Waterproofing Membranes in Kirksville, MO

A waterproofing membrane is a continuous, flexible barrier bonded to the foundation wall. Unlike a paint-on damp proofing coating, a true membrane is thick enough and elastic enough to bridge hairline cracks and to keep sealing as the wall moves slightly with seasonal soil pressure and temperature change.

The distinction matters because concrete and block are porous. Even an uncracked wall passes water and vapor through the material itself when the soil against it stays saturated, which in heavy Northern Missouri clay is much of the year. The membrane is what breaks that path.

We install both sheet and fluid-applied systems. Sheet membranes are rolled on with overlapped, sealed seams and give a highly consistent thickness. Fluid-applied membranes are sprayed or troweled and form a seamless skin that follows irregular block faces and wraps details like pipe penetrations and inside corners cleanly. The wall surface and the site usually decide which is the better fit.

Preparation is most of the work. The wall is cleaned of soil and loose material, cracks and failed mortar joints are repaired, spalled areas are patched back to a sound surface, and the footing junction and any penetrations are detailed before the membrane goes on. A membrane applied over a dirty or deteriorated wall will not stay bonded, whatever the product.

Membranes are usually installed as part of exterior waterproofing, with drainage board over the face and a tile drain at the footing so water has a route down and out rather than standing against the barrier. The membrane blocks water, and the drainage keeps pressure off it.