I have done some extensive work to fix some issues regarding water in my basement. The two main issues were the front porch being sloped back towards the house allowing water to pool at the foundation and come into the house against the front foundation wall. The second major issue was a broken drain in the back that would back up and flood into the house.

My house is touched on three sides by concrete (the porch on the front, the driveway on the one side, and the patio in the back). On the side that is touching land, I have built up the landscaping so that it slopes away from the foundation.

These measures have kept a lot of the water from coming in. At this point, I just have some dampness that is coming up through the basement floor through hairline cracks. There is no pooling, you can just see discoloration and feel some moisture on the ground around a few of these cracks. I understand that these are caused by hydrostatic pressure from the water table, and the best solution is to install a sump pump. But with the money we have already put in, this isn't a viable option for us.

So what I'm looking at doing is applying Drylok to the walls, and a type of epoxy-seal on the floor. My question is, will this solution be enough to damp-proof the basement to keep that moisture from seeping up from the floor? Or will I go through this and still see the moisture coming up? We are not looking to finish the basement. We want a nice clean looking area that we can throw an area rug down and have an extra room to hang out for parties. There won't be tile or carpet installed, just trying to make it a clean area that is pretty much dry.


TL;DR version: Can I put Drylok on my basement walls and an epoxy-seal on the floor as a cheap option to prevent water from coming up on the floor?

first

pretty good thread so far

I'd give it an A+. I learned a lot.

Glad to contribute!

Zinsser Watertite

I would for safety measures install a sub pump ...
so what water gathers under your floor or down the out side of your basement walls will be directed to the sub pump

Belly35;1633766 wrote:I would for safety measures install a sub pump ...
so what water gathers under your floor or down the out side of your basement walls will be directed to the sub pump

how about a sump pump?

ccrunner609;1633740 wrote:sherm, sounds like the floor was poored without a vapor barrier. Likely not going to keep moisture out.

How about poured?

GoChiefs;1633770 wrote:How about poured?

if it's dealing with CC, its poored.

Check out Sherwin Williams new Super Deck & Dock Polyvinyl paint. Originally Developed for extreme weather exposed areas I hear some folks have discovered it works great on wet basement walls.