DryLok - Yes or No?
I've read a lot of posts recommending the use of DryLok or similar products. I was in the store last night ready to purchase it when I saw on the label that is only guaranteed to last 5 years. What good will that do me? I don't plan on ripping up my floor, and pulling down my walls every five years to re-seal to concrete. I should add that my house is 2 years old and I have not seen a drop of water or a trace of mold in the basement. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks. Jim_Sharkey, The issue of warranties is another ballgame all in itself. Of course noone wants to rip out everything in 5 years or 6 months. The Drylok is recommended as a product because it works, although you are right, a 5 year warranty for a product that does work is good but there are better ones out there. You also have to think about price, what is the average consumer willing to pay for protection, Drylok is $18.00 per gallon - 5 year protection. I have attached a link for a product that does work and has a 20 warranty! Now what is the difference in price http://www.concreteseal.com/how.shtml Other products like above may cost $34 a gallon and warranty is 20 Years! It all depends on what you are willing to spend. We always hear that Drylok is expensive but let's face it, any protection, when applied correctly will last long beyond it's warranty period and even then, the warranty only applies to replacement of product, not the labor to remove all your hard work and reinstall. If you don't have any moisture...great but just in case, would added protection be better? This is an individual decision and only you are the judge of that. Hope this helps! You missed all the posts recommending not to use a sealer. My position is this: if you have moisture problems, fixing the problem on the inside is temporary at best. The only way to really fix a moisture issue is on the outside. If you don't have a moisture issue, why waste the time and money? Just in case is not a good enough answer. BobF, I guess then you don't know what Drylok is or the use of the product I gave a link to? I agree that in a perfect world, waterproofing is best done from the outside but alot of homeowners don't have the means to do this to an existing home. The cost would be enormous for most. If you haven't read all the posts concerning the use of Drylok and it's performance as given testimony by many that have used it, then you can't say much at all. For those that want that added protection, regardless of cost or your personal opinion and a product that does work, DryLok or Endur-O-Seal would be the way to go. Noone can afford to rip out everything after the fact. My just in case statement within the same paragraph was followed by; This is an individual decision and only you are the judge of that. I believe that Jim can make up his own mind and make the decsion whether he wants to use this or not. I would suggest reading postings and understanding more about products and application of the same before trying to advise a professional that has much more experience than doing one basement remodeling job. Just in case, that's my position! If I do decide to use something, what would I use on the floor? The DryLok web site says that the sealant can't be used on the floor, but that they have a paint that can be used. How much is this paint? It's going to be covered, so I don't need anything with a finished look. Thanks to both of you for your opinions. i have heard both sides but also have my basement waterproofed. water will always take the path of least resistance. Drylok will keep the water from coming in, but it won't eliminate it. you have to make sure that the drainage system around your house is good, making sure that the gutters drain the water away from the house and the sump pump, if you have one works, and the grade around the house is maintained. the only reason I had my basement waterproofed is that i live 3 miles from a huge lake and the land that the house was built on used to be swap land about 40 years ago (high water table) i'm finishing my basement and I don't need any hassles. and if for some reason that I get a leak then it gauranteed by the company that did it so I guess i vote no jckftrds, Thanks for the feedback.. as I mentioned this is a deciscion that is owner's choice. By the way how much did it cost and what exactly did the company do for you? what about the guarantee, how long? Thanks again! Doug, I've have read many many posts on the subject. I've been hanging around forums like this for six years. Just because I disagree with you doesn't mean I have no knowledge nor understanding of the product. Tell me what savings there are if the product fails in 5 years (or 6 or 7 years)? You agreed with my only statement of fact - that long term waterproofing is done on the outside. If the h/o has moisture problems and is not going to cover up the foundation, then try the drylok or other sealer. If it fixes it then great. But covering up the walls adds a variable to the equation. Jim was asking for an opinion, not looking for facts. I've also read enough of the posts to realize that Jim feels he needs the product and is looking for reasons to use the product. I stand by my premise. If you don't have moisture problems, why spend the money and the time on a sealer? