Essential Guide to Tanking and Sika Rendering for Basements
Basements can provide valuable extra storage or living space for a home, but being positioned below ground level makes them vulnerable to water ingress, dampness, and flooding. Proper waterproofing is essential to stop issues like these from causing mould or compromising the structural integrity of your home. Tanking and Sika rendering are two proven methods for waterproofing basements, and this short guide will explain how they work, what is different about them, and what their benefits are.
How Does Water Enter Basements?
Let’s start by understanding the problems that tanking and Sika rendering solve. When it rains or snows, water seeps below the surface of the ground, saturating the soil. This results in pressure being exerted on the walls and floors of basements, which are surrounded by soil. If there are weaknesses in those surfaces, such as cracks or porous concrete, the pressure can force water into them, until it eventually emerges on the inside of the basement.
Basement waterproofing methods like tanking and Sika rendering work by providing a barrier against this water pressure.
What Is Tanking?
Water tanks and fish tanks are spaces surrounded by nonporous walls, and tanking your basement is essentially the process of turning it into something similar. The main difference is that water will be kept out and not in. It is performed by applying an adhesive barrier layer onto the basement’s walls, either internally or externally. Sealing basement walls in this way prevents water from being able to pass through, allowing your basement to stay warm and dry.
One of the biggest advantages of basement tanking is that it is very durable. A correctly installed tanking system typically lasts between 20 and 50 years, but even this could be extended with proper drainage and maintenance.
What is Sika Rendering?
Sika rendering also involves creating a barrier between the water in the soil and the interior of the basement. What makes it different is that the barrier is specifically created using products by the chemical company Sika. These products are favoured for their highly effective water resistance and excellent bonding strength. They can adhere strongly to many different surfaces, even old and uneven ones. They also tend not to crack or shrink when buildings move over time.
Which Is Better?
Whether you should choose tanking or Sika rendering depends on your budget and the qualities of your basement. Because tanking usually only involves applying a single layer of protection, it is usually the more affordable option of the two. Sika rendering involves applying several layers of protection, and it tends to have better results with old and uneven surfaces than tanking. You can also use a mixed approach, such as using Sika rendering on the walls and tanking the floor.
Tanking and Sika rendering are both highly effective methods of protecting basements against water ingress. However, it is critical that they be applied correctly. Call Damp Proofing Ltd on 020 7593 8030 to have your tanking or Sika rendering done by professionals with years of experience.