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Repairing or sealing a crack in a house basement wall

Landslide

Red Skull Member
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So I have a crack in my basement wall I need to seal up. No water ever comes through it whenever it rains. The ground covers most of it and it leans away from the house.

I knew there was a crack in it when I bought the house over 20 years ago but the previous owner had caulked it up. Soon after I moved in, I finished the walls in my basement by furing them out with 2x4’s and insulation, plastic and drywall.

I had to remove the drywall in this area due to new utilities going in and around this area. That’s when I noticed the crack had widened open from the house setting over time. It starts under a window they originally installed in the basement wall when they built the house.

I’m looking at these epoxy injection kits out there to seal it up right. Some have ok feedback and some are seeing low star reviews

anyone know a good trustworthy kit that’ll do the job without breaking the bank?

Im looking at this kit I found but I don’t know how good it is to use.
 
If the Crack is getting bigger you may need to do some wall anchoring in addition to sealing it up.
 
If the Crack is getting bigger you may need to do some wall anchoring in addition to sealing it up.

My completely un engendered way to fix it would be to get a piece of 1/4 or 3/8 plate maybe 16" wide that spans from the floor to the top of the crack. After injecting the crack with whatever you want I would drill a bunch of 5/8 holes up each side of the plate and epoxy in 1/2" all thread into the concrete as deep as I could. It may not actually help the crack at all but it sounds good and you will never be able to see it again.
 
My completely un engendered way to fix it would be to get a piece of 1/4 or 3/8 plate maybe 16" wide that spans from the floor to the top of the crack. After injecting the crack with whatever you want I would drill a bunch of 5/8 holes up each side of the plate and epoxy in 1/2" all thread into the concrete as deep as I could. It may not actually help the crack at all but it sounds good and you will never be able to see it again.

I just did it at my shop by anchoring 7/8 all thread to concrete blocks I poured about 18 feet away and a foot below grade. It sucked but was neccesary.
 
If it's a block wall, straighten it first. Then nock a hole about mid point every 3 or 4 sections. Run a piece of rebar up, tie to rafters, run piece down to ground (overlapping). Fill cavity with concrete smoothing over hole in process. Fill crack with mortar.

With it cracking out and settling vertically, I'm betting you've got a broken footing. Really should be fixed
 
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If it's a block wall, straighten it first. Then nock a hole about mid point every 3 or 4 sections. Run a piece of rebar up, tie to rafters, run piece down to ground (overlapping). Fill cavity with concrete smoothing over hole in process. Fill crack with mortar.

With it cracking out and settling vertically, I'm betting you've got a broken footing. Really should be fixed

Only thing I’m going to do is fill the crack and that’s it. I live in a very rocky area and only get down around 3pm before bedrock. Dig around 10” or so then start pulling up chunks of rocks before bedrock. I’m not at all concerned about it getting much worse over time.
 
Depending on how wide the crack is you could trowel in some hydraulic cement, it's all I've ever used and it works great. You could maybe get a pastry bag and squeeze it in too. If you haven't ever worked with it, work fast and don't ix too much at once!
 
Depending on how wide the crack is you could trowel in some hydraulic cement, it's all I've ever used and it works great. You could maybe get a pastry bag and squeeze it in too. If you haven't ever worked with it, work fast and don't ix too much at once!

I also fixed one in a poured wall with hydraulic cement. Put a V down the crack with an air hammer and filled it up. Been about a year.
 
In my experiences cracks in basement walls are from the wall pushing in. Either from water, too long of span with no pillasters, or in our case frost. Toss a striaght edge up there and see what the walls doing. If it is because it’s pushing in no fix will be good until you remove the pressure.
 
Landslide said:
I had to remove the drywall in this area due to new utilities going in and around this area. That’s when I noticed the crack had widened open from the house setting over time. It starts under a window they originally installed in the basement wall when they built the house.


I’m not at all concerned about it getting much worse over time.

Ummm.... Seems like maybe you should be?
 
In my experiences cracks in basement walls are from the wall pushing in. Either from water, too long of span with no pillasters, or in our case frost. Toss a striaght edge up there and see what the walls doing. If it is because it’s pushing in no fix will be good until you remove the pressure.

It’s not pushing in I can tell you that much. House was built in 1978 and it’s just settling over time. My moms house built in 57 did the same thing over time. She had a guy cone out and epoxy fill the cracks in her walls. Only two there. That’s been over 20 years ago and she’s been gone since 2014.
 
