Basement Tanking

Basement tanking is used for waterproofing walls and floors in a cellar, vault or other room that is located fully or partially below ground level. Underground structures are often susceptible to the ingress of ground water through hydrostatic pressure, even if there has been no history of flooding, water can seep into underground areas through cracks or at the vulnerable junction where a wall meets the floor.

Basement Tanking

South coast towns such as Chichester, Portsmouth, Fareham and Southampton have many buildings where dank, damp and wet basements are a real issue. PermaFix are adept in waterproofing cellars and vaults using tried and tested basement tanking solutions, which are designed to ensure that below-ground accommodation remains dry and habitable.

Basement Tanking
Basement Tanking

Basement Tanking Solutions

Tanking slurry is used to form an impervious layer that enables walls to block the passage of water; making the wall act like a dam to resist water ingress into a building through hydrostatic pressure. The surface of the wall is prepared carefully before two or three coats of the waterproofing slurry is applied to the brickwork. PermaFix always recommend that a coat of render is applied as a final layer to protect the tanking from knocks and scrapes.

Basement tanking membranes are perhaps the most successful method of cellar waterproofing. These impermeable barriers are designed to manage the flow and the exit of unwanted water that enters the basement. The membranes have integral studs that stand the membrane off the wall and which form a cavity drain to enable unwanted water to run into drainage channels. The channels lead the water to a gravity drain, where one is available or into a basement sump chamber. A ‘whisper-quiet’ pump then discharges the water.

PermaFix fit basement tanking using a selection of cavity drain membranes. Some membranes have a mesh face, which accommodates dot and dabs for dry lining, tile adhesive or a direct render finish, whilst others allow for the fixing of timbers and plasterboard to form a stud wall behind which insulation can be incorporated.

If you are looking to covert a basement to create habitable space within a property then contact PermaFix to discuss your basement tanking options

Basement Tanking Solutions