Basement floor waterproofing

Energy-saving, protection of the building, and the health of all tenants and users of the building are the reasons why basements require properly executed, quality waterproofing. Don’t neglect your basements, protect them properly and remember how very often they are exposed to water.

Wet basement floors

Wet basement and wet basement floors occur in cases when the existing waterproofing is poor or when condensation is created due to the temperature difference.

Therefore, when moisture appears in your basement, find out the reason for its appearance and examine the effectiveness of the existing waterproofing. To protect your basement from water and moisture, it is important to do the waterproofing according to the rules of the profession.

The following are the steps that will lead you to a successfully waterproofed basement:

clean the substrate to a clean surface of the AB wall from all existing layers such as existing plaster, mortar, various adhesives or smoothing compound, existing paint, oils, grease stains, “formwork” or other formwork oils, binders, mechanically (manually or mechanically) with high-pressure water washing with or without special detergents (if oils need to be removed).
podlogu pripremite tako da se uklone nedovoljno čvrsti dijelovi, labave čestice, nevezani slojevi sve do zdravog nosivog sloja. Reprofilacija svih neravnih površina, prethodno uočenih, ili učinjenih mehaničkim alatima tijekom skidanja žbuke/morta/slojeva (neravnina, neravnina od skalpela/špice, udubina spojeva oplate, distancera oplate, šupljina ili gnijezda agregata, plinskih đepova…) odrađuje se mikroarmiranim reparaturnim mortom kao DRACO FIX 120 ili DRACO FIX 140. Kako bi se dobila u potpunosti ravna podloga nakon reprofilacije moguće je ponovno brušenje površine.
prepare the substrate by removing insufficiently strong parts, loose particles, unbound layers to a healthy supporting layer. Reprofiling of all uneven surfaces, previously observed, or done with mechanical tools during removal of plaster/mortar / layers (unevenness, unevenness of scalpel/tip, the recess of formwork joints, formwork spacers, cavities or nests of aggregates, gas pockets…) is done with microreinforced repair mortar DRACO FIX 120 or DRACO FIX 140. To obtain a completely flat surface after reprofiling, it is possible to re-grind the surface
apply DRACO LASTIC 150 with a roller, metal trowel, or brush. The material needs to be “felt” to be applied without any problems. If you use a roller, use a short-haired roller. Use bottom-up movements because then the roller “works” like a trowel, so that there is always a smaller “wave” of material in front of the roller. When working with a trowel, the application technique is similar to smoothing walls, but due to the viscosity with faster movements and a smaller amount on the trowel. Use a flat trowel. When applying, it is necessary to smooth the thickened edges (traces) at the end of the trowel. The material can also be applied with a brush. It is common to brush smaller surfaces and details, or very uneven surfaces. When using the brush, it is necessary to rinse the particles in a bucket of water after each pass, and shake the brush out of the drops before re-crossing. Experientially, on flat, smooth surfaces, the best result is achieved with a short-haired roller. When treating the interior surfaces of walls, for negative pressure, apply the second layer after at least 24 hours. The total thickness should not be less, but not more than 2mm.
reinforce the working joints of the floor with the walls with DRACO BAND 100 expansion tape by immersing it in the first layer of coating.
after the first coat has dried, apply a second coat of DRACO LASTIC 150. Cover the expansion strips completely with a waterproofing coating.
after drying the second layer of waterproofing coating, plaster the walls with vapor-permeable plaster or stick a ceramic or stone cladding on them. You can glue stone or ceramic directly to the floor with flexible adhesive for outdoor use.

DRACO LASTIC 150 waterproofing coating effectively solves the problem of damp basement floors by making a waterproof “bathtub” on the inside of the basement. The use of DRACO PRIMO 100 primer, which strengthens and stabilizes the substrate, promotes better adhesion of the waterproofing coating without the possibility of separation. In addition to horizontal surfaces, applying the coating is easy on vertical surfaces.

Remember to properly protect your basement from water and moisture promptly. Use only quality materials and pay the waterproofing the attention it deserves. DRACO waterproofing systems are designed precisely to make your homes, offices and premises safe and comfortable to live in

If you need help or advice from our experts, reach out to us.