Building Below Ground? Keep Water Out with Concrete Tips

Urban areas in the UAE are getting crowded day by day. So there is an increasing demand for living spaces. Construction above the floors seems to have reached its limits. This is why we should consider building basements below the ground.

However, basements come with a set of challenges. Water infiltration and flooding appear to be the most challenging. Fortunately leading construction product brands such as master builders solutions have innovated unique and effective solutions such as admixtures and Injection hose systems for waterproofing the basement structures for the long term. Here are some solutions and tips put forward by such leading market players.

Water Proofing Concrete Basements: Effective Strategies

• Proper Site Preparation: Since a basement is a long-term investment with few chances for maintenance it is better to ensure waterproofing preparedness from the beginning itself. Before laying the foundation level the ground and achieve sufficient slope so that water doesn’t pool around the basement walls. This is called grading. Also, invest in proper drainage around the foundation to direct water away from the basement walls.
• Quality Concrete Mix: A high-quality concrete mix is preferred for better water resistance. Ensure appropriate proportions of cement aggregate and water. Even with this mixture concrete is likely to have capillary pores through which water can penetrate and flood the basements. A high-quality admixture could be helpful to cover these pores. The MasterLife WP 799 admixture provided by master builders solutions is an effective solution in this direction. Its perfect blend of superplasticiser and synthetic Silane-Siloxane effectively reduces and seals these capillary pores making basements watertight.
• Waterproofing Membrane: A waterproofing membrane to the exterior surface of the basement walls will help to secure your basements from water ingressions.
• Proper Joint Sealing:Construction joints and cold joints in the concrete have to be sealed with a waterproof sealant to prevent water infiltration. Injection hoses are a reliable means to ensure this sealing. The bright side is that the master builders solutions offer a reusable injection hose called Master Life WP 900 along with a Master Rock MP 307 resin which can be injected through the hose in case of water leakages through cold joints. Such innovations have facilitated easy maintenance of cold joints in the long run.
• Good Drainage System:Even though you have taken all the necessary precautions to block water leakage in the basement it is better to be prepared for the worst. An interior drainage system will be a wise decision in this direction. It can help to collect and remove the water that does manage to penetrate the basements.
• Damp-Proofing: As in the case of extreme scenarios like flooding minor challenges like moisture intrusions also have to be dealt with. In this direction, it is advisable to apply a damp-proofing compound to the interior surface of the basement wall.

Here we have discussed some proven and effective tips to keep water and moisture out of your concrete basements. It is also worth mentioning that the quality of waterproofing chemicals used for such practices can make a great difference. In case you wonder where to find the best construction chemicals supplier in the UAE feel free to reach out to us at Fort Specialties.