The Easiest Way To Stop Damp For Good

👇 Materials in this video 👇

Drybase TS-PLUS Tanking Slurry

Dryzone Hi-Lime Renovation Plaster

Drybase 3mm Plaster Membrane Mesh

Thanks to @SafeguardEuropeLtd

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How to Stop Damp in Your Home: A Comprehensive Guide

Damp issues can wreak havoc on homes, particularly in basements and below-ground areas where moisture is most persistent. Addressing dampness effectively requires careful preparation, the right materials, and a thorough application process. This article explores proven strategies to stop damp for good, based on techniques demonstrated in the video, The Easiest Way To Stop Damp For Good.

Step 1: Preparing the Wall Surface

The first step in tackling damp is ensuring a smooth and stable surface. Applying a straightening coat of render is essential to create a flat base. This eliminates any unevenness that could compromise the adhesion of waterproofing materials. For walls with rough brickwork or paint, levelling out the surface is critical to prevent water ingress through gaps or weak points.

Step 2: Applying Polymer-Reinforced Waterproofing

A key innovation in damp-proofing is using polymer-reinforced cementitious coatings, such as Safeguard TS+. These coatings are specially designed for below-ground applications. The polymer binds the cement, prevents micro-cracking, and creates a microporous layer that repels water, allowing the wall to "breathe." This property is crucial for managing trapped moisture and reducing the risk of future damp issues.

The application involves two coats, with 2 to 4 hours of drying between each coat. The colour change from blue to brown indicates readiness for the second coat, ensuring complete coverage and long-term protection.

Step 3: Choosing Advanced Solutions for Severe Cases

In cases of significant water penetration, membrane systems offer an alternative to tanking slurries. These systems create a cavity behind the membrane for moisture to drain into a channel, which can be pumped out. This approach is ideal for basements facing persistent or high-volume water intrusion.

Step 4: Using Breathable Materials for Finishing

For finishing, high lime plaster is an excellent choice. Its breathability allows it to absorb and release condensation, acting as a buffer for moisture. This makes it particularly suitable for damp-prone areas. Additionally, it resists salt ingress, preventing surface deterioration.

Effective damp-proofing requires careful preparation, advanced materials, and the right techniques. Whether using tanking slurries, membrane systems, or breathable plasters, each method addresses specific challenges. Following these steps, homeowners can safeguard their properties and ensure a dry, durable living space.

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#damp #mold #diyprojects

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[alec]

Rog, you are a wealth of information . Thank you

[ypyp]

Interesting, thank you.
I’m not a builder but am a chemist, it does seem counterintuitive to put a fully permeable lime plaster over an impermeable tanked surface. My instinct would have been to lime plaster and clay paint and let it breathe fully. I’ve tried this on a wet conservatory wall we had and it worked a treat, but I took it back to bare brick first. 5 years later and it’s still perfect.

[PeroxideBlond]

Roger, my flat has got a basement which has been completely stressing me out - but the tips you've shared here, and on other videos, have done a lot to help me figure out the steps on how to move forward! Sadly can't just get straight having a sump and membrane installed as I need to add some airbrick ventilation first (and negotiate that with the freeholder - joys of flat ownership) but once that's done, I know the video and channels to refer back to!

[TheCornish]

Roger, national treasure :) hope there are more history lessons on the way!.

[ch]

As an engineer I always overthink things….I get that the polymer stops the damp from entering the room, but what stops the first normal plaster/render layer against the original stonework from separating due to the ever present damp from being underground? Or does it remain bonded to damp stone? Could the hydrostatic pressure ‘pop’ the plaster off a deeper wall? 🤯

[ricardoa.m]

Roger I used that stuff in a very bad condensate and dumped wall with that brilliant stuff couple of years ago I back to the property ro do another job and I can tell you its absolutely fantastic.
As usual simply brilliant legend💪💪💪

[flybobbie]

In my 18 by 18 foot studio flat, i won't be building, i still find your videos interesting. Great free knowledge for diy or professionals.

