we just did this with our home and had it sprayed and then a thick layer of what looks like insulation was tacked on. this product is made of many thin layers of material. i'll ask my husband for details, but apparently it's the best way to go. good luck!

threeapples... I'll be waiting for more info. Was it poured concrete or concrete blocks? Thanks!

There are 3 separate things to consider:

1. The natural water table. Groundwater levels vary seasonally and from year to year. It is important to build the basement floor level higher than the highest level of the water table. If this is not possible, an inside sump and dewatering system is essential. Water will inevitably enter the basement if the surrounding ground water table rises above the floor level. It is VERY important to learn about the natural groundwater table before you do anything else.

2. Perimeter drains and waterproofing. French drains around the perimeter of the foundation must be built properly with perforated pipe, porous granular drain rock, and geotextile fabric, to collect liquid water while filtering sediments. Additionally, the exterior of the foundation must be coated with multiple layers of asphaltic emulsion to make a waterproof membrane.

3. Surface drainage- the grade outside the home should slope away from the foundation on all sides. The downspouts from the roof shall be diverted into the storm drain system, or into solid pipes discharging at least several feet away from the foundation.

If research indicates the groundwater table is ever at or above the level of your basement floor, you need to design a dewatering system for INSIDE the basement walls. A perforated pipe around the inside perimeter of the foundation, under the slab, some weep holes, a sump pit in one corner, might be a necessary secondary drainage system, if the water table is high.

Tuff and dry is what we used and from the research we did it seems to be one of the best systems out there

Aidan has it correct. The one crucial thing is to be sure the water can and does get away from the house easily before it gets up to the basement floor level. If that is the case, then all the other good waterproofing will help minimize moisture migrating though the walls. If the water level gets higher than the floor, the basement will have water in it.

TUFF-N-DRI (H8, XTS, or AF) is a Tremco 40 mil thick modified bitumen (rubberized asphalt) waterproofing membrane that is cold spray applied to the exterior of poured-in-place concrete basement walls. In my area it has been the most cost effective method since the early 80's.

A porous board is usually placed over the membrane to allow water to drain to the footing drain system, to protect the membrane from damage from backfill and to provide thermal insulation. That material can be anything from rigid fiberglass (Warm-N-Dri from Owens Corning or Barrier Board by Tremco) to rigid plastic foam with grooves to plastic waffle sheets or a combination of materials.

Tremco makes a drainage board (Drain Star Z-Drain) that solves the problem of drainage over the edge of the footing. They also make a perimeter drain system (DrainStar Stripdrain) that eliminates the need for gravel and filter fabric.

Don't confuse "waterproofing" systems with "dampproofing" systems. Damproofing will do little or nothing to keep a basement dry.

Be very careful about using imitation products. The TUFF-N-DRI Basement Waterproofing System is installed only by contractors trained by Tremco.

Tremco acquired the TUFF-N-DRI system when it bought Koch Waterproofing Solutions in 2003.

Here is a link that might be useful: TUFF-N-DRI

We had a lot of success using a basement waterproofing company. Depending on where you are, look at your local reviews. Here's a link to their service page. You should consider doing some of these things before you build a home.

All I can add here is that if for some reason it turns out you'll need a sump pump, make sure to get a battery backup. A few summers ago we had seriously heavy rains here and many of the people who had flood damage in their basements also had sump pumps. Turns out that situations that involve heavy rains also tend to involve power outages. So the power goes out, the sump pump is useless, and the basement floods.

Did this thread get revived for advertising?