Do-It-Yourself Basement Care & Repairs
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Deep-Penetrating Concrete Sealers Do-It-Yourself Basement Care & Repairs |
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Do-It-Yourself Foundation Crack RepairConcrete Crack Injection Kits
RadonSeal Foundation Crack Repair Kit makes do-it-yourself concrete crack repair easy. It lets you repair the stubborn, leaky basement cracks from the inside. Instead of a temporary "fix" with caulk or hydraulic cement, the injected polymer fills the full length and depth of the crack permanently. It stops basement water leaks through both hairline or wide cracks. This protects the concrete against further deterioration by water erosion and leaching. Most homeowners have heard of "epoxy injection," which was originally developed to repair cracks in large concrete structures. Since epoxy is much stronger than concrete, it also provides a structural repair. However, you cannot hold a house foundation together by "gluing" a moving structural crack, because another crack would soon develop right next to it. Structural cracks are typically horizontal. If you have a crack that still keeps moving, consult a structural engineer. Fortunately, over 95% of basement cracks have already stabilized and just need stopping or preventing water leaks. They are usually diagonal and many start in the corner of a window. Such cracks are best repaired with expanding polyurethane polymer. But for special situations, when structural strength is required, we also provide epoxy injection kits. The kits are very complete, including a CD with instructions, glasses, and gloves. You only need a conventional caulking gun. Repair Concrete Cracks Like a ProUntil recently, concrete crack injection required cumbersome high-pressure equipment, which only a professional contractor could use. But now, low-pressure crack injection kits has made it an easy do-it-yourself project.
You can repair cracks in poured basement walls or retaining walls, gaps between walls and the floor or ceiling, gaps around pipe penetrations, and holes in walls left after rusted out tie rods. The Foundation Crack Repair Kit allows homeowners to repair cracks just like a pro but at a much lower cost. Our do-it-yourself crack injection kits and professional toolkits utilize the same high-quality materials. Crack injection is not suitable for masonry blocks or bricks. Narrow cracks in floors or floor-to-wall joints can be also repaired by grinding and filling with self-leveling polyurethane caulk. Large holes can be filled with non-shrink grout. Polyurethane or Epoxy Crack InjectionThe best solution for most cracks is our standard D-I-Y Foundation Crack Repair Kit to inject polyurethane polymer into the crack. Its low viscosity makes it penetrate into hairline cracks and then, it forcefully expands to completely fill even wide cracks (over 1/2"). Two split two-component cartridges and mixing nozzles ensure precise mixing of the polyurethane polymers. Click for Foam Data Sheet and Foam MSDS (PDF) The expanding polyurethane foam will fill the whole length (up to 8–10 linear feet) and depth of the crack (up to 24" thick walls), and also any void in the ground outside. Water will never get into the crack again. The polyurethane foam remains flexible and allows for the natural movement of concrete. Comparison with epoxy injection If the situation also requires structural strength, our alternative epoxy kit includes four two-component epoxy cartridges for crack injection. This fills a volume of 60 cu. in. – a crack 8' long and 1/16" wide in a wall 10" thick (8'x12 x 1/16" x10" = 60 cu. in.). Epoxy does not expand. It is suitable for hairline cracks but if the crack is wider, proportionally more epoxy is required. If there is a void on the outside, epoxy tends to run out and "disappear." Easy-Peel Surface Sealer & Adhesive
The standard kit includes Epoxy Surface Sealer & Adhesive in two jars. It is used to glue injection ports on top of the crack. Then, spread the epoxy sealer over the crack and let it cure finger hard. Once the injection polymer has cured, knock off the ports. This leaves a layer of epoxy on the surface. If necessary, it can be removed with a grinder or a chisel. If appearance of the finished surface matters, the Easy-Peel surface sealer is the solution. You can peel off the surface seal together with injection ports all in one piece. It leaves a neat and clean concrete surface. The Easy-Peel polyurea surface sealer is packaged in two-component split cartridges for precise mixing. No guessing or hand-mixing.
Price and Shipping
Normally shipped the same or next business day. Delivery by courier in 3 to 5 business days. Shipping costs are valid for the lower 48 states. For shipping express, other states or Canada, please contact us for shipping rates. FAQ: How about the cheaper crack injection kits for homeowners?These are single-component polyurethane foams (like a "single-component epoxy" glue) - not used by a single professional. The foam is hydrophilic - it absorbs water and needs liquid water to expand. (Our polyurethane foam is hydrophobic - it expands even in the absence of water and then, repels water. The same quality polyurethane we supply to professional contractors.)
They do not reveal that their polyurethane cartridge is only single-component but the dead give-away is a table specifying what length of crack it can fill depending on its width. (And who knows how wide is the crack deep inside the wall?) We believe that crack repair should be forever. Once you finish the basement, you need not worry that the crack will start leaking in several years. How to Repair Concrete Cracks
RadonSeal Foundation Crack Repair Kit is complete - it contains all the materials and accessories for a typical 8-ft. (up to 10 ft.) basement crack, even nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and a drop sheet. The only tool you need is a conventional caulking gun. The crack injection procedure is simple. No special skills are required - just patience. The basic steps:
Watch the movie and check the detailed Polyurethane Crack Repair Guide (PDF) Patience! During the injection, squeeze the caulking gun very gently with only about 20 lbs. of pressure to allow the polyurethane to penetrate into hairline cracks and the foam to expand. This means spending 2-5 minutes on each port. Wet cracks: Water inside the crack is fine - it reacts with the polymer and makes the polyurethane foam expand faster. But the wall surface around the crack must be dry for the epoxy surface sealer to adhere. Wait until it dries out or use a hair dryer, ceramic heater or a heat gun. Or splash on isopropyl rubbing alcohol. The wall surface should be dry for about an hour for the epoxy sealer to properly adhere. Leaking cracks: Very difficult to repair. Running water prevents the surface sealer, as well as the injected polymer, from adhering properly in the leaking area. Wait until it dries out. Or hire a contractor who can use the high-pressure injection method. Corner cracks: The base of the injection ports has pre-cut slits. Just fold the base along the slits, apply the epoxy glue, and hold the port in the corner until the glue holds. Or you can cut the base off. Above-grade walls: If there is a void on the other side of the crack, the polyurethane foam would wastefully expand into the air. Cover it first with hydraulic cement or caulk. Any questions? Please contact us by e-mail, MADE IN USA |
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