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A Tutorial for Sealing Basement Walls

Medha Godbole
To ensure a dry basement, sealing the walls is a must. This post lists the supplies required and takes you through the steps of sealing the walls.
Basements can be a great place to create some extra space for your house. They can also be used as a home office, where there will be no disturbance.
However, to do something like this, you will need to ensure that the basement is in good shape. One of the most important things is to ensure that the walls are not leaking and are waterproof. If they aren't in a good condition, you can seal the walls for waterproofing.

Sealing from the Inside
To keep the basement away from moisture, sealing the walls is essential. Unless there are leaks or standing water in the basement, sealing the walls will not be an ordeal.

Supplies
The tools you will need for doing this are:
  • Safety gear for eyes and hands
  • Wire brush
  • Paint brush or roller
  • Detergent
  • Trowel, hydraulic cement
  • Ball peen hammer and chisel
  • Waterproofing compound
  • Pail and water

Procedure
The procedure is not complicated, though it will be a bit time-consuming. 

Cleaning the Wall

The first step is to scrub the walls clean using a detergent. If you are using waterproofing compound, check the instructions to see if a special cleaner is required. Make sure you get rid of all the grease stains. Cover the areas you are not going to be working on.

Sealing Wall Cracks

After you make sure that the walls are clean, fill the cracks in the wall (if any) using hydraulic cement. Spray the cracks until damp, before you fill them up with hydraulic cement. 
Then, using a metal putty knife, smooth out the cement and allow it to dry completely. Add another layer to make sure that the crack has been filled. Let this stay until you start working on the walls further.

Apply Paint

Now, it is the time to paint the wall. Apply a coat of waterproof or water resistant sealing primer to the walls. You will have to cut in around the ceiling, floor, and corners. To cover the rest of the area, use a paint roller. Wait for 4 hours before you start work again.

Second Coat

Apply one more coat of water resistant paint over the primer. Again, let the paint dry before you start working on it again. 
Use a colored water resistant paint over the primer you had previously applied. A roller will make it easier to paint large areas, and a brush will help cut in around obstacles.
When it comes to sealing walls and floors you can use a polyurethane-based waterproof sealant to protect the basement flooring from moisture.
As the coats of paint are going to take time to dry, consider a couple of days or so for this task to be complete. You turn on some fans to hurry up the drying process and keep the area ventilated. Finally, sealing the concrete before finishing is extremely crucial.