The Problem With Masonry Waterproofing Paints
Masonry waterproofing paints are the supposed “best friend” of the basement waterproofing do-it-yourselfer. The promise is that by simply dressing your basement walls with a couple coats of this paint, you will be able to effectively create a barrier against the groundwater coming through your basement walls. As you can probably guess, they’re not really that great. If they were, I would either not be telling you about them (since that’s not really great business sense) or we would actually use them ourselves to waterproof basements. We don’t. Let’s dive into some of the issues with these paints.
First, when you use paint as a waterproofing method, you must painstakingly prepare the walls so that it adheres well and fills all gaps directly on the concrete or block surface. The reason is efflorescence. It’s the white chalky powder on the surface of the walls that occurs when moisture comes through the blocks and brings out minerals from the cement, soil, and mortar. Paint doesn’t adhere well to efflorescence so it must be removed before the first coat can go on. Here’s the problem: over time, efflorescence continues to occur between the paint and the walls causing the paint to bubble, peel, and chip. We see this ALL THE TIME. People paint their walls, the paint fails, and then we provide the permanent fix that they can be confident in.
These paints often only boast a guarantee for 5-10 years. For those looking to finish a basement space, this definitely isn’t the answer if it means that your finished walls and flooring are likely to be ruined or will need to be removed for maintenance every decade. Also, these warranties don’t extend to water coming through wall cracks or water caused by recurring efflorescence and only apply if the paint is applied to a perfectly prepared wall. The guarantee is very limited to say the least. And who wants a temporary fix that you know you’ll have to redo a few years down the road?
Other problems that users noted were that when the paint began to fail and chip, they would notice mold growth on the backside of the paint on the wall. Now the walls looked worse than ever. Latex paint is a substance that provides for mold growth, while our waterproofing methods use mold-resistant materials to keep your basement safe and clean.
Finally, the paint doesn’t magically stop water from entering and saturating the block walls. It just prevents the water from escaping your walls into the basement. As the water sits in the walls with no escape, some homeowners noticed a quicker deterioration of their block walls due to the trapped moisture. Some paints say that they have a breathable film to prevent this but that just means that the water will slowly evaporate and enter the basement as vapors, increasing humidity levels and creating a whole new area of concern. Our waterproofing, gives water an escape from the walls into our discrete perimeter drainage systems and safely guides it out and away from the home. No puddles, no mess, no fuss, and no redoing the system every few years.
Masonry waterproofing paints promise a lot but they come with trade-offs and they're never a permanent fix. When I deal with problems, I like to know that they’re completely taken care of. If you’re like me, you’ve got enough to worry about already without having a bunch of partial fixes around your home. Why not have the job done right the first time? Give us a call to learn about our perimeter WaterGuard drainage systems and our TripleSafe Sump Pumps.
