An important measure when performing work below the surface of the earth is competent waterproofing. Surfaces in contact with soil are exposed to particularly strong moisture and, if neglected, can quickly collapse. Bituminous mastic for waterproofing the foundation has become the most common and affordable option. Before conducting events it is necessary to understand the technology, it will guarantee high reliability.
What is mastic?
Bitumen mastic is made from resin. More modern mastic differs from the material that builders melted in barrels before use in barrels in the past only by adding additional components to its composition that improve its properties.
The use of mastic due to its shortcomings is permissible only in those designs where it is not subjected to mechanical stress. With your own hands, you can use it to protect from moisture on the outer surface of the foundation, which will subsequently be covered with earth. Above the surface of the earth, the basement is protected by other materials (if necessary).
The disadvantages include:
- fragility (when exposed to external factors, the waterproofing layer shrinks and becomes brittle);
- complexity of application (when working with your own hands, a viscous composition requires the use of brushes and rollers, which significantly increases the complexity of the measures);
- instability to ultraviolet and temperature extremes.
The indisputable advantage is the low cost of the compositions.
Types of mastic for the foundation
Classification by application method is given. Two types are distinguished here: cold and hot mastic. To do the work yourself, it is more reasonable to choose cold formulations, since they do not require special equipment.
In addition, hot (building bitumen is suitable for the foundation) implies the availability of qualifications for the worker. Therefore, only the cold application option is considered below.
Mastic for the foundation can be of the following types:
- bitumen (consists of a binder and aggregates, which are cement, asbestos, mineral wool or chalk);
- bitumen-rubber (sometimes such mixtures are intended for the hot application method);
- bitumen-polymer;
- bitumen emulsion (water-based, most often used as the basis for other types of mastics).
Layer Thickness and Consumption
One of the most important issues in construction is the question of the cost of the construction of a particular structure. For its determination are estimates, which indicate the consumption of various materials. To calculate mastic consumption, you need to know:
- application surface area;
- layer thickness.
The surface area is calculated after measuring the height of the foundation from the sole to the surface of the earth and the length of the outer walls.
Consumption largely depends on the thickness of the total layer. The number of applications may be different. The total thickness depends on the depth of the foundations. On average, mastic is applied in two to four doses. Each of which is performed only after the solidification of the previous layer.
Important! If you neglect this rule and apply the composition on a dry surface, the adhesion (adhesion) between the layers will decrease significantly. This will lead to a decrease in the service line.
To determine the flow rate, you need to know that the total thickness of the waterproofing is:
- 2 mm with a foundation depth of 0-3 meters from the surface of the earth;
- 2-4 mm with a laying depth of 3 to 5 meters.
Consumption is calculated by multiplying the total thickness of the layer by the surface area of the application. At the same time, it is recommended to provide a stock during the purchase, so that if for some reason the consumption increases slightly, you do not have to waste time on an additional purchase of the material.
Work execution technology
To perform high-quality insulation of the foundation with your own hands, it is recommended to adhere to the following work procedure:
- Surface preparation for application. The foundation should be cleaned of dirt and dust, remove all dirt. If there are cracks or chips on the surface, they are leveled with cement or other suitable composition. After cleaning and leveling, the surface is degreased. A solvent can be used for this. Dry the wall and move on to the next step.
- Surface priming. It is necessary to ensure reliable adhesion of materials of various properties. You can purchase a ready-made primer. When doing work with their own hands, they also use a primer of their own preparation: it is enough to mix the mastic with a solvent and treat this surface of the foundation wall with this mixture. The primer is applied with a brush.
- Having prepared the plot for application, open the container with a waterproofing composition. Before using it, you need to mix the mixture with your own hands or with a drill.
- For application, take a roller or a hard brush. Apply the first coat evenly. It is important to control the thickness and do the work without rushing.
- Wait for the drying of the material and begin to apply the next layer. Items 3-4 repeat the desired number of times.
- After the top layer has dried, you can backfill the foundations.
The technology is quite simple and should not cause any particular difficulties. The only difficulty is the uniform distribution over the surface of the viscous composition. Will have to tinker and be especially meticulous.
Some tips
It is important to properly waterproof the inner corners. If knowledge has a complex shape in plan, such corners may appear formed by the outer surface of the walls. To increase the strength, reinforcement is performed:
- a fillet (groove) with sides of 10 cm is fixed to the corner;
- apply mastic;
- fiberglass or fiberglass is immersed in the layer (the width of the canvas should go at least 10 cm on each side of the corner of the foundation);
- firmly press the reinforcing material into the waterproofing with a roller;
- apply mastic repeatedly.
After completing the work, it is recommended that you clean the tools with a solvent. This will remove the composition from them, after which they can be used for other types of work.
It is important to correctly choose the composition for application. The substance has a density lower than that of water. Therefore, when buying in a store, you should pay attention to the weight of the package.
If a five-liter bucket weighs more than 5 kilograms, then inside is a poor-quality mixture. After application, it will quickly begin to collapse and cause a lot of problems with the foundations.
If you correctly calculate the flow rate, select a mixture and comply with the application technology, the foundation will be reliably protected from soil moisture. At the same time, do not forget about the construction of the blind area, which will protect it from rain and melt water.