Avoid crystallization in the basement

What you need:

• high pressure cleaner
• Renovation plaster
• usual masonry tools

Important information about crystallization and restoration plaster

• Normally, water often diffuses through cellar walls, be it rain, meltwater or moisture that comes from below.
• Water always carries salts with it, because it often has a long way through the ground behind it before it gets into the walls penetrates the cellar.
• There the water evaporates after a while, the salts remain behind. If the salt concentration is too high, it will crystallize out.
• You can then clearly see this damage on the masonry, it is covered with crystals and plaster is falling off. Since salts are hygroscopic, they also attract humidity, the wall no longer gets dry.
• Restoration plaster is able to absorb the salts and removes salt and moisture from the masonry. So nothing can crystallize on the masonry, the place where this happens is in the restoration plaster.
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Restoration plaster - this is how you dry damp masonry properly

Renovation plaster is a special plaster that is open to diffusion, so it lets out steam ...

You cannot renovate a building with renovation plaster alone, because its capacity also has its limits. At some point the salts will also crystallize out on its surface and it will lose its positive properties.

How to renovate properly

• As a quick measure to temporarily remedy an acute problem, you can only apply a layer of restoration plaster to "sacrifice" it. You dry the wall and desalinate it with the plaster, but the plaster must be removed again in the medium term in order to renovate properly.
• Find out the cause of the moisture. Get advice from a construction specialist. In principle, everything can be sealed, no matter how much water clogs the house. However, wrong measures can exacerbate the problem.
• Most of the time, you'll need to repair, replace, or first-time install a horizontal seal. In other cases drainage must be laid or the masonry must be coated on the outside with appropriate sealants. It all depends on the reason for the moisture penetration and what leads to the crystallization and why. Without a professional, there is a risk that the problem will get worse.

You can then apply the restoration plaster yourself as part of the measure.

Apply restoration plaster to prevent crystallization

So that the restoration plaster works and prevents further crystallization, it must be applied directly to the masonry:

1. First remove the old plaster and also all coatings such as paints, oils and greases from the masonry. It is best to clean with a high pressure cleaner.
2. Check if the Underground strongly sucks, if so, moisten it.
3. Mix the restoration plaster according to the manufacturer's specifications and apply it in one or more layers at least 20 mm thick. If you apply in several coats, you will need to let the individual coats dry between coats. You have to find out more about this from the manufacturer, because this is different for the different types of plaster.
4. Let the restoration plaster dry slowly from the inside out. Avoid drafts or strong sunlight. In a pinch, you have to keep the plaster moist on the outside, otherwise it will dry on the outside and harden before the layers below are dry. That leads to cracks.
5. After drying, wait 24 hours before applying a smooth plaster or painting with a suitable, vapor-permeable paint. The color must match the plaster so that it can develop its properties. With latex paint, for example, you cannot prevent further crystallization, because this robs the plaster of all positive properties.

Restoration plasters are ideal for drying masonry in conjunction with measures against moisture and preventing crystallization.