Hello,
The previous owner of my home had some waterproofing done. A ditch was dug around the periphery of my basement slab presumably to add a drain that feeds a sump.
This left a waterproofing membrane several inches above the slab along the foundation walls. Is it okay to trim this membrane back flush with the slab. I hope to remodel my basement?
It appears the 'water proofing' is on the interior of the basement. Tell us how this will interfere with remodeling the basement. Most basement remodeling appears to include insulation and a new face on the wall. This would hide the material with which you are concerned. T
There are two issues. One of the walls will not be studded since it includes a narrow stairway. I was either going to paint or tile over the block. The membrane sticks up about three inches and is very unsightly.
The other more minor concern is that the membrane is about 1/2" thick and will require me to move all the studs that amount away from the foundation wall.
Joe
oh easy solution, but DONT cut the membrame! no doubt there are holes into the block behind it! the plastic directs the water from inside the block to under the floor drain system. cut the plastic equals water on your floor
Just add a baseboard attached to wall above the probably corrugated plastic. get a radon test first if your in a radon area. if its detectable caulk the top edge of that plastic everywhere.
attach new wood baseboard above plastic cut wood out enough to allow for space for plastic.
i have been thru this, and semi finished basement like your doing. best to use waterprofing paint, and then finish paint if you want but add mold mildew preventer.
so is the basement dry all the time now?
Thanks for the valuable information. The basement is dry now. I had some efflorescence on my block wall that was bubling out the paint. I'm in the process of removing the existing paint. I added a driveway outside along the problem wall that attaches to the house. It is sloped to shed water away.
I only wanted to trim the membrane flush with the slab. If I understand correctly, you're saying that water would seep up and spill over onto the slab if it were trimmed back? In any case your idea of hiding it with baseboard molding will be a viable solution, thanks!
If the "membrane" is about 1/2" thick, it is more than a membrane. As the other poster described it probably covers holes drilled into the concrete and forms a channel to route water away to a location where it can be disposed of. Cutting the material will destroy the channelling system and start the water leaking onto the floor.
Thanks for the valuable information. The basement is dry now. I had some efflorescence on my block wall that was bubling out the paint. I'm in the process of removing the existing paint. I added a driveway outside along the problem wall that attaches to the house. It is sloped to shed water away.
I only wanted to trim the membrane flush with the slab. If I understand correctly, you're saying that water would seep up and spill over onto the slab if it were trimmed back? In any case your idea of hiding it with baseboard molding will be a viable solution, thanks!
yeah its generally about a 1/2 thick and directs the water to the underground drain.
since your finishing the space is there a sump pump?
give some thought to a power failure, and a back up sum,p pump, so your basement doesnt flood
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