Waterproofing: How to, Damp proofing, waterproofing and wall coating done

Introduction

Damp is a danger; it will deteriorate walls and damp proofing walls is important. To ensure the longevity of a wall you need to keep damp (water) away from its inside. A wall that is exposed to damp will slowly dissolve just the same as how a rock dissolves to form caves. Although internal walls can not be neglected it is the external walls of a building that are much more exposed to water in the form of rain. This is why external walls need to be protected by damp proofing.

Description of the condition of the property

The property, a house in the Centurion area, needed damp proofing and a coat of paint urgently. Not only was the previous paint starting to detach from exterior walls but it also showed signs of damp entering it. The interior wall was not in a much better state.

Problem/situation

Signs of damp entering and paint damage were visible on exterior walls. On entering the property one could also see similar damage on the inside of the property. It was obvious that the property desperately needed damp proofing and a fresh coat of paint.

Possible outcome

All though this is not a desperate situation, leaving the entry of water to continue for another season could turn out to replace plasterwork. Needles to say, this will skyrocket the cost of repairs drastically. What will also happen is what mould will start growing inside the cracks that are showing. This will have a serious health risk to the occupants.

Suggestion to remedy the situation

Work must commence asap if not rite away. All loose paint must be removed and the walls sanded with sandpaper to prepare the walls for the damp proving. Now damp proofing can be applied and afterwards a fresh coat of the correct paint. Exterior paint for the exterior walls and interior paint for the inside of the property.

Decision with customer/owner

After a lengthy discussion with the customer, it was made to go ahead with the necessary damp proofing and painting.

Work is undertaken

With scrapers, all lose flakes of paint were removed from all exterior and interior walls. Now we were ready to carefully sand down the walls leaving us with a smooth surface to work on. With proper care, all cracks were filled with the proper filler material which differed for exterior and for interior walls. Again all surfaces were smoothed down with sandpaper. After removing all dust particles the damp proofing could be applied as prescribed by the manufacturer. Then only we were able to apply the correct wall coatings on all services with fresh paint which is different for interior and exterior walls.