Waterproofing Basement how to?

[krisisdog]

In my opinion, ventilation is a better option than waterproofing to handle humidity.

Not always a practical option though, but if it is then both is definitely the way to go

Its never going to be "waterproof", all its going to do is condense the humidity into drops which will then run to unventilated areas spurring mold and mildew.

That caused a massive lol on my behalf, sorry. I'd rather have a spot of mold/mildew that I can clean every month or 2 than expose the entire basement ceiling to water damage, especially when I dont have to!!

 

[doubledragon]

Dehumidifier, makes all the difference in the world....

 

[Valous]

kallmond I am with you. You will need some kind of ventilation if not a dehumidifier. I recently bought a house. they had to rip out a whole room cause they dumb *@@ that owned the house before me made it not have vents in the attic or basement. so the whole structure of the room ended up having mold and mildew. not fun took a bottle of bleach and 10 days of nice weather to air out and it still has a smell to it on damp days.

 

[chemicall]

Use a good paint like Pittsburgh sun-proof 100% acrylic outdoor paint or Dulux weatherguard/diamond. I use these inside for things all the time(trim, fishrooms, bathrooms, doors, aquarium stands, basements etc.) They are awesome paints that can't be beat. LONG lasting and VERY easy cleaning, mold/mildew won't penetrate them. It's tough stuff when dried. Another good option is Devoe coatings 100% waterborne acrylic, it's amazing stuff and amazingly durable but the price tag is about $300 +tax per 5 gallons.

As for a primer beforehand, Pittsburgh seal-grip primer is amazing and would work with pittsburgh or dulux(dulux has nice primers also) For Devoe Coatings paint, pending on your surface you may need a Devoe coatings primer.

I like these brands of paints as they are from/owned by advanced paint manufacturers..... PPG and DuPont, The other reason I like them is I am a painter and they are tried, tested, and hold true for me.

Hope I could help.

Also, I have done lots of outdoor work with these paints. Decks/porches, foundations, siding, trim, garage doors, cedar shakes that were previously painted etc etc. An awesome job everytime. Devoe coatings 100% waterborne acrylic works awesome for metal roofs, that need to be walked on later, and not get destroyed, i've also used the Devoe Coatings in industrial settings, and it lasts a really long time....

 

[nolapete]

Ame's Blue Max is designed for doing exactly what you want to do. It's cheap and better than any latex since it is a liquid rubber product. Paint is permeable and will degrade quickly under those conditions.

 

[epond83]

FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) Get panels of it at a local hardware store and chaulk the seams. Installing on the ceiling will be a little more work but figured i throw out another option.