Basement Waterproofing in Philadelphia: What the Work Looks Like, Step by Step
A lot of people call us about their basement without knowing what the job actually involves. Here's the whole thing, start to finish.
A lot of people call us about their basement without knowing what the job actually involves. Fair enough. You can't see much from a quote on paper. So here's the whole thing, start to finish, on a real Philly basement our crew did.
We're Dependable Concrete LLC, family-owned and pouring concrete in Philadelphia since 1984. We mix our own concrete and cement, and this is the same way we do the walls in most of the old basements we work in.
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Short answer: Good basement waterproofing on old walls happens in layers. First the wall gets cleaned out and every hole and gap gets filled. Then it's washed and coated with a bonding agent. The mortar gets sprayed on, a scratch coat goes over it, and the wall gets worked down flat. Paint goes on last. Skip the prep and nothing after it holds.
Where This Basement Started
This one was rough. Old stone walls with the coating falling off, deep holes in places, dust everywhere, and gaps mice were clearly using. It's a very typical row house basement for this city. Most of the ones we walk into look something like it.
Basement Waterproofing Philadelphia: Step 1, Fill, Wash, and Bond
Video transcript
On-screen title: Mice Were Getting In. On screen: the crew knocks off loose coating, fills holes and gaps in an old stone basement wall, washes the wall, and puts on a bonding coat. End card: Dependable Concrete LLC, doing concrete in Philadelphia since 1984.
This is the part nobody films, and it's the part that matters most.
We knock off the loose coating that's already failing. Anything that's going to fall off later comes off now. Then we fill the holes and gaps in the wall, including the ones rodents have been running through. On an old stone wall there can be a lot of them, some deeper than you'd think.
Once the wall is solid, we wash it down. Dust and old residue keep new cement from grabbing. After that, a bonding coat goes on so the next layer sticks to the old wall instead of just sitting on top of it.
If a contractor wants to skip straight to the new coat, ask why. Cement over a dusty, hollow wall comes loose, and then you're paying twice.
Basement Waterproofing Philadelphia: Step 2, Spray the Mortar On
Video transcript
On-screen title: Spray, Don't Trowel. On screen: the crew sprays fiber-reinforced mortar onto an old stone basement wall, filling deep holes and covering uneven stone. End card: Dependable Concrete LLC, doing concrete in Philadelphia since 1984.
Next the mortar goes on with a sprayer instead of a trowel. We use a fiber-reinforced cement mix.
Spraying pushes the mortar into the deep spots and uneven stone in a way a trowel has a hard time matching. On old Philly walls, where nothing is flat and some holes go back a few inches, that makes a real difference. It also gets a full, even layer across the whole wall faster.
Basement Waterproofing Philadelphia: Step 3, Scratch Coat, Then Work It Flat
Video transcript
On-screen title: Flat Like Drywall. On screen: a scratch coat goes over the sprayed mortar, then the crew works the wall down flat with a finish coat. End card: Dependable Concrete LLC, doing concrete in Philadelphia since 1984.
Over the sprayed mortar goes the scratch coat. It's called that because the surface gets roughed up on purpose so the final layer has something to lock into.
Then the crew works the wall down. Glue goes on, the finish coat goes over it, and it gets sponged smooth. Done right, the wall comes out flat and even, close to what you'd expect from drywall, but it's cement on the original foundation wall. There are no studs or drywall sheets in the way to trap moisture behind them.
Step 4: Paint and the Floor
With the walls finished, we put two coats of Sherwin-Williams ultra-white waterproofing paint on them. That's what makes a dark basement suddenly feel bright.
The floor is often its own job. On this basement, the old floor was uneven, so we poured self-leveling cement over it for a flat, smooth surface from wall to wall. Some floors need a full tear-out and a new pour instead. It depends on what's under there.
How Long It Takes and What It Costs
Every basement is different, so we don't put prices or timelines in a blog post. Size, how bad the walls are, how many holes there are, and what the floor needs all change the number. We come out, look at it, and give you a written estimate within 24 hours of our visit. You can see more of what we do on our basement waterproofing page.
Common Questions
What does basement waterproofing in Philadelphia usually involve?
For older stone or brick basement walls, it usually means removing the failing coating, filling holes and gaps, washing and bonding the wall, putting on new cement in layers, and finishing with waterproofing paint. The floor may need its own repair or a new pour.
Why spray the mortar instead of troweling it?
Spraying gets mortar into deep holes and uneven stone more evenly than troweling does, which matters on old walls that are anything but flat.
What's a scratch coat?
It's a layer of cement left rough on purpose, so the finish coat has something to grip.
Can you do this work in winter?
Yes. It's all inside the basement, so cold weather outside doesn't stop us.
Do you put up drywall?
No. We finish the original wall with cement, so there are no studs or drywall sheets to trap moisture.
Thinking About Your Basement?
Dependable Concrete LLC is family-owned and has been pouring concrete in Philadelphia since 1984. We do the prep, the walls, and the floor ourselves, with concrete we mix in-house. If your basement walls are crumbling or dusty, or just tired, take a look at our basement waterproofing work and book a visit.
Your written estimate within 24 hours of our visit.
Dependable Concrete LLC
215-821-9779
dependableconcrete.com
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