You'll need:
- Silicone Caulk ($5 tube)
- Caulking Gun ($2)
- Drylock($20)
- Waterproofing Paint Brush ($5)
When I was undertaking a home improvement flooring installation a couple weeks ago, I discovered that I had water seeping into some of the rooms. Being shocked and confused I began to determine the source of my problem. The culprit was a small crack that ran alongside my CBS stucco finished home. Water was creeping in there from sprinklers and rain, and very slowly - into my rooms.
Destined to get my floor installed, I started with Google, and it wasn't long until I was in the Home Depot - browsing, and bothering a few staff members. This technique isn't for repairing massive chunks or running water leaks. It's just for cracks that are slowly seeping water in.
After several alternatives, I found that I needed something to fill the crack and something to protect the fill. The silicone caulk provided optimal waterproofing and flexibility. I got clear - but it doesn't really matter what color you get. The Drylock compound does an amazing job of waterproofing your concrete. It prevents water seepage and essentially makes your concrete waterproof.
Take the caulk and gun and fill along the crack, taking your finger to push it deep within the crack. My crack was pretty thin - I'm thinking 1/32” - or about as thick as a pencil line. Give that an hour to dry.
Then - the cool stuff. The Drylock is super thick and has creamy texture similar to oatmeal. You can get oil based or water based. The latex can be painted the next day, so it worked best for me. Using your paint brush, paint in several directions to ensure the paint gets in to all the little cracks.
My crack was about 12” up from my foundation, so I went nuts and painted about 24” up just to make sure. You may not want to do that, but I had a whole gallon of this stuff.
Give that about four hours to dry and then test your work. I used my garden hose and sprinkler and had it run against the house for a couple hours. No leaks!
