Drylock a basement questions

[Justjim]

I'm looking to drylock my basement. I'm looking for maximum protection at the cheapest price. Is there a best place to buy it or brand that's as good or better to research.

 

[Fritzhamer]

I went through this, it won't work. Despite the claims to the contrary physics doesn't back up their science. Drylock is great to use on the exterior basement walls but it can't hold back the pressure of water seeping through when placed on the interior. It will cause the concrete to start to flake off, revealing really wet concrete behind it. We solved our basement issues by finding the source of the water and getting it away from the basement. Grading the ground away from the house and sealing up the block on the outside above ground. Our neighbor excavated around his foundation and sealed up the outside with a combination of drylock and then tar. We didn't go that far.

 

[Justjim]

I have cinder walls in a crawl space area. The one area the blocks are darker with moisture. You don't think it'll help?

 

[JoshH]

If the moisture is coming from the outside all it will do is prevent the block from breathing and eventually deteriorate the block work and mortar. Which leads to the flaking and bubbling noted above. The only proper way to fix that is to waterproof from the outside or as suggested above, find the source of the water issue and solve that.

 

[Justjim]

If the moisture is coming from the outside all it will do is prevent the block from breathing and eventually deteriorate the block work and mortar. Which leads to the flaking and bubbling noted above. The only proper way to fix that is to waterproof from the outside or as suggested above, find the source of the water issue and solve that.

The moisture is very mild in my basement. I just figured drylock has a great name and should help keep it less humid and damp. I'm shocked that it's not all that good

 

[JoshH]

Drylock is a great product when used on the outside of a basement because it use's the structure of the block to resist the pressure of the water therefor it only has to provide a seal and not actual structure to keep the water at bay. They do claim it will stop water due to its penetrative abilities but it can only penetrate so far and then it stops. Even if it holds it just keeps the water in the block which isn't good. It will keep it less humid and damp in your crawlspace when used on the interior until it flakes off and reveals more than likely soft, partially rotten block underneath. I'm not a big fan of sealing concrete and block on both sides. Concrete and blockwork needs to breath to prevent mould growth and other moisture related issues. Covering it up is almost always a bad idea. If you're looking for a relatively cheap option for moisture, install a bathroom fan on a humidistat to draw the moisture out and blow it back outside. These "Quick and easy fix products" are a marketers dream, but just like in our reefs, the quick and easy fix, usually doesn't end up well. A lot of these products, like spray foam insulation are marketed as a new awesome way to do things that are quicker or easier. What they don't tell you are the potential downsides of these fixes and products.