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. One more thought - I don't buy into the fear factor and don't believe in pushing a product to allay someone's fears. Jim_Sharkey, The issue of sealing the floor is an option. Whatever flooring you are going to put down, that use adhesives, sealers should be compatiable with that adhesive as well as the carpeting (if this is used), not all are. If you had moisture coming up from your floor, and we are talking more than just damp, other alternatives may have to be addressed, like interior drain tile with sump pump since outside applications may be too expensive. The issue of floor sealers for concrete and application of finish flloring may be best answered by those that install flooring. You may want to talk to a local flooring company and inquire as to what they recommend, get product name and do cost comparisons. Hope this helps! My main concern is years from now, walking down into my basement and smelling that musty, moldy smell common in most basements. From all that I have read on this website and others, I will be fine as long as I use an insulation with a vapor barrier, and have good ventilation in the room. It just doesn't appear that sealing the walls will provide any long term protection. The vapor barrier on the insulation will provide that. Thanks all! The truth here what many have said is true but is dependant upon each and individual circumstance. A dry basement indicates good outside drainage, low water table and negligible negative pressure inside the basement. It also indicates that why the basement is dry is because the basement walls and floor are. This is because a dry basement wall will actually lower the humidity levels in a basement by absorption. Failure to understand that the masonry in basements can either increase or decrease humidity levels in basements is the leading cause for moisture problems in basements. Furthermore the sources of moisture does not only come from the outside, much of it is generated inside the basement. I can see how one might not comprehend how inside humidity causes your basement wall to leak, but believe it can. What I am saying is that there is not one solution to keeping your basement dry. It is a combination of applications that does. For example, outside drainage is very important when it comes to keeping your basement dry. Does that mean that once you provide the grading, you don't have to do anything? The answer is no. You have to be diligent when it comes to outside drainage. And it's not just making sure your gutters and leaders are working. Like not planting shrubs too close to the house and planting shrubs that don't have a deep root system. People think that installing sidewalks right up against a foundation wall sheds water away from the foundation wall. It almost assures water in your basement. Let's say it rained hard for 15 minutes, a rough estimate would be 300 gallons of water coming out of your downspout. Which do you think would do more to keep water out of your basement, the sidewalk against the foundation or the downspout being extended 8 feet from the foundation wall? Once your wall is breached, then the only real way to fix it is from the outside and that is expensive. As far as drylocking your basement floor, if the floor is 3 inches thick and there are no cracks in it, it is highly unlikely that you would experience a moisture problem. As far as the walls are concerned, they are presently dry and are probably contributing to the dryness or low humidity levels in the basement. You probably intend to finish and insulate the walls. If that is the case in your situation, I would not recommend the Dryloc. The reason for it is that regardless of the type of insulation you install, when you heat the basement, there will be a constant flow of heat with a percentage of humidity inside it transmitting through the wall. The dryloc will allow the wall the absorb the heat but will probihit the moisture in that heat to be absorbed. It is the equilavent of having a vapor barrier on both sides of insulation. Under circumstances, THIS IS NOT YOUR SITUATION, where there is a moisture problem with the wall and water-proofing is installed, a dead air space, usually more than an inch is provided which is known as a drainage plane to prevent moisture problems between the water-proofed masonry and insulation. I recommend the drainage plane regardless if there is a moisture problem or not. You must not stop here. You have to control the things in the basement that produce humidity. Like making sure your dryer vent duct is sealed with tape around the connections and doesn't leak. Also making sure the laundry room has a window so the moisture from washing and drying can be absorbed. Making sure heating vents are balanced to minimize negative pressure. Covering the sump pump to prevent the water from evaporating in the basement. And there is more, just think about it and you'll identify things that produce humidity in the basement. doug actually i went w/one of the waterproofing companies in MI theyt replaced the drain tile around the house inside and out, fixed the bowing exterior walls and sealed the foundation from the outside, and install 2 sump pumps and a 30 year warranty ....The house is a 1900 sq ft ranch that we are fixing up. Quite honestly I think I overdid it and over paid (15,000) but like you said, and I agree........... Its the owners choice. The previoues owners did absolutley nothing to maintain the house. which caused a lot of problems for us down the road, but it was an investment for us that we undertook and we are pretty satisfied with the results.......all things considering. you are a great resource jckftrds jckftrds, Thanks for the compliment! The cost is a bit high but for what they did and the guarantee, it sounds like a great deal! It's alot of work to do this system but it's the best! In Minnesota we always place these in homes and do quite well including relieving water pressure from below the slab. Since being here in Michigan, I rarely see your system used and many homes have problems. The issue of expense is the main factor in deciding to do waterproofing via DIY applications such as Drylok but it helps. I don't put a fear factor into anything that I post and I also agree that it is the Owner's decision as to what they want to do. I can only give options/alternatives and I do realize that waterproofing block/concrete walls is not the perfect fix but they do work as long as we don't have issues with the slab. At that point, your system should be used for slab issues and/or significant cracks and constant moisture coming through walls. It's great protection when one considers investing so much into a finished basement project. Thanks for the feedback! No matter how well the floor and walls of a basement are done, they always crack, even with steel rebar and fiber mesh. It's just the nature of concrete as it shrinks while curing, and subsequent loading and movement of the structure. The