I've got a cellar, probably 12 x 10 and not quite 6 ft high. At the moment its damp down there, anything down there for a period of time either rusts or grows a lovely mold. I want to make this space usable. I had a builder come round to have a look and he thinks he can coat the walls with a product, level the floor off, put up a vapour barrier and then brick around the room. Leaving me with a less damp middle area. He says it will not be 100% damp proof buut it will be better and will not cause damp problems to the room above. The cellar has a number of airbricks to outside that he said would need to be improved to increase airflow in the cavity (between old wall and new wall). He's not given me a price but I'm dubious. Won't putting a barrier up cause the damp to travel upwards?
Making a cellar usable
- Thread starter dabravokid
- Start date
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Putting any sort impervious barrier onto the walls is a bad idea from what I understand as the moisture in the walls won't be able to evapourate off the walls, the walls will remain damp and the moisture will tavel upwards in the walls.
I believe the proper way to waterproof a cellar is to create a drainable cavity with an egg crate shaped membrane that lets the water from the walls drain downwards and then drained or pumped to the sewer system.
How usable do you need the cellar? I use mine as a gym and manage the damp with ventilation and a dehumidifier. Sometimes I think I'm fighting a losing battle though!
I believe the proper way to waterproof a cellar is to create a drainable cavity with an egg crate shaped membrane that lets the water from the walls drain downwards and then drained or pumped to the sewer system.
How usable do you need the cellar? I use mine as a gym and manage the damp with ventilation and a dehumidifier. Sometimes I think I'm fighting a losing battle though!
Yo make it a habital room it must meet certain criteria. think the two main ones are 7ft ceiling and enough qualifying light, think its 1/10th of the floor area.
I've been told best to use dimpled menbrane to damp proof walls and floor and then you can use darinage and sump and pump if needed.
I've been told best to use dimpled menbrane to damp proof walls and floor and then you can use darinage and sump and pump if needed.
couldn't you dig out the floor to increase headroom, then put your membrane and new concrete floor down?
Dig a trial hole and see what the wall footings do first. If necessary you can cast in bays against sections of the wall to avoid digging out too much in one go
If you cast the floor with a slight gutter round the edge you can collect any wall seepage in a sump. Do not pump out from a pit in the soil underneath.
Dig a trial hole and see what the wall footings do first. If necessary you can cast in bays against sections of the wall to avoid digging out too much in one go
If you cast the floor with a slight gutter round the edge you can collect any wall seepage in a sump. Do not pump out from a pit in the soil underneath.
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Like any room in the house, it will need fresh air coming in, and bad air going out. Otherwise you will get mould and damp. Sounds like the builder is blagging it a bit, cellar conversions can cost as much as a loft, even more in some cases.
To be honest, it sounds like the builder is a bit of a bodger.
There is a debate within the damp-proofing industry about whether it is better to waterproof basements using a tanking slurry that holds the water back or to use a dimpled membrane that just redirects the water. Generally the dimpled membrane option (e.g. Oldroyd, Newton) is the preferred option for old cellars because you don't need to do a lot of surface preparation.
It's not that difficult to do a basement conversion properly - especially using a dimpled membrane. However you will also need to consider ventilation. Also you really should include a sump and pump if you go for cavity drainage which will add up to £1000 for a decent system - although many DIYers leave them out if they feel that the basement is only damp and never actually floods.
This case study shows how a proper dimpled membrane basement waterproofing job would be carried out - http://www.rtcgroup.co.uk/basements_casestudies.htm although specialist companies can be very expensive.
There is a debate within the damp-proofing industry about whether it is better to waterproof basements using a tanking slurry that holds the water back or to use a dimpled membrane that just redirects the water. Generally the dimpled membrane option (e.g. Oldroyd, Newton) is the preferred option for old cellars because you don't need to do a lot of surface preparation.
It's not that difficult to do a basement conversion properly - especially using a dimpled membrane. However you will also need to consider ventilation. Also you really should include a sump and pump if you go for cavity drainage which will add up to £1000 for a decent system - although many DIYers leave them out if they feel that the basement is only damp and never actually floods.
This case study shows how a proper dimpled membrane basement waterproofing job would be carried out - http://www.rtcgroup.co.uk/basements_casestudies.htm although specialist companies can be very expensive.
Be careful when digging down. Some footings on old terraces don't go very deep and digging down can undermine them.
To be honest, I kind of get the feeling he's a bodger. I have had some work done in the past and its been OK but nothing like this. I don't want an official room, I just want somewhere I can put a tumble dryer, freezer and possibly store some stuff. I have got a small de-humidifier that I used to dry up a leak down there. I suppose I could just give it a decent clean down there, remove the meat slab thats in the middle of one of the walls and get the de-humifidifier going.
if thats all you're using it for i'd just look at improving the ventilation and using the dehumidifer.
make sure your airbricks are clear. Unblocking your coal chute will increase ventilation too. I still need to do mine... the last owner cemented over it for some reason.
you could just have a slab put in over a DPM to give a dry level base and make do with the walls as they are. My tumble dryer shook itself to bits because it was on an uneven cellar floor!
make sure your airbricks are clear. Unblocking your coal chute will increase ventilation too. I still need to do mine... the last owner cemented over it for some reason.
you could just have a slab put in over a DPM to give a dry level base and make do with the walls as they are. My tumble dryer shook itself to bits because it was on an uneven cellar floor!
Whats the best thing to do with the coal chute, it has been cemented over but this was to stop flooding, it has a slight gap, about 1 inch maybe 2. My problem is the chute opens straight onto the path, how would you stop the rain/people (both unwilling and thiefs) coming down, and let maximum air flow?
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