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Hello,
I would like to waterproof the retaining wall in the photo. Around 10m long. Do I need to dig out all the dirt until I reach the footing? I'm aware this is the proper way but there is a garden I don't want to disturb and the area in the photo is already raised on a 1m wide, 1m high retaining. I wouldn't be able to dig out much. The plants have also grown twice in size.
Is there a product to use where I could dig out just a little (30cm max?) and apply the product to stop moisture from raising?
Thank you !
Hello @MonikaJ
In order to stop rising damp from the bottom of this retaining wall an impermeable membrane such as builder's plastic should have been installed before the wall was built. Because the wall is already built, you can't put anything on the footing of the wall.
If there is soil behind the wall that would be the source of the water coming through the wall. It's called hydrostatic pressure or when moisture travels through the masonry and out to the surface of the wall. In order to stop that moisture from travelling through the masonry substrate a sealer such as Gripset Betta 1L Waterproofing Membrane Bitumen Rubber must be applied to the back of the wall. In order to do that the soil must be dug out and the wall cleaned. The bitumen is then applied to the wall and then soil put back in.
Can you apply anything at the front? Technically anything you put in front of that wall will peel off due to the moisture coming from the other side. You could put a sealer at the front, but it will just gather the moisture inside the wall, and it will divert itself onto the weakest part of your wall and exit out there. All of a sudden you have a leak where there was no leak before. My best advice is to dig the soil at the back and seal the back of the wall with bitumen.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
