Moisture has a detrimental effect on the state of the basement of the bath and can cause the destruction of the building. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the methods of protecting the structure from moisture, which is called waterproofing. Content:
- The need for waterproofing the foundation
- Vertical and horizontal waterproofing
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Waterproofing by painting method
- Mastic and resins
- Plaster
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Waterproofing by gluing method
- Roofing material
- Membranes
- Waterproofing of various foundations
The purpose of waterproofing the bath foundation is to create a moisture-resistant barrier to protect against precipitation and groundwater. To ensure reliable protection, use modern insulation materials and adhere to construction techniques.
The need to waterproof the bath foundation
The base of the bath must be protected under the following conditions:
- Groundwater is located closer than 1 m from the foundation. If the groundwater level is higher than the foundation, it is necessary to equip a drainage channel.
- If the bath is built on clay or loamy soils that do not allow water to pass through well. They accumulate moisture that accumulates around the basement of the bath.
- If the groundwater contains a large amount of corrosive substances, for example, alkalis.
Vertical and horizontal waterproofing of the bath foundation
The waterproofing of the basement for the bath begins immediately after the manufacture of the pit, with the device of the drainage layer. At the bottom of the trench or excavation, pour gravel with sand in a layer of 20 cm, tamp everything thoroughly. The pillow prevents the water from stagnating under the foundation, and the sand prevents the capillary rise of water.
On a pillow, build a foundation formwork and fill it with concrete. After the foundation has solidified, protect it from moisture with vertical and horizontal waterproofing. There is no point in figuring out which option is better - both methods are used simultaneously.
Vertical waterproofing is applied from the outside to the vertical surfaces of the bath foundation. It must protect the foundation from subsurface moisture and precipitation. The ideal option is to cover the entire wall with vertical insulation, from top to bottom. The minimum coverage area of the foundation is from the lower level of soil wetting from precipitation to the upper level of splashing from rain on the basement.
Horizontal waterproofing is applied to the foundation from above and protects it from liquid that can penetrate the walls and floor. It is a solid carpet under the walls of the bath. If the bath is with a basement, waterproofing is done in two places - under the basement floor slabs and between the slab and the wall.
Provide drainage at the joints between vertical and horizontal waterproofing. It is made from bituminous mastic or geotextile. Bitumen has the best insulating properties, but it smells bad when heated and requires certain precautions when working with the substance. If the bath is located near the reservoir, after making the foundation, fill the gaps between the wall and the ground with greasy clay, which serves as additional protection for the structure.
In some cases, the base of the bath can be waterproofed in only one way. For example, if the groundwater is deep, use only horizontal waterproofing of the bath foundation.
Waterproofing the bath foundation by painting method
The painting method consists in applying water-repellent impregnation to the surface of the foundation - emulsions, special solutions. Penetrating insulation initially covers the surface with a layer of up to 3 mm. The active chemical elements included in the protective agent are absorbed into the concrete by 6 cm and impart water-repellent properties to the wall. This method is more effective than pasting, but much more expensive.
Mastics and resins for waterproofing the base of the bath
The coating mixtures are made on a bitumen basis or using a synthetic polymer resin, they are elastic.
Consider the following information when using mastic or resin:
- It is not recommended to carry out work on waterproofing the foundation for the bath in wet weather, the mastic will not be able to absorb normally into the concrete.
- First, treat the wall with an antiseptic and primer - a primer that increases the adhesion of the plaster to the wall. The primer must match the composition of the mastic.
- Coating the surface with bituminous mastic is considered the most economical option for waterproofing.
- Apply mastic to the surface manually or mechanically (by spraying). After surface treatment, a seamless finish is obtained.
- The mastic adheres well to the surface of the foundation.
- The thickness of the coating layer is 3 mm.
- Polymer mastics compare favorably with bituminous mastics by reducing the requirements for the treated surface. It is possible to cover the wall with such a composition if its humidity does not exceed 8%.
- To determine the readiness of the foundation for waterproofing with mastic, cover with plastic wrap 1 m2 walls and leave for a day. If the film remains dry, the foundation can be processed.
