Stone Basements are often left unmaintained because of the complexity and perceived cost of maintaining the stonework. other times they are treated with cement coatings which can cause excessive dampness within the wall and lead to accelerated deterioration.
Tuckpointing basements, although it can be an effective preservation measure, can become quite an extensive project and a costly one due to the labor involved. also, much of the time, native limestone, which is the primary building material in older Stone foundations in our area, tend to flake and cause a mess and issues that are independent of the mortar issues.
We have found that a combination of spot repair and repointing at specific areas with a preservation coating using a historically accurate lime render is an excellent solution. This both controls costs and provides many of the desired preservation and functionality features that owners are looking for in their stone basement walls. While this is not necessarily a perfect solution for stopping water from migrating into basements, it is a nearly perfect solution for maintaining a healthy stone foundation wall that will support the building above.
Solutions for completely stopping water in a stone foundation require a multifaceted approach in order to expect a long-term and successful outcome. Sometimes it is worth while going through the efforts of completely waterproofing in order to allow for basement finishing. In these instances, we do provide solutions, however there are a range of possibilities and each project must be planned individually.
Alliance Masonry Restoration Kansas City 