Do It Yourself (DIY) projects have become an increasing popular way to make home improvements at a lower cost. SANI-TRED® offers many proven effective water damage prevention and repair products for residential concrete surfaces.
One of the most common uses of SANI-TRED® products is for interior basement waterproofing, in addition to coating the exterior of concrete foundation walls. Wherever SANI-TRED® products are applied, it will completely seal out all water and moisture.
Eliminating sources of water, moisture and humidity drastically reduces the conditions for mold to exist. Black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum) for instance can be very dangerous. A waterproofed basement creates useful space that otherwise may not have been very useful before. One benefit of having a coated floor, it seals the concrete to stop it from chalking, as well as providing a nonporous, clean and sanitized surface.
Anyone can apply SANI-TRED® products, whether it be the homeowner, a local handyman, painter or contractor.
SANI-TRED® products are not only successful at waterproofing, they have been tested both in a laboratory and in the field, showing they successfully seal out over 99% of radon. The EPA considers 4.00 pCi/L or lower to be acceptable. The highest radon level we have ever encountered was 155.3 pCi/L and after SANI-TRED® products were applied, it was reduced to 0.2 pCi/L. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and can have serious health effects.
PermaFlex is the primary coating used. One prime coat of PermaFlex is applied to all surfaces you intend to waterproof. Only cement block requires two prime coats of PermaFlex. It absorbs, saturates into the concrete and solidifies to become as tough as a tire, very flexible and become impregnated within the concrete for the life of the structure. This absorption/penetration is what allows PermaFlex to permanently adhere to poured concrete, precast concrete, block, brick, stone/mortar and most common building materials. After PermaFlex has been applied, any joints, cracks, holes and around any penetrations should be sealed. 2-parts LRB (Liquid Rubber Base) can be mixed with 1-part TAV (Thickening Activator). This creates a thickened mixture, similar in viscosity as silicon caulk. This mixture is applied to joints and cracks and can also be used to smooth out any rough areas and can be applied at any thickness in one or multiple applications. Lastly, one final coat of PermaFlex is applied to all surfaces.
PermaFlex and LRB/TAV mixture molecularly welds to each other, creates a continuous, monolithic, flexible and waterproof barrier wherever it is applied. The SANI-TRED® basement waterproofing application is shown step by step here and is also available on The Concrete Protector’s YouTube channel, as seen below.
Like most any type of application, preparation is the most important step. All surfaces should be clean, dry, free of any previous applied products and foreign matter. Off The Wall Coating Remover can be used to remove latex DRYLOK, most paints, coatings and adhesives. Off The Wall Coating Remover is non-hazardous, non-toxic, water soluble and will not burn your skin. It is always recommended to first apply a test spot(s) to ensure that it works on the specific paint/coating you are trying to remove. These test spots can be applied at different thicknesses to show you how thick/thin it should be applied while remaining effective, how long it takes to work, how easy the paint/coating will be to remove and if multiple attempts at removal may be required. Off The Wall Coating Remover attacks the paint/coating and then it should be stripped using a pressure washer. Higher the pressure the better (typically 3,000-3,500 psi) using a Turbo Nozzle which can be found at most hardware and home improvement stores. If you have no intention of using a pressure washer, we do not recommend using any type of coating remover or paint stripper. The pressure washer strips the coating, clears out the pores, washes and rinses away any residual coating remover. Alternatives to coating removers or paint strippers would be dustless blasting, sand/media blasting or grinding. Poured concrete floors should be acid etched and neutralized according to the instructions that come with the materials. If there is any question if the concrete is dry, a propane weed burning torch should be used to not only dry the surface, but also beneath the surface in order for the first coat of PermaFlex to absorb/penetrate to permanently adhere. This torch is the best way to incinerate any oils that may be present, dries all surfaces and is just the best way to ensure flawless uniformity.
For expert advice on how properly waterproof your basement, contact the SANI-TRED® team at 
866-784-3308 or submit a DIY expert advice online form here.