Basement Wall Repair: Fixing Cracks

Cracks in concrete walls are not unusual, but a simple basement wall repair will fix most of these cracks. They are often caused by construction, accidents, settling of the house, or just a natural expansion and contraction caused by fluctuating temperatures. Most of these cracks are not serious enough to cause leakage. Others, though they may look small, can penetrate through the thickness of the wall and allow water to enter your basement. When this happens, you will need to repair these leaking cracks if you want to keep water out of your basement. Although repair of these cracks can be a challenge, you should be able to repair them if you have the right materials and guidance. The 5 steps below will guide you through repairing of your basement wall cracks.

Things you will need:

• Caulk gun
• Liquid urethane foam
• Surface seal epoxy
• 15 injection ports
• Wire brush
• Water bottle
• Latex gloves
• Safety glasses
• Plastic drop cloth

Step 1 – Remove Debris

Remove debris, dirt, loose concrete particles or old paint with a stiff wire brush. If you are unable to remove paint around the crack with the wire brush, use paint remover. You may need to use a softer brush to clean the surface of any dust or loose dirt.

Step 2 – Apply Surface Sealer

After mixing ½ cup of surface seal, place a bead of it at the bottom of an injection port and position the port over the crack, starting at the crack's lowest point. Be sure you don't cover the crack with the sealer. At every 6 to 12 inches of the crack attach another port. Allow the epoxy on the ports 10 minutes to activate, then cover the entire crack with Epoxy and let it cure for another 60 minutes. You'll know it's cured when you are unable to scratch it with your fingernail.

Step 3 – Prepare to Inject Urethane

Use the spray bottle to spray water into the uppermost part of the crack. This water will act as a catalyst and will cause the urethane you next insert into the crack to expand. Next, locate a lock nut at the urethane cartridge top. Remove this nut, attach a mixer onto the cartridge, and re-attach the nut you removed. Now, insert the cartridge into the caulk gun.

Step 4 – Inject the Urethane

Into the first injection port, insert the mixer and begin slowly injecting the urethane. Start at the bottom of the crack and allow the urethane to fill the crack. You will see a foam develop from the catalytic reaction between the water and the urethane. Allow time for the foam to fill the crack.

Step 5 – Testing the Repaired Crack

After 24 hours, if you have access to the outside surface of the crack you've repaired, spray a stream of water on the crack, then return to the repaired crack and inspect it for any leaking. If the urethane has completely filled the crack, the water you sprayed onto it will not enter the crack. Then you can cover the wall without concern that this crack will leak