Basements are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, but it is important that they are properly waterproofed. This seminar looks at the different waterproofing options available and assists the specifier in choosing the correct system for a given construction type and location.

Built in Summer 1940, the Type 26 pillbox is a 6 ft by 6 ft cube just big enough to house 4 soldiers and their guns. The 1 m thick concrete walls were built to withstand a direct hit from a naval warship. 98 tons of concrete went into creating the pillbox. In the 1980s, the whole exterior was covered…

A group of local artists was chosen to redecorate the walls of the structure with an aquatic-themed mural. The mural would make use of the natural colour of the cement rendered portions of the wall to look like the sea bed and the rest would be painted.

Damp-proofing and waterproofing specialists from Remedial Treatment Consultants were also brought in to carry out the installation works.

Anglia Decor carried out a full investigation of the building and determined that the high porosity and bad condition of the exterior walls was the cause of the problem. The problem consisted of four main elements:

The Problem Due to a combination of extended wet weather and defective pointing, the weather facing walls of the property had been suffering from penetrating damp. This had led to damp patches, blown plaster and bubbled patches of delaminated paint appearing on the internal decorating surfaces.

The Long Eaton Baptist Church in Nottinghamshire is a brick-built church that dates back to the 1880s. Throughout the years, various additions were made to the building and a major reconstruction was carried out in 1955.

Damp patches were showing up on interior walls, spoiling decoration and creating an uncomfortable living environment. Greenwich council wanted to stop the penetrating damp and make sure that the estate was prepared for any similarly extreme winters in the future.

This Victorian semi-detached residential property is located in the large seaside town of Brighton, East Sussex. The house was purchased a few years ago by the owners and has been undergoing general renovations.

The damp patches were not drying out, even during the warm and dry summer months. Crawley Borough Council surveyed the situation.

The Star in Soho is a popular and long established eatery and bar with a vaulted basement meeting room. During the day, it is a bustling traditional café, with a relaxed pre-war aesthetic. Once the evening begins, however, the Star Café becomes The London Gin Club, a stylish table-service gin bar. Both of the Star’s different guises are very well…

Building restoration specialists, Timberwise, were called in to provide a solution to the rain penetration problem. They identified two main contributing factors:

The Vandex BB75 was applied by trowel the next day and allowed to cure. On the third day, a 3:1 sand:cement finishing coat was applied. Vandex BB75 waterproofing slurry was also applied to the floor (following surface preparation). A screed was then poured on top.

The Greyfriars Extra Care Housing Scheme is a partnership between Housing 21, North Yorkshire Council, Richmondshire District Council, and main contractors Frank Haslam Milan (FHM). The development overlooks the medieval town of Richmond, North Yorkshire and consists of 39 two-bedroom apartments for older people with a range of care and support needs.

As the clients wished the sandstone block façade of the original dry dock to be maintained, the most obvious solutions (i.e. application of waterproofing slurry, or lining with a cavity drainage membrane) were not possible. Instead, JJ Metcalfe Ltd. proposed reducing the passage of water through the masonry by raking out the mortar joints and replacing the mortar with waterproof…

Liverpool City Council, as “engineering operations” and “change of use” permission was required.

The construction of such a large building on a site containing London clay requires very deep foundations. Due to the high land prices in the central London area it was decided to make use of this space by incorporating a two-storey basement area into the design. The basement was formed using secant piling that was faced with reinforced shotcrete.

“The Quays” is a leisure and residential development forming part of the regeneration of Chatham’s historic dockyard. The development was designed by architects, Wilkinson Eyre, and constructed by the Ardmore Group on behalf of Byrne Estates.

The basement, a retail space in Nottingham’s central Listergate shopping area, had suffered from problems with water ingress. As part of a £2.4 million refurbishment of the building, property consultants, King Sturge, and architects, Chapman Taylor, approached Safeguard to discuss the design of a suitable waterproofing system to upgrade the basement to a level of dryness suitable for a retail…

This was a classic barn conversion project. The new owners wished to renovate the barn, upgrading it to provide a high standard of residential accommodation. The barn dates back to the late 18th Century and had previously been used for a number of agricultural purposes, including grain drying / storage and as a milking parlour. The barn was once part…

These can result in delays and cancellations to the rail services using the tunnel. The situation at the Balcombe tunnel typifies such a water penetration problem. Historically metal sheets were fitted to divert the penetrating water. However the variance in air pressure created by the passage of trains sometimes resulted in the metal sheets being torn from the structure, creating…

Introducing the Drybase Tanking Range. These cementitious waterproofing materials enables above-ground and basement waterproofing jobs.

The UK government has an ongoing commitment to reduce net carbon emissions by 2050 and as such the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has been carrying out research into retrofit insulation installation. Although there is a large focus by developers to ensure that new buildings are constructed with energy efficiency in mind, experts agree that there needs to…

Safeguard is known throughout the construction industry for providing the highest quality waterproofing and damp-proofing solutions. Our products have been used by national and local contractors for more than 35 years. We are often used on large industrial jobs because our customers know how well tested and effective our products are.