Why? Cause a crack opened a bit over 20 year span on a house built in 78? Not worried in the least

You should worry, last house I had was built in '77. Same thing, little crack got bigger over time until one fine spring day I came home to water literally shooting through it. I wasn't worried either because house was up on a hill and had excellent drainage.
 
You should worry, last house I had was built in '77. Same thing, little crack got bigger over time until one fine spring day I came home to water literally shooting through it. I wasn't worried either because house was up on a hill and had excellent drainage.

I’m just going to seal up the crack with sealer and that’s pretty much it. I’ve had crazy flood type rains here and no water ever comes into my basement.
 
I'm a big fan of Sika products. Fixed a patio block wall that was settling and cracked. 8 years in and still looks good. Sikadur® Crack Fix | SIKA. They have a lot of other products for concrete and masonry as well. Home Depot carries some of them. Have fun.

This is what we use too - if poured foundation not block. They make good stuff, easy process if you do it right

If block dont put mortar, use something non porous or it'll get fucked later and pull moisture from the soil
 
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In my experiences cracks in basement walls are from the wall pushing in. Either from water, too long of span with no pillasters, or in our case frost. Toss a striaght edge up there and see what the walls doing. If it is because it’s pushing in no fix will be good until you remove the pressure.

This man is speaking wisdom.

For you guys recommending hydraulic cement, what does that mean?

I've specified hydrophilic (water loving) mortars and water stops that absorb water and gain a tighter crystal structure.
I've specified hydrophobic (water repelling) properties in cement which is a polymer typically to prevent corrosion by preventing interaction with the mortar and whatever is in the structure.

I typically think of hydraulic as a system of transferring force through a fluid.
 
I’m just going to seal up the crack with sealer and that’s pretty much it. I’ve had crazy flood type rains here and no water ever comes into my basement.

Reading your thread is a study in 'Famous Last Words'.

You asked for advice, and people are giving you advice. Then you say you are not taking that advice. This is an odd conversational method you have.

Your house is only 42 years old and it has a growing crack in the foundation. That is a problem.

The reason foundation contractors exist is because each specific locality has its own geological characteristics. This is one of the areas where a specialist is a good thing. You don't sound like a Practical Geologist to me, you sound like a redneck who does his own manual work. You're not giving the impression that you would look up soil/substrate conditions in your area, look at the remedial steps taken by others, then applying those steps in a conscientious and proper manner.



If the Crack is getting bigger you may need to do some wall anchoring in addition to sealing it up.

I just did it at my shop by anchoring 7/8 all thread to concrete blocks I poured about 18 feet away and a foot below grade. It sucked but was neccesary.


This sounds to me like someone that either copied/adapted methods others are using, or came up with their own solution based on beef is better. It is when it comes to foundations.

I think what your problem is that you are afraid that it might be expensive and time-consuming. Foundation work = expensive and time-consuming. There is a reason for this. If your house is not already showing signs of structural problems up top, it will.

It's like a parable or fable, or a Sunday Sermon: the unwise man doesn't fix his foundation, so his spiritual house is not in order. Now I KNOW you've just recently listened to a sermon about that because it makes the church rotation every 7 Sundays.

Fix your foundation, you goofball. Take the advice. Engage a hired expert. Spend the money.

Jesus christ :shaking:
 
Reading your thread is a study in 'Famous Last Words'.

You asked for advice, and people are giving you advice. Then you say you are not taking that advice. This is an odd conversational method you have.

Your house is only 42 years old and it has a growing crack in the foundation. That is a problem.

The reason foundation contractors exist is because each specific locality has its own geological characteristics. This is one of the areas where a specialist is a good thing. You don't sound like a Practical Geologist to me, you sound like a redneck who does his own manual work. You're not giving the impression that you would look up soil/substrate conditions in your area, look at the remedial steps taken by others, then applying those steps in a conscientious and proper manner.








This sounds to me like someone that either copied/adapted methods others are using, or came up with their own solution based on beef is better. It is when it comes to foundations.

I think what your problem is that you are afraid that it might be expensive and time-consuming. Foundation work = expensive and time-consuming. There is a reason for this. If your house is not already showing signs of structural problems up top, it will.

It's like a parable or fable, or a Sunday Sermon: the unwise man doesn't fix his foundation, so his spiritual house is not in order. Now I KNOW you've just recently listened to a sermon about that because it makes the church rotation every 7 Sundays.

