Hello, I am looking for a bit of help with a tanking project. I have a small storage area under the front steps (apx 6ft x 3ft), which is mostly below ground level (I expect it’s the old coal storage area since the house is a Victorian terrace). We have had some problems with water ingress and a strong smell of damp in the place – although the water ingress has reduced massively since we had the steps asphalted on the outside.
What I have done so far: hacked off old render, plugged holes with waterproof cement, raked out mortar and re-pointed, installed a passifyer vent to the outside, tanked the floor and walls with Cementone tanking slurry. Once the slurry has dried out fully I plan to render the walls, put some self level on the floor and decorate. I have had conflicting advice on what materials to use: Bostik tech support say that I should only use a moisture-tolerant self level / floor covering, and that I can only use renovating plaster on the walls with basic emulsion paint. Another trusted source has said that Bostik’s tech support is risk-averse to say the least, and that I can use whatever I like because it doesn’t matter if the materials are vapour-permeable or not.
I am intrigued! As I understand it, tanking slurry is designed to block water but to let the vapour pass. But since we are not talking about major water ingress, will I have a problem if I use non-permeable materials? Ideally I would go the whole hog and paint a liquid DPM on the floor / use epoxy paint on the walls. Good idea or silly idea?
What I have done so far: hacked off old render, plugged holes with waterproof cement, raked out mortar and re-pointed, installed a passifyer vent to the outside, tanked the floor and walls with Cementone tanking slurry. Once the slurry has dried out fully I plan to render the walls, put some self level on the floor and decorate. I have had conflicting advice on what materials to use: Bostik tech support say that I should only use a moisture-tolerant self level / floor covering, and that I can only use renovating plaster on the walls with basic emulsion paint. Another trusted source has said that Bostik’s tech support is risk-averse to say the least, and that I can use whatever I like because it doesn’t matter if the materials are vapour-permeable or not.
I am intrigued! As I understand it, tanking slurry is designed to block water but to let the vapour pass. But since we are not talking about major water ingress, will I have a problem if I use non-permeable materials? Ideally I would go the whole hog and paint a liquid DPM on the floor / use epoxy paint on the walls. Good idea or silly idea?