The coating is easily applied to walls using a brush or roller. Once cured, AG-Coat dries to form a clear water-resistant barrier. The coating enables the quick removal of paints and poster adhesives from the wall using a power sprayer. It’s a non-sacrificial coating, meaning that it can be power washed up to 15 times without needing to re-apply.

Stormdry CB Crack Bridging Coat has now been launched as part of Safeguard’s expansion of the Stormdry Masonry Enhancement range. Stormdry CB Coat is a water-resistant coating intended for use on masonry and stone where multiple fine cracking is seen on the wall surface.

Raincheck LS waterproofing liquid provides excellent penetration depth, water repellency and breathability.

The British Board of Agrément has certified Stormdry Masonry Protection Cream after extensive testing.

A new brochure is now available for the Vandex Flextape system. Vandex Flextape is used for the sealing and waterproofing of cracks, construction joints, and expansion joints in concrete structures – above and below ground. The thermoplastic elastomer sealing tape is highly weather-resistant and UV-proof, creating a long-lasting seal for cracks, expansion joints and construction joints. A key area of…

The latest issue of the Safeguard Product Guide is now available in hard copy or PDF. The guide serves as a useful introduction to the product ranges that we sell as well as providing information on training courses. To request a printed copy by post, please contact our technical department on 01403 210204 or submit an enquiry.

We are pleased to announce the launch or Stormdry, a deeply penetrating masonry water-repellent supplied as a ready-for-use cream. Stormdry is the result of over three years research and development, resulting in a product that is: Easy to apply (time-saving one-coat application)Effective on a wide range of masonry substratesBreathable (does not block pores)Deeply-penetratingUV-resistantAlkali-resistant (suitable for application onto freshly pointed walls)…

Check out Vandex product application videos at safeguardeurope.com

27th August 2008 – Two new fixing guides for green roofs are now available for download from this website: Fixing guide for pitched green roofsFixing guide for flat green roofs The guides cover the key steps required to construct a green roof using the Oldroyd Green range of drainage membranes which contain 49 – 70% recycled material. In recent years…

We are pleased to announce that Oldroyd have increased the minimum recycled content of some of the main cavity drainage membranes in their product range – as shown in the table below:MembranePrevious minimum recycled contentNew minimum recycled contentOldroyd Xv Black40%56%Oldroyd Xs40%56%Oldroyd Xv 2040%49%Oldroyd Green Range (Green Roofs)40%49%Oldroyd Gtx Range40%49% It should be noted that these are minimum recycled contents and…

Safeguard are pleased to announce the launch of an improved range of sump systems for basements.

Oldroyd’s new Foundations and Basements brochure is now available for download. The new brochure focuses on the use of externally-applied cavity drainage membranes as part of a dual-layer basement waterproofing system. The use of Oldroyd membranes beneath floor slabs to provide moisture protection is also covered. The following products are featured in the brochure: Oldroyd Xv BlackOldroyd XsOldroyd Gtx Range…

The latest version of Oldroyd’s Interior Walls and Basements brochure is now available for download. The new brochure reflects recent developments in the Oldroyd range such as the introduction of the Oldroyd Xv 20 large-stud cavity drain membrane, the inclusion of multi-layer technology across the Oldroyd range, and Oldroyd’s new 50-year product guarantee. One of the most popular uses for…

Oldroyd have produced a product life cycle assessment for their range of waterproofing and drainage membranes.

13th September 2006 – Safeguard are pleased to announce the launch of the new Vandex Rapid Range in the UK.

The one-day course is priced at £140 plus VAT per attendee (£164.50 inc. VAT). If the course is booked at the same time as our Oldroyd cavity drainage membrane practical application course the price is £230 plus VAT for both days (£270.25 inc. VAT) – a saving of £50 + VAT. 2005 course dates are as follows: Vandex Practical Training…

Depending on the type of piles used, reinforced concrete or sprayed reinforced concrete will need to be applied on top of the piles to consolidate them and provide a suitable surface for the waterproofing system. The waterproofing system used could be a cavity drainage system (Oldroyd Xv 20), a crystalline active water-proofer (Drybase Crystalline Active Tanking Slurry), or preferably a…

Drybase Crystalline Active Slurry powder is sprinkled onto the wet concrete slab after the initial set. It is then power-trowelled into the surface, imparting waterproof properties to the slab. A summary of the dry sprinkle method of application is given below:

Drybase Crystalline Active Slurry offers a solution to this problem. Because it penetrates into the concrete pile head or pile cap rather than forming a waterproof layer on top, the waterproofing material can support the loads from subsequently poured ground beams or foundation slabs. An example of a typical application is shown below, however, because piled foundations vary widely in…

The above design should detail proprietary components for waterproofing complex junctions in basement waterproofing projects. Any basement design should also include the correct method and details to form all joints and junctions when using cavity drainage membranes. This design ensure junctions are correctly lapped and sealed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. This includes the junctions between:

According to BS 8102:2022, basement waterproofing system materials fall into 3 main categories (referred to as ‘Types’). Safeguard Basement Systems are combination Type A and C waterproofing systems. This means that there are multiple barriers to water ingress. In the unlikely event that one system should fail, there is always a supporting system to prevent water ingress.

