Damp proofing your home is very important as it helps to ensure that the materials it is made of a protected from moisture and also to prevent illness among the people living in the home.
The basement is usually susceptible to damp because it is below the ground which is where water seeps into when it rains and where water pipes that may leak are situated. It can easily become ruined by damp and may lead to the need for money being spent on repairing the area into an usable one. This is why it is important to keep damp out of this space.
There are a number of ways you could damp proof your basement floor. Firstly, you could use water based rubberised bitumen emulsion to paint the floor. About 3 or 4 coats should be enough. After doing this, you should put cement or sand screed on top of the bitumen emulsion. It can be about 50mm in thickness.
Alternatively, you can damp proof your basement’s floor by firstly placing a layer of sand on the floor. You will then need to cover this sand with a layer of plastic like material called polyethylene damp proof membrane, which is available from hardware stores or builder’s stores. It is important that this plastic be secured properly and that there are no gaps between sheets. When joining two sheets together, they should overlap with each other and be secured with flashing tape. After this plastic has been placed on the floor and secured, you can then cover it with sand or cement screed.
Another alternative for damp proofing your basement floor is concrete sealing. The biggest advantage of this type of proofing is that it can be done one time and will last for many years to come. It is a sealer that is odourless and colourless and seeps through into your floor’s pores, thus preventing anything from getting in or out. It will have to be installed by professionals, but the money spent will be well worth it.
These are just a few ways through which you can damp proof the floors of your home’s basement.