below grade concrete floor sealant and crack filler
Hello folks,
I am searching for the most effective concrete basement floor sealant and crack filler.
This floor is in a 1950’s residential home (most likely without vapor barrier).
The basement walls are continuous, poured concrete and adjoining floor is
a continuous poured concrete slab that is approximately 5 feet below grade.
This home is in the Chicago area that is subject to many summer rains and high humidity.
During these rainy weather conditions, the concrete appears damp
(a dehumidifier is an essential tool) and also, by what appears to be caused by hydrostatic pressure, water emerges through the floor cracks.
I am requesting product and technique solutions to mitigate the moisture from sweating through the floor slab in addition to the best product and technique solutions to mitigate the hydrostatic water pressure from emerging through the floor cracks. Thank You!! S.
Replies
Reach out to the largest commercial general contractor/construction manager in your area, try to talk to one of their project managers, and see who they use for a caulking and waterstopping/waterproofing contractor. Call the waterstopping contractor and explain what is going on. They will probably recommend a polyurethane injection into the cracks, and a coating similar to what they use on the inside of concrete containment vessels.
It will be very costly, but it depends how important this is to you.
Alternatively, you could go with hydraulic cement pushed into/over the cracks and a basement sealer/waterproof paint on the walls. But that stuff seems too easy for me to think it would work well.
I have had good luck with a self leveling crack filler from Sika.
Admittedly, it continues as a liquid to possibly the bottom of the crack and keeps going and going and going….
Customer (friend) had a 50’s basement that would take on water when the ditch across the road was full draining farm fields. Mainly seasonal, so drought conditions, no problems.
I cleaned out various caulks he had used, vac’d out any dust and debris. These cracks were between the block walls (on footers). Filled several times during initial application, came back for a final fill the next day. Only a couple feet of shallow level to fill.
I have used these sealants before in exterior applications. They are self leveling and so grade matters and when necessary, damns to hold the material till set and of coarse, backer rod if crack goes to China and you need to stop it.
Various manufacturers like Tremco, Simpson and I think, maybe OSI. A good concrete/masonry supplier should have stock and advice.