First, a fillet is formed around the inside perimeter of the pond using Drybase Universal Mortar. Once the Universal Mortar has cured, two coats of Drybase Tanking Slurry are applied to the sides and floor of the pond. If a tiled finish is required, a 3:1 sand: cement render should be applied over the second coat of Drybase Tanking Slurry…

Bund walls are normally constructed from brick or block, however where they need to contain large volumes of liquid they may also be constructed from reinforced concrete. Detailed information on bunds construction ranging from 1000 to 25000 litres can be found in CIRIA Report R163 “Construction of bunds for oil storage tanks”¹

Drybase Tanking Slurry has been designed to provide protection in these demanding environments. Used in conjunction with Drybase Active Crystalline Slurry, these products can be used to waterproof sewers and sewage treatment plants in new construction and refurbishment projects. 

This website provides further information about waterproofing the following types of water-retaining structures: Reservoirs / Water Treatment WorksSewers / ManholesSewage Treatment WorksPonds, Swimming Pools and Water FeaturesPlantersBund Walls Even where structures have been built using expensive waterproof concrete to BS 8007:2008, consideration will still need to be given to the waterproofing of construction joints.

It should be quickly established if any contamination may have occurred, as this will strongly affect how the whole flood remediation process is handled. It should be noted that although flood water may not contain contaminants from its source, it may have picked up contaminating materials during the flood period.

However, flood resistance cannot be relied on in all situations. For example, in some cases the building structure may be unable to cope with the pressures exerted by high levels of flooding or it may simply be impractical to install flood resistance measures that can be relied upon to provide adequate protection. In these cases the alternative strategy of “flood…

Potential future flood frequency, expected flood depth and expected flood duration should be determined for the property and should inform the level of repair. Information on flood risk is available from https://www.gov.uk/check-flood-risk. Flood surveys can also be carried out by a qualified surveyor. Where there is a significant risk of future flooding, then the standards of repair will suggest improving…

Concrete planters can easily be waterproofed using Drybase Elasticised Tanking Slurry. Perfect for situations where movement is possible (due to temperature fluctuations, etc).

Safeguard offers two main types of system for waterproofing existing cellars and basements. By offering both types of system we are able to offer an impartial opinion as to which system is best suited for a particular project.

When waterproofing basements externally, we would normally suggest the use of a “dual-layer” system. This consists of a primary waterproofing system (e.g. Drybase Elasticised Tanking Slurry or Drybase Tanking Slurry) protected by a secondary drainage layer (provided by a geotextile drainage membrane such as Oldroyd Gtx). This secondary layer protects the primary waterproofing system from damage during backfilling. It also…

Habitable space underneath an existing property is created using a technique known as “underpinning”. This involves increasing the depth of the existing foundations to allow earth to be safely removed from underneath the building in order to create the new basement space. Underpinning relies on the ability of a wall to span unsupported for a short length. This allows a…

Drybase products with tunnel and pipeline waterproofing applications include: Drybase Waterproof PlugDrybase Active Crystalline SlurryDrybase Tanking SlurryDrybase Universal MortarDrybase Elasticiser

In refurbishment situations, the waterproofing options are more limited than those available when refurbishing basements. This is primarily because working conditions are usually very confined. Cementitious materials such as Drybase Crystalline Active Tanking Slurry and Drybase Universal Mortar are therefore usually preferred over cavity drainage systems.

Safeguard offers a choice of systems for waterproofing Type C waterproofed basement retaining wall. These are: Oldroyd cavity drainage systemDrybase Tanking RangeA combination of these two systems Choosing which system to use will depend on a number of factors including site conditions, drainage options, and personal preference. Typical waterproofing methods using both systems are described on this page.

Our technical department are able to provide information on the most appropriate waterproofing system for a given project. On larger projects, site visits can be arranged. This website provides further information about waterproofing the following types of underground structures: Basements (Refurbishment)Basements (Newbuild)Basements Underneath Existing Dwellings (Dig-out)Tunnels / Arches (Refurbishment)Tunnels / Pipelines (Newbuild)Lift PitsContiguous / Secant Piled & Diaphragm Retaining WallsUnderground…

The Vandex Concrete Repair System provides a systematic procedure for concrete repair. The system consists primarily of cementitious materials which are homogeneous with concrete (strength, modulus of elasticity, thermal movement).

Damp rising through concrete floor slabs is fairly common, causing damp issues on carpets and floor coverings.

Penetrating damp is the process of moisture moving from the exterior wall of a building to the interior.

Dampness may affect old tunnels and arches due to a waterproofing system failure or because they were not designed to be occupied.