roughcasting

Has anyone heard of roughcasting a as a method of waterproofing basement walls? It apparently involves the application of cement over wire mesh over visqueen.

A contractor has proposed installing an interior (french) drain system and roughcasting the walls to waterproof my basement. He said that there is no other way to effectively prevent leakage through the walls (other than excavating and coating the foundation walls from the outside), and that without the roughcasting he would not be able to warranty the walls.

Is roughcasting, in conjunction with an interior drainage system, an effective method of preventing leakage through the walls? And what is visqueen?

Also, does anyone know anything about Radonseal and its effectiveness as a basement waterproofing compound?

 

What your contractor is talking about is gunite. It is concrete shot or sprayed over a wire mesh. It is usually used in tunnels, but is very effective for basements and swimming pools. Visquene
is black plastic. Comes in rolls and folds out into a large sheet. It comes in various thicknesses. It is used alot in home and basement construction. Good stuff. I personally would forget about the radonseal. But that is just my opinion of it. Good Luck