The basement is the bottom of the structure. Finishing the basement is an important moment in construction, but before you begin to perform these works, you need to understand some of the features that directly relate to the purpose of this building element.
The basement is only to some extent regarded as a decoration element, which is the upper part of the foundation, it is subject to the maximum share of environmental impact. Various types of rainfall (rain, snow) affect the base, not only the groundwater, but also the water from the floods, and even the temperature difference between the ground and the air is also important for it. So I repeat once again: the finishing of the basement is only to some extent an element of decor, its main task is to protect the basement from environmental influences. Humidity and temperature in your house, and its service life, directly depends on the general condition of the basement.
Often, the protective work of the basement is carried out at the final stage of the construction of the structure, such actions can be called incorrect. The finishing of the base should be done immediately after the construction of the foundation. The basement must be waterproofed immediately, plastered and, of course, finished.
Before proceeding with the facing works of the basement, it is necessary to carry out the so-called drainage cushion around the entire perimeter of the structure, which is a small depression (15-20 cm deep and 50 cm wide) and serves to improve water drainage from the foundation.
The next step in the preparatory work for finishing the base is its plastering. As a rule, a mixture of cement and lime is used for this
type of work . To improve the strength of the entire structure, you can sew the foundation with the base using
a reinforcing mesh. In order to provide additional waterproofing, it is possible to apply a plasticizer, such as river sand, in the plaster mortar, which is used to finish the basement.
All of the above recommendations must be observed, since neglect of them often leads to undesirable consequences. For example, due to improperly made waterproofing or the use of poor quality materials for this, a significant deterioration in the properties of the foundation and basement is possible. The plaster may peel off and the waterproofing may allow water to pass through.
When choosing a material for decoration, it is better to dwell on natural materials that have good waterproofing and have high strength. A good option would be to finish the basement with stone, it can be both sea and river natural stones. Today's building materials market offers a large selection of materials for this type of work. But for the sake of justice, I want to say that it makes no sense to use expensive materials for this. The basement finish will also be of high quality if you use relatively inexpensive materials such as tiles or siding. By the way,
basement siding differs from the usual one in its thickness and weight, it is more weighty and much thicker.