dirt.

Step 3 Before applying the coating waterproofing, the surface of the base is moistened with water. The air temperature in the room should be in the range from +5 to +30 degrees.

Step 4 The solution is prepared according to the instructions indicated on the package. Stirring the mixture lasts about 5 minutes. Then the solution is infused for about 3 minutes and mixed again.

Step 5 The waterproofing mortar is applied with a brush on the base in 2-3 layers.

Step 6 At the joints between the walls and the floor, a special waterproofing tape is laid. It is installed in the first fresh waterproofing layer.

Step 7 The tape is sunk into the solution with a spatula or brush.

Video - Coating waterproofing

Damp basement internal waterproofing

Above it was told how to waterproof the basement, which is dry and warm. However, more often there are such rooms in which humidity is constantly observed. How does waterproofing work in this case?

Step 1. The basement dries out. If necessary, water is pumped out of it. Next, the joint between the wall and the floor is cut.

Step 2 The resulting construction waste is removed from the floor surface and swept out of the cracks.

Step 3 The sealing solution is mixed, which then closes up all the cracks along the floor.

Step 4 Pressure leaks are sealed with a special quick-setting material.

Step 5 A mixture is applied to the floor and walls in a continuous layer - penetrating waterproofing.

Video - Basement waterproofing

Do-it-yourself basement waterproofing from the inside: tips

A few tips will help you to waterproof the floor in the basement as efficiently as possible.

Video - Waterproofing cellars

Basement waterproofing is not only about ensuring dryness in a given room, but also protecting the entire building from excess moisture. If moisture is closed to the basement, then the building itself will serve for a long time and will not require repairs for a long time.