- Waterproofing with mastic is unreliable and easily damaged, for example, by stones when backfilling or when the soil is shifted. Therefore, protect it from above with geotextiles or insulation. A more expensive option for protecting the mastic is the use of a clamping brick wall.
- For waterproofing the basement of a bath, a bitumen-latex emulsion mastic of the BLEM-20 brand is often used together with SEPTOVTL impregnation.
Bath foundation waterproofing plaster
The plastering option involves the application of several layers of plaster-cement mixture with special additives with a thickness of 20-25 mm to the surface. In section, the coating resembles a cake, in which there are layers of mineral solutions with the addition of high-quality cement, asphalt mastic, PVC compounds, hydrophobic concrete grades.
Apply the mixture while it is hot to prevent cracking. The additives improve the quality of the cement slurry: they lower the porosity of the foundation, increase the viscosity of the mortar, and penetrate deeply into the pores and crevices of the foundation. The plaster version is intended for horizontal waterproofing.
Waterproofing the basement of the bath with a pasting method
The gluing method involves the use of waterproofing sheets. Traditional waterproofing material - roofing material, modern roll materials - crebit, aquazol, isoelast, membranes. At the joints, the canvases overlap to avoid water penetration.
Roofing material for waterproofing the base of the bath
Waterproofing with roofing felt is considered the most popular way to protect the foundation of a bath.
The work is performed in the following sequence:
- Clean the surface from dirt, let dry.
- Remove protrusions, cement gouges, chips and other defects. A smooth surface will provide strong adhesion of the roofing material to the surface.
- Apply a layer of liquid bitumen or hot mastic to the surface.
- Warm up a sheet of roofing material and lay on hot mastic.
- Lay the next sheet with an overlap of 10-12 cm.
- Coat the joints and edges of the sheets with additional mastic.
- Repeat the operation and cover the entire surface with sheets of roofing material.
- To improve the quality of insulation and increase the service life, it is recommended to lay the roofing material in two layers. Apply liquid roofing material to the surface of the first layer and repeat the operation for laying the material.
- For the manufacture of horizontal waterproofing, lay the roofing material in 2-3 layers.
- For added protection, sheathe the foundation wall with plywood or hardboard.
- Cover the foundation with soil carefully so as not to damage the insulation.
Membranes for waterproofing the bath foundation
Hydrophobic membranes are modern types of glued insulation. They contain several layers that do not crack and reliably protect the wall. For the foundation of a concrete and brick bath, the membrane should have a thickness of 5 mm.
Membrane materials differ from other insulation methods by the absence of continuous adhesion to the surface. Therefore, it can be mounted on a damp surface, it does not depend on the geometry of the foundation and its deformation.
Before waterproofing the bath foundation with your own hands, study the characteristics of the membrane material and select the required canvas. For example, the LOGICROOFT-SL membrane contains additives that can withstand exposure to water with a high percentage of alkali and inorganic acids.
Install the membrane on the foundation as follows: unfold the membrane, press it against the wall, heat it up with a burner and fix it to the wall with clamps until the canvas cools down.
Waterproofing of various types of foundations for a bath
The foundation for a bath can be made in different ways, the methods of their waterproofing also differ:
- The pile foundation is difficult to protect from moisture. In order for the piles to have good water-repellent properties, special additives are added to the concrete at the stage of their manufacture.
- The columnar foundation is waterproofed with roofing felt, which is laid in several layers along the edges of the well, where concrete is poured. Roofing material in this case also plays the role of formwork.
- The strip foundation is processed immediately after removing the formwork. The foundation above the ground is coated with bitumen, and the surface, which is covered with soil, is covered with roofing material in 2-3 layers.
- The screw foundation is galvanized at the manufacturing stage, so it makes no sense to completely waterproof it. After ensuring the equality of the protruding parts of the foundation above the ground (cutting the pile), the heads are covered with bituminous mastic. A layer of roofing material is laid between the head of the screw foundation and the wooden grillage. In this case, only that part of the foundation is protected, which was cut off to expose the upper surface of the foundation elements in one plane.
Watch a video about horizontal waterproofing of the foundation for a bath:
Take responsibility for waterproofing the foundation and prepare the base of the bath for the onslaught of groundwater and precipitation. This way you will maintain the strength of the building for many years.
