ᐅ How to Finish the Interior Walls of a Basement with a Waterproof Concrete Shell?
Created on: 23 Mar 2017 08:35
R
Rollo83Good morning.
My house has a basement consisting of a waterproof concrete shell (“white tank”) and masonry walls made of Ytong blocks. I want to make the larger room a bit more comfortable in the near future. I will probably just plaster the interior walls made of Ytong (for example, with Ardex A 828), but I am unsure what to do with the exterior basement walls. There are two of these in my case.
My first idea was to attach battens to the walls and then cover them with drywall panels, which would also allow for electrical installations within the cavity. On the other hand, it is still just a normal basement room, and surface-mounted electrical installations could also be acceptable. So, alternatively, the exterior walls could be plastered and painted just like the interior walls. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to either method, or which approach would be best?
My house has a basement consisting of a waterproof concrete shell (“white tank”) and masonry walls made of Ytong blocks. I want to make the larger room a bit more comfortable in the near future. I will probably just plaster the interior walls made of Ytong (for example, with Ardex A 828), but I am unsure what to do with the exterior basement walls. There are two of these in my case.
My first idea was to attach battens to the walls and then cover them with drywall panels, which would also allow for electrical installations within the cavity. On the other hand, it is still just a normal basement room, and surface-mounted electrical installations could also be acceptable. So, alternatively, the exterior walls could be plastered and painted just like the interior walls. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to either method, or which approach would be best?
Hello "Rollo83".
The best approach before considering installations is to first identify the weaknesses in the building structure and address those thoroughly.
What is the point of using a waterproof concrete (WU concrete) floor slab if the water exposure after backfilling the excavation or the site topography is unknown? Is it even clear how the base of the foundation wall was waterproofed? Are the exterior walls waterproofed at all? Are they exposed to the open air or in contact with the ground?
It is no coincidence that the German Concrete and Construction Technology Association published a clear summary of guidelines for the [high-quality use of basements]. These describe the basics and refer to the required waterproofing and thermal insulation techniques.
It is pointless to focus on the later placement of speakers or cable routing if the basics are ignored and the occupant must eventually pursue their hobby wrapped in a thick blanket in a damp and cold environment.
Also: before considering interior insulation, be sure to inform yourself about the correct build-up required for such walls. Otherwise, there could be very unpleasant surprises down the line that you don’t anticipate now. Browsing public forums for answers can provide information, but also carries a (high) risk of causing construction damage.
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Well intended: KlaRa
The best approach before considering installations is to first identify the weaknesses in the building structure and address those thoroughly.
What is the point of using a waterproof concrete (WU concrete) floor slab if the water exposure after backfilling the excavation or the site topography is unknown? Is it even clear how the base of the foundation wall was waterproofed? Are the exterior walls waterproofed at all? Are they exposed to the open air or in contact with the ground?
It is no coincidence that the German Concrete and Construction Technology Association published a clear summary of guidelines for the [high-quality use of basements]. These describe the basics and refer to the required waterproofing and thermal insulation techniques.
It is pointless to focus on the later placement of speakers or cable routing if the basics are ignored and the occupant must eventually pursue their hobby wrapped in a thick blanket in a damp and cold environment.
Also: before considering interior insulation, be sure to inform yourself about the correct build-up required for such walls. Otherwise, there could be very unpleasant surprises down the line that you don’t anticipate now. Browsing public forums for answers can provide information, but also carries a (high) risk of causing construction damage.
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Well intended: KlaRa
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