# Painting basement: Drylock over drylock



## NCpaint1 (Aug 13, 2009)

Go to a paint store and get "Block Filler". Its just a really thick paint that fills in the pores of the block better. Its cheap too, but the spread rate is less.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

NCpaint1 said:


> Go to a paint store and get "Block Filler". Its just a really thick paint that fills in the pores of the block better. Its cheap too, but the spread rate is less.


 
Be prepared to be exhasted when done, this stuff is HEAVY, but you really cannot apply dry lock over any other finish, so block filler shoud do what you need.


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## Ole34 (Jan 31, 2011)

i would get the cheapest enamel you can find an do 2 coats .....use a heavy nap roller cover......that block you have is already painted so painting it again is gonna be a cake walk......... go with something with a high spread rate and youll be done in no time ...............


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions. Cheap...I like the sound of that.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Is anybody going to address the water stain problem. Block filler won't do it. You need to oil prime, Zinsser Cover Stain, the water stain. Have some serious ventilation or extinguish the pilot lights, that's a possible kaboom. Nothing is going to stop that moisture from coming through though, the drylock that's on there is no longer enough, and you can't, as ChrisN said, put drylock over any other finish, even drylock. Add some mildewcide to the finish and put a humidifier in the basement. It looks like you already have some mildew there, wash with bleach/water and rinse.


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

My appologies. I was going to say something in the original post but forgot. I Included that picture mostly to show how spotty the dry-lock (or it could be block filler) was applied. That stain along the bottom looks in the picture like it's from water coming through the foundation but up close you can see it's from something that was splashed or spilled on there from the inside. Who knows from what, a dirty mop or something. The corner looks darker mostly from the lighting but als the coating is spottier/thinner there.


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

Ole34 said:


> i would get the cheapest enamel you can find an do 2 coats .....use a heavy nap roller cover......that block you have is already painted so painting it again is gonna be a cake walk......... go with something with a high spread rate and youll be done in no time ...............


Sorry if this is a rudimentary question but when you say enamel, you mean as in oil based right? When I used to paint apartments years ago. We said "enamel" and "latex" to mean "oil based" and "water based". But then you see a lot of water based paints that say enamel.


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## Ole34 (Jan 31, 2011)

Ptron said:


> Sorry if this is a rudimentary question but when you say enamel, you mean as in oil based right? When I used to paint apartments years ago. We said "enamel" and "latex" to mean "oil based" and "water based". But then you see a lot of water based paints that say enamel.


 
sorry bout that .....latex enamel is what i meant


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Ptron said:


> My appologies. I was going to say something in the original post but forgot. I Included that picture mostly to show how spotty the dry-lock (or it could be block filler) was applied. That stain along the bottom looks in the picture like it's from water coming through the foundation but up close you can see it's from something that was splashed or spilled on there from the inside. Who knows from what, a dirty mop or something. The corner looks darker mostly from the lighting but als the coating is spottier/thinner there.


I'd be hardpressed to believe that something on that wall isn't going to burn through a latex coating. Paint it out with latex and if anything comes through, spot it will oil and then the finish.


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

Ole34 said:


> sorry bout that .....latex enamel is what i meant


Thanks. That was fast!


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

jsheridan said:


> I'd be hardpressed to believe that something on that wall isn't going to burn through a latex coating. Paint it out with latex and if anything comes through, spot it will oil and then the finish.


 Wow! Rapid fire responses. Much thanks. I will do that.


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## Ole34 (Jan 31, 2011)

no problem, its our job here..............good luck with your basement !!


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Drylock, Masonry Paint/Primer and Block fill are only good on bare block. They are meant to expand somewhat and fill the voids. They are basicly useless in that aspect once paint is on the walls.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Did you try tape and plastic on the wall over the mold to see if it is leaking and you don't know it because it evaporates right away from the moving basement air? Whew, I'm tired, it's late....LOL. Mold needs moisture to grow, the wall may be wet unless it's Summer mold, the interior wet air going out.... Point being, I'd use a latex based paint to allow the wall to dry when left uncovered from insulation. Drylock will force any outside water to find an alternate route in to your space using the next easiest place, slab, etc. 

Gary


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

GBR in WA said:


> Did you try tape and plastic on the wall over the mold to see if it is leaking and you don't know it because it evaporates right away from the moving basement air? Whew, I'm tired, it's late....LOL. Mold needs moisture to grow, the wall may be wet unless it's Summer mold, the interior wet air going out.... Point being, I'd use a latex based paint to allow the wall to dry when left uncovered from insulation. Drylock will force any outside water to find an alternate route in to your space using the next easiest place, slab, etc.
> 
> Gary


Gary, if you don't mind, I'll finish your excellent point. OP, do vapor test. Take a piece of plastic about one foot sqaure and tape it to the wall, seal it tight on all four sides, wait a couple of days. If there is condensation on the plastic your getting moisture through the walls. Good point Gary.


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

Matthewt1970 said:


> Drylock, Masonry Paint/Primer and Block fill are only good on bare block. They are meant to expand somewhat and fill the voids. They are basicly useless in that aspect once paint is on the walls.


 Ok. Yeah, I thought I had heard that before. You can clearly see that they painted it over old paint but what's done is done.


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

jsheridan said:


> Gary, if you don't mind, I'll finish your excellent point. OP, do vapor test. Take a piece of plastic about one foot sqaure and tape it to the wall, seal it tight on all four sides, wait a couple of days. If there is condensation on the plastic your getting moisture through the walls. Good point Gary.


Interesting. Does it matter that it hasn't been particularly rainy or humid out the last few days? IIRC there was a _little_ bit of mold along the bottom of the walls that I bleached off when I moved in. It hasn't come back and that was a year and a half ago.

BTW, I mentioned getting water in the OP. This only happens after prolonged periods of heavy rainfall. It only comes in at the base of the wall (on the opposite side of the house that the picture was taken) and even at it's worst has been manageable amounts. 
http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/water-coming-base-foundation-77441/


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Ptron said:


> Interesting. Does it matter that it hasn't been particularly rainy or humid out the last few days? IIRC there was a _little_ bit of mold along the bottom of the walls that I bleached off when I moved in. It hasn't come back and that was a year and a half ago.
> 
> BTW, I mentioned getting water in the OP. This only happens after prolonged periods of heavy rainfall. It only comes in at the base of the wall (on the opposite side of the house that the picture was taken) and even at it's worst has been manageable amounts.
> http://www.diychatroom.com/f19/water-coming-base-foundation-77441/


Ptron, water coming in during rain and moisture transfer can occur simultaneously. It's like a leak in the roof, even during a light rain, the leak is drawing water, it's just being absorbed by the substrates inside the leak. When it rains hard they get saturated, overflow, and it comes through the ceiling. I would at least test first before you paint because if moisture is transfering through the foundation, your efforts will be in vain, at least in the area of the breach.


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## Ptron (Nov 28, 2008)

jsheridan said:


> Ptron, water coming in during rain and moisture transfer can occur simultaneously. It's like a leak in the roof, even during a light rain, the leak is drawing water, it's just being absorbed by the substrates inside the leak. When it rains hard they get saturated, overflow, and it comes through the ceiling. I would at least test first before you paint because if moisture is transfering through the foundation, your efforts will be in vain, at least in the area of the breach.


Thanks. I'll give it a try.


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