Ultimate Tips for Basement Waterproofing Paint

Several people get anxious at the very thought of rain because it leads to water seepage in their basements and ruins their belongings. Apart from that, the process to get the water out of the basement is not so easy as well. So, it is a problem that haunts many people because of the severe consequences. The main problem lies in finding the right solution. Since there are many solutions that one may opt for, people often get confused in the middle of the process. In order to end that confusion, we are here with an article on how you can do the same with basement waterproofing paint. Throughout this article, we are going to discuss things like the factors that you should consider before buying the paint and other important things. 

Understand your wall first

Before you deep dive into the world of paints, you must know about the walls of your basement. If the wall itself is not waterproof, paints won’t help you much alone. All those who forgot to use some sealant during construction have other options as well, so there is no need to panic. 

When it comes to waterproofing the walls of your basement, there are many cementitious and non-cementitious solutions that you may opt for. You may choose one based on your preferred needs. Now that you are done with the waterproofing of the walls, it is time to talk about paint options that are available right now. 

Types

Broadly speaking, there are two major types available i.e. latex-based paints and oil-based paints. In case your region is high on moisture, you should go for oil-based paints. This is simply because oil-based paints provide better durability even in the presence of high moisture. But the latex-based paints provide certain advantages as well. Since the latex-based paints are water-soluble, their surface is easily cleanable. But it all depends on your needs and preferences as to which one you have to choose. Feel free to seek some external help when you don’t get enough clues. 

You must know that the basement is a region of a home that is always high in humidity. Some additional qualities in the paints are expected to tackle that high humidity situation. As a solution to that, you must choose the paint that offers mildew and mold resistance. Ordinary paints will never be as effective as the ones we have mentioned above. 

Last but not least, your purchase must be economic on your part. After reading the instructions on the package, you will find that paints offer a certain amount of coverage per liter. You have to buy one that offers the best in a given price range. Then some paints are thicker than others. So, fewer coats of thicker paints are needed as compared to the thinner ones. Considering these two factors is essential before choosing the final products. 

Getting started with the painting job

Though you are free to hire a professional for this purpose in case you want to start on your own, this is not much of a difficult task given that you follow all the safety precautions. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you paint the basement easily. 

Make sure the surface is entirely clean

You must do a good job of getting any unwanted stuff off the surface before starting with the painting job. Any such thing that’s on the surface will badly impact the durability of the paint. There are sandpapers to do this job seamlessly and effectively. Make use of all the means that you can but completing this task with perfection is a must. 

Look for cracks and holes and repair them completely

Paints are not made to take care of cracks and holes. There are other options like putty, cement, etc that you’d be using in that case for better results. Let the putty or cement dry before you start painting. 

Apply the primer

Many people think that primer is not that important but they are wrong. Primer is the most important thing for paint because it promotes the adhesion of the paint towards the wall. You must have seen even good-quality paint peeling off the wall, that is mainly because of the absence of primer. One thing that you should care about is the fact that there are different primers for different paints(i.e. same primer can’t be applied for oil and latex-based paints). You can apply one or multiple layers of the primer based on your needs. Once the primer has dried up, you are now ready to apply the paint. 

Tips for applying the paint

Apply it uniformly throughout the area with patience. If you see that the color varies from the sample, don’t worry because it will be right after the application of the desired number of layers. 

Final thoughts

With this job done the right way with the right product, you will get over with the basement waterproofing paint job easily and this will last longer.