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Discussion Forum

Basement Sealing

| Posted in General Discussion on December 29, 1998 03:05am

*
I am getting ready to reseal the basement of our 100 year old home. The walls are concrete. It looks like they were formed with old 2×12’s or smaller as there are many horizontal form lines every 8-12″ from the floor to the sill. I believe that the basement was redug at some point as there is a short 8×8 step along the perimeter on the floor.

We used to have a leakage problem that was fixed by replacing the gutter system and routing the drainage away from the house. However, through the previous leakage, crystalline deposits formed on the walls and forced some of the existing paint to peel away. As a result, I feel that I should repaint or reseal the floor and walls. Being that this is a basement and the existing paint is most likely lead based:

1. Can anyone recommend a good sealer to use on the walls and floor of my basement?
2. I’ve heard of wall sealers and separate floor sealers. Is there a product that does both?
3. Being that it is now winter in the Chicago area, is there anything that I should be aware of when applying a sealant product to the inside of my foundation?
4. Can I cover an existing surface coat or do I need to remove it first?

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Replies

  1. Guest_ | Dec 28, 1998 11:04pm | #1

    *
    Why do you want to seal the walls and floors? Are you looking to stop moisture penetration? or is it for aesthetics?

    -Rob

  2. Terry_Wellman | Dec 29, 1998 12:12am | #2

    *
    We have some bare spots on the walls where the previous coverage flaked off from leakage. Some of the crystalline deposits remain there. We have not brushed them out yet. I want to try to figure out what I'm dealing with first.

    Aesthetically speaking, we're not very fond of the current color scheme. Avocado pit yellow is not one of our favorite colors. There is a very light 1950's green below the yellow. We also have a section where the floor covering has flaked off. This is more from traffic patterns to the laundry section of the basement than anything else.

    We would like to use a white wall coating and perhaps a light gray for the floor. Originally we thought of using white for both but decided on gray for the floor.

    I'm planning to apply some hydraulic patch compound on a crack in the wall that looks like it has been there for some time. It has paint on both sides and deep into the crevice.

    Would an epoxy based sealer have any advantage over another type of sealer?

  3. Guest_ | Dec 29, 1998 12:43am | #3

    *
    Terry,

    It's virtually impossible to seal a basement wall that's been painted. You'll have to remove the paint first. The powdery substance you're seeing is called efflorescence, composed of mineral salts that were leached from the masonry by water passing through it. It can be brushed off or cleaned off with water and a brush. It'll probably come back, though. Bare sopots could be sealed, but you're best off removing all of the paint and then sealing. No fun, yeah? This is why I always think of painting masonry as the beginning of a lifetime maintenance program.

    I think Rob's question was along these lines, also.

    Barry

  4. Scooter_ | Dec 29, 1998 03:05am | #4

    *
    I would use a product called ThoroughSeal, which comes in 50 lb bags. It is a powder, and one mixes it to a thick consistantcy, and trowels it on. It doesn't shrink much, so with two coats, you are looking at an 1/8" to 1/4" thickness. When dry, it looks grey and has the consistantcy of stucco.

    It works great!

    1. rez | Aug 09, 2007 06:19pm | #6

      so keep that in mind.

       

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Aug 09, 2007 07:39pm | #7

        LOL...A nine year old post! 

        1. User avater
          SamT | Aug 09, 2007 07:49pm | #8

          Makes ya wonder how many times Rez has clicked on "next 50"SamT

          1. User avater
            Sphere | Aug 09, 2007 08:03pm | #9

            " There Are No unread messages"

            Like the end of the Internet, he just  turns around and heads back t'other way...LOL 

          2. Lansdown | Aug 09, 2007 08:38pm | #10

            I'm thinking he's independently wealthy to have that kind of freetime. Definatley.

  5. Terry_Wellman | Dec 29, 1998 03:05am | #5

    *
    I am getting ready to reseal the basement of our 100 year old home. The walls are concrete. It looks like they were formed with old 2x12's or smaller as there are many horizontal form lines every 8-12" from the floor to the sill. I believe that the basement was redug at some point as there is a short 8x8 step along the perimeter on the floor.

    We used to have a leakage problem that was fixed by replacing the gutter system and routing the drainage away from the house. However, through the previous leakage, crystalline deposits formed on the walls and forced some of the existing paint to peel away. As a result, I feel that I should repaint or reseal the floor and walls. Being that this is a basement and the existing paint is most likely lead based:

    1. Can anyone recommend a good sealer to use on the walls and floor of my basement?
    2. I've heard of wall sealers and separate floor sealers. Is there a product that does both?
    3. Being that it is now winter in the Chicago area, is there anything that I should be aware of when applying a sealant product to the inside of my foundation?
    4. Can I cover an existing surface coat or do I need to remove it first?

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