How to pick the best basement sealer?

Besides having cracks and gaps appearing on a basement, development of mold and mildew which further weakens the floors and walls of the basements can be very troublesome. While cracks and gaps can appear relatively after a long period of the basement’s construction, moisture problems can appear early if the no basement sealer is used.

The sealer to be used for the basement depends on the basements floors and walls materials. Since cement or concrete is the most common material on basements, its best to look into the sealers applicable for cement. The two common cement sealers available are Polysiloxane-blend sealer and silicate basement sealer. While commonly known to be long-lasting and UV repellant, a Polysiloxane-blend sealer is considered inferior to silicate basement sealer.

While both forms a barrier that resists water to eliminate faster formation of mold and mildew, the former’s barrier are permeable to vapor and other gases. The latter also penetrates deeper into the concrete, with up to 4 inches compared to the ¾ inches of the former. By reacting with the alkali and lime present in the cement, the silicate basements sealers create a permanent seal; that do not only fill in the cracks but strengthen the materials as well. In addition it can also withstand relatively high water pressure. Polysiloxane-blend sealer finished basement can’t be effectively painted because of the chemical involved. On the other hand, silicate based sealer can easily be painted and applied to different surfaces as well, like porous bricks, and limestone.

The walls and foundations of the basement must be water-proofed during the construction and must be finished with basement sealer to prevent any possible moisture collection. In order to pick the best sealer to be used one must know the type of sealers available. The basement sealer to be used must be basement specific to attain maximum effectiveness.