Fix your foundation, you goofball. Take the advice. Engage a hired expert. Spend the money.

Jesus christ :shaking:

No wait, fuck it man, I forgot I'm on chit chat.

Throw some Flex Seal on there and call 'er good. Take pictures. Post those pictures here.

Also, your goofy attitude and methods are now explained by brain damage due to radon exposure. It all makes sense.
 
Reading your thread is a study in 'Famous Last Words'.

You asked for advice, and people are giving you advice. Then you say you are not taking that advice. This is an odd conversational method you have.

Your house is only 42 years old and it has a growing crack in the foundation. That is a problem.

The reason foundation contractors exist is because each specific locality has its own geological characteristics. This is one of the areas where a specialist is a good thing. You don't sound like a Practical Geologist to me, you sound like a redneck who does his own manual work. You're not giving the impression that you would look up soil/substrate conditions in your area, look at the remedial steps taken by others, then applying those steps in a conscientious and proper manner.








This sounds to me like someone that either copied/adapted methods others are using, or came up with their own solution based on beef is better. It is when it comes to foundations.

I think what your problem is that you are afraid that it might be expensive and time-consuming. Foundation work = expensive and time-consuming. There is a reason for this. If your house is not already showing signs of structural problems up top, it will.

It's like a parable or fable, or a Sunday Sermon: the unwise man doesn't fix his foundation, so his spiritual house is not in order. Now I KNOW you've just recently listened to a sermon about that because it makes the church rotation every 7 Sundays.

Fix your foundation, you goofball. Take the advice. Engage a hired expert. Spend the money.

Jesus christ :shaking:

My shop is built into a hillside so the upstairs section faces the main road and the lower work area faces the road behind. At the back wall I have 50 or 60 feet of block within dirt against it. I don’t want to have to do it again. I was thinking about 2BB when I mixed 2 pallets of 60 pound bags with a small electric mixer.
 
If you aren't going to do anything about the crack opening over time or no water coming in "ever", then why even worry about sealing it...OCD? Its back there behind the finishing and you know it and not at least sealing it will drive you nuts?

If its opened wider over time, it will continue to do so until something stops the setting that is pulling it apart are the pressure behind it. Thats just the nature of the beast. In actuality, you can seal it with flex seal and plate over it in less than a day. If opt for the drill and inject epoxy method of sealing it consider this...the amount of holes you would need to drill for the epoxy injection points is gonna be roughly the same amount of holes you'd drill for the steel plate concept described in another post....just saying.
 
I’m just going to seal up the crack with sealer and that’s pretty much it. I’ve had crazy flood type rains here and no water ever comes into my basement.

So what exactly was the point of starting this thread?
 
I asked this same question on PBB and based off the advice I went with US water proofing and was happy. It was around $600 and cheaper than me trying to DIY it, fuck it up and do it over again. My crack really didnt leak in the rain, but once we put a hose on it, it was pissing water into the basement. I believe it's a lifetime warranty transferable to the next owner. I recomend them.
 
I asked this same question on PBB and based off the advice I went with US water proofing and was happy. It was around $600 and cheaper than me trying to DIY it, fuck it up and do it over again. My crack really didnt leak in the rain, but once we put a hose on it, it was pissing water into the basement. I believe it's a lifetime warranty transferable to the next owner. I recomend them.

End it here. If you don't follow this advice Fox news will send the Klan to piss on your welcome mat.

Seriously, this is great advice; that we all know you're going to ignore.

Be a man about it and pay us our free entertainment fee.:laughing:
 
If you aren't going to do anything about the crack opening over time or no water coming in "ever", then why even worry about sealing it...OCD? Its back there behind the finishing and you know it and not at least sealing it will drive you nuts?

If its opened wider over time, it will continue to do so until something stops the setting that is pulling it apart are the pressure behind it. Thats just the nature of the beast. In actuality, you can seal it with flex seal and plate over it in less than a day. If opt for the drill and inject epoxy method of sealing it consider this...the amount of holes you would need to drill for the epoxy injection points is gonna be roughly the same amount of holes you'd drill for the steel plate concept described in another post....just saying.

Mainly to help keep critters like spiders from finding a way in.

I may do the steel plate idea but overall this thread is what’s best to seal the crack not stop my house from settling. if water was an issue maybe I’d look into mud jacking but it’s not and I’m not worried about that.
 
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