How can i waterproof my cellar floor? ?
by
Ahilly
+9
Its cemented but with the heavy rains, there’s been water coming up thru the cement and causing excessive dampness more than ever before. Theres a perimeter ditch that handles leaks from my stacked stone walls, but I’d like to keep the floor dry somehow. Is there a sealant or waterproofing that would work? Help !
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I think there is a company that make custom cellar doors that might fit better
Do you have a sump pump to remove the water from the perimeter drains. Also, ensure roof water is diverted away from the foundation. Thompson's Water Seal will help keep water out, but the main water problem needs to be fixed first. Hydraulic cement helps seal up leaks at wall.
Hi Ahi,
I haven't done this myself, but I would think that a marine concrete sealant would work for that project. Be sure to check what is listed and follow all instructions on the can. Good luck -Linda
Sounds like the water table might be getting higher with the rain if it's coming up from below the floor rather than from above. There's not much you can do about it if that's the case unless you want to dig all around the structure and put in weeping tile or something similar. Get someone in who has experience with this kind of thing and see what they say. Just putting a layer of sealant on the concrete isn't going to solve your problem in the long term. The water will still come in where the walls and floor meet and with a sealant, the water will likely break down the concrete which will be an added expense to replace if that happens.
The short explanation is that it's a drainage system to keep water away from your building. It's installed around the building right at the bottom of your foundation (not under the foundation, but around it). You can read more about weeping tile here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weeping_tile. In north-western Canada, where I'm from, it's used extensively due to the clay soil we're dealing with.