cracks may not be visible, but they are there. Even without any shrinkage or stress cracks, there is always the cold joint between the floor and foundation that can, as I have seen, allow seepage. Any water pressure at those cracks will cause water to enter the basement. There are only two ways to prevent this. One is to install external drainage systems which positively drain all water from around and under the basement. The part of the drainage system under the floor can only be done before the basement floor is poured. The other is to seal the walls and floor so that the water pressure does not penetrate through the cracks. This works better on the ouside, but often that is not a viable option. The only next best thing, if there is seepage, is to seal the concrete on the inside. In this case I would use the best product I could find and hope for the best, but know that the thin membrane can fail in time. I have seen a homeowner spend $30,000 to install a curtain drain down to the bottom of the footing, around the entire house, only to have water come up through the cracks in the floor the next winter. Even if you eliminate all the water at the walls, there may still be hydraulic pressure under the floor that you can do nothing about, short of tearing the house down and starting over. 5 winters ago I (Dry Lok)ed an old red brick basement. It flacked off. I scraped sanded re-coated thee walls last winter. the Dry loc is flacking off already. Does anyone have a solution? basement waterproofing can only be done while the home is under construction,,, after that, its called ' fixing the son of *% *^$%* water leaks OR mitigate the water intrusion. drylock mtls are NEVER a permanent solution UNLESS you're selling the place the seller doesn't sue w/i a yr,,, expose the brick live w/it Gakpf, welcome to the forums! Yeah, your drylok is peeling because there is moisture behind the brick. Until you address your water concerns from the outside, any attempt to do so in the interior will meet with failure. You should redirect any surface water away from the foundation. Downspouts, swales, anything that will cause water to go toward the house. Sometimes that is enough. Sometimes you need to excavate the walls, clean them and have them professionally waterproofed. As Stadry1 said, the best time to do it was when it was constructed, but not knowing the age of the house, it appears old due to brick being in the basement rather than a poured monolith or concrete block. we've never found downspout redirection, leader drains, regrading, etc to be a permanent solution as the wtr's already constructed little underground pathways towards your bsmt wall/footer,,, IF we were to use those solutions for most of our customers, we'd be getting angry calls during the next rainy season,,, OCCASIONALLY it will work but we don't want to bet our company's reputation on sthem. excavation wtrproofing walls isn't rocket science but it is dirty hard work,,, just do it safely, use the proper prep mtls, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, provide a drainage system for the collected wtr. My 2 cents: buy dry lok extreme product at big box- 15 yr warranty! I've bought several gallons and it goes on very nicely. I've coated 3 basements i've owned and i would never use drylok when you actually have visible water infiltration (regardless of the label). However, it has been VERY effective at removing ambient humidity that otherwise leads to a 'basement smell'. This, in combination with sealing/waterproofing the floors, I have used redgard (when tiling) and crete seal (when acid staining) for these purposes in the basements i've done. Fortunately for me, i've fixed all water infiltration problems just by regrading for a 10-20 deg pitch around foundationl and fixing gutter downspouts. Is it possible to apply it to liberally? I applied last night and it is peeling off, not adhering. Welcome to the forums Mike! What are you applying the drylok on? Drylok is only effective if it's applied liberally so it can fill/seal all the pores in the masonry. It is formulated to be applied over raw masonry or itself, not previously painted masonry. anything is possible but your trouble probably stems from poor surface prep rather than applying it TOO liberally,,, read the directions again follow them I have put Dry Lock on all the basement walls over an earlier non waterproofing layer of paint from 10 years before. It has stayed well so I guess that is sheer dumb luck cause I would usually agree that some paints like this would not adhere over, however this one is now been on since early 2009. My big concern is the few warnings of water building up behind the walls now that drylock is keeping it all clear. Then the water will push in the basement walls like some Irwin Allen movie? Our largest issue was the sewer pipe put in the 70's on a home from the 50's, we finally got the leaks to pretty much stop, and those only from tropical storms or snow melt from heavy rains. I cannot dig down 10 ft next to the house to throw sealers around the pipe down there, what else can you do. I work to fix the grade around the house and all is piped away, the north side of the home is where there is no protection from rain sliding down the siding and it where the sewer connection runs out. So basically I have thrown a lot of things around the connection inside and finally drylock, drylock has worked everywhere. Always had a serious water seapage situation in my 100+ year old brick foundation wall basement. A couple years ago, I dug up my dirt driveway, which runs alongside the worst of the seaping basement walls, and poured a nice concrete driveway. Have had no seapage at all since then! I would have thought that the 100 years of compacting that dirt drive would have made it water tight, but appearently not! Also, this is the side of the house where all the roof runoff flows, and now it is directed at least 10 feet from the foundation. Conclusion? Sealing the walls and floor may help, but the biggest factor is to get the rain and other runoff away from the building in the first place!
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