Drylok

Hello,
Im planning on finishing my basment and using drylok to seal everything. The basment is very dry very little moisture. I was woundering if it is bad to seal the floor with drylok? I am planning on putting sub floor down and carpet. Is it a waste to drylok the floor? does it hurt anything if I do?

Also would it be bad to drylok the outside of my block or does that need to breathe?

I have a pulte built home with solid poured concrete foundation.

Thanks,
Ty

 

If you have ANY moisture problems, you need to correct them from the outside first, below grade. This can entail excavation and coating of the exterior walls. Drylock is a good product, but it will carry no guarantee of stopping all moisture. One way to tell if your floor has moisture is to put a 3' x 3' square of clear plastic on the floor and tape the edges. Leave it there for a day or so and see if moisture droplets form on the plastic. If so, that's what will happen to your plywood, flooring, etc. Even if you were to put Drylock on the floor, how would you hold your subflooring down and how would it breathe? Drilling holes in the drylock will negate its purpose.

 

I will try and put the plastic down to test for moisture but there is none that you can visibly see. The basement is very dry. I was planning on using tapcon screws to hold the plywood down and calking them with drylok calk sealer. Main question is if i have no moisture problems should I do nothing? just finish the basement? drylok the walls only? or drylok everything including the floor?