Tanking is a general term used to describe the process of waterproofing your basement or cellar. It involves blocking out water or moisture by applying an internal or external barrier or sandwiching a waterproofing system between cavity walls. Tanking is often used after flood repair and is a common measure taken by householders in South and West London.
To discuss your tanking needs in detail, call us on 0207 127 6886.
If you’ve got a basement or cellar you don’t like to use because it’s dank and unpleasant, tanking can transform it into a cosy extra room. Even if you’re not sure you need more space, this kind of improvement can help protect your home’s structure and appeal to future buyers, adding to its value. And if your basement is prone to flooding (like so many properties in West London), tanking is a sensible preventative measure: your insurer may even insist on it.
Tanking begins with the removal of all damaged plasterwork and damaged masonry, stripping your basement back to its original building material. Next, the original foundation layer is thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the tanking process.
London Damp Company offers a choice of two tanking systems: cementitious slurry and cavity drainage. Here’s how they work:
Cementitious Slurry
Although it sounds like something found on a farmyard, cementitious slurry is an easy-to-use, highly effective tanking medium. It’s a cement-based powder which, when mixed up and applied to your cellars walls, floor and ceiling, bonds with the underlying surface to give a waterproof barrier. The whole thing can then be finished off with a specialist plastering job.
Cavity Drainage
Used where a waterproof barrier is unlikely to keep your cellar dry, cavity drainage systems allow water to penetrate in a strictly controlled way. A textured membrane is fitted to your basement’s walls, ceiling and floor, and the entire construction covered with plasterboard, insulation and screed. A hidden pump is installed to direct water out of the system.
With cavity drainage systems, you’re left with a completely dry inner room which you can finish and decorate exactly as you please. Although it sounds dramatic, the cavity drainage approach gives excellent results and is straightforward to install, maintain and repair. Our tanking specialist will help you find exactly the right solution for your basement or cellar.
London Damp Company has special expertise in basement tanking for properties of all ages. To discuss your tanking needs in detail, call us on 0207 127 6886 or fill out the form on the right hand side of the page.
Specialists in Chemical damp proofing, Specialist plastering, Tanking systems, Cavity Drainage, Structural waterproofing.