[damianjones]

Its similar to a tanking slurry. We used dome tanking slurry on our basement a few years ago. In some places we had to apply a couple of other coats to properly waterproof the whole room.

[alanyoung]

Nice demonstration and it was good to hear mention of the membrane option as this is fully effect as a barrier and also tends to keep the surface temperature above dew point which is a bonus. You can even apply thermal wall board of the membrane and in doing so save energy as well. Always prudent to consider all the available options of course.

[vistron]

Roger has been checking his stats for most trolling/indignation - Plastering and damp proofing. So what better than a video combining the two....lol. Cher-ching.

[damianbutterworth]

My house is 200 years old. I have loads of Salt Peter coming out blowing the new render off. I`m sure it was cement when the house was damp course treated. It`s got a slate damp course. Well I`ll be trying the lime mortar for a change. Looking forward to it. Never used it before.

[ooheaven]

Another fascinating insight and a top notch job as always. I bet the paint's going to dry lovely on that! Merry Christmas

[ademason]

looks like you were struggling a bit with that lime 😉 my tip is not to use metal tools on lime plaster - i use a piece of lumber a bit bigger than a steel float with the corners cut away to form a handle, you will find that it doesn't bring water to the surface and drags a lot less, small circular random massaging type movements really help too

[stevenprince]

Ground levels, ground levels, ground levels.

The aqua drain handles surface water, not ground water. Measure from the internal floor height to the cill. Repeat the proess outside.

The original damp proof course will be approx 125mm below the internal floor level, this relates to a suspended timber floor. There will be a quite a difference for an 'original' solid floor.

The original damp proof course should also be 150mm or 2 brick courses above external ground level. External render can also form a trap and may need removal just above the damp proof course.

A genuine French drain may be required to correct the elevated ground levels. The walls should dry out naturally within weeks, and in many cases may not need replasterring.

Try it, that's all. Building pathology, how things work.

[toosas]

whatever Roger does is always interesting to watch

[voodoomelons]

Hard to get to grips with how this is is better than just rendering with a lime/sand rough and scratch coat and a lime skim top coat, with non vinyl paint. Or, just apply the Hi-Lime without the slurry. Reading through the datasheet for the tanking slurry, it reads just like any other supposed breathable render. "Use breathable decorative finishes", "Moisture may transfer in from outside", "Use breathable paint". But with the added bonus of "Condensation may form on the cold surface of Drybase Tanking Slurry. Steps should be taken to ensure that condensation issues have been resolved to avoid a reaction of surface moisture and gypsum-based plaster." I feel this is the synthetic aspect of it, as you won't get condensation on a lime finish, no matter the temperature of the wall. The taglines of the product are something of an oxymoron, how something can be a damp barrier, but vapour permeable is something of a head scratcher.

[graham]

Right said Fred, that wall have to come down🧱🎵 with it all down then we went home., like going to College, no Ice in the Bucket.

[tidyjob]

I cured a damp problem on a very. Old brick house dampness was rising and perishing the lime plaster. We took the old plaster off the wall cleaned the brick as best we could. Going back 30 years. We did not have the products available, now. I got some water based black rubberized liquid. Roofers where using it to coat slate roofs with a fiberglass membrane, Not a good idea, stopped slates slipping but roof could not breath, they don't do this any longer, painted it on throw sand on while still wet course building sand and let dry, once dry sand and cement scratch coat they later float finnish and skim, great job cured problem. still good today,

[matticulas]

I hope I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure you've made a mistake in your approach to this. You've decided on a vapour open tanking slurry but you also used SBR, which is a vapour barrier, preventing the moisture already in the wall from evaporating through the tanking slurry as it was designed to do. The cement render is also not adequately permeable enough, would have been better if you'd used lime. There's a vapour open lime plaster called Rinzaffo MGN that acts as a tanking slurry and is ideal for basements. You may have not even needed the Dryzone TS plus, though they do make some good products.

[isaackoomson]

wow boss you are doing amazing jobs, boss i do solve the same problems in my country and i really like to meet you one day for more skill. Isaac from ghana