Making the Cellar Dry and Keeping It So 
MODERN METHODS OF PREVENTING MOISTURE FROM ENTERING THE CELLAR—THE USE OF 
DRAINS, DAMP-PROOFING PAINT, DAMP-RESISTING CONCRETE AND DOUBLE-FACED WALLS 
“/^H, yes, our new cellar is going 
to be as dry as a bone — the 
walls are specified to be cemented, and 
there will be a three-inch 
concrete floor; not a drop of 
moisture can get in !” 
And then, when you come 
BY William Draper B r i n c k l e 
Diagrams by the Author 
not to build this sort of drain, as it 
will probably bring the water in, in¬ 
stead of leading it out. 
But if you want to abso¬ 
lutely stop all water from 
coming in you must lay the 
concrete floor first of all, 
In an old cel¬ 
lar cover 
the wall 
with damp- 
proof 
paint out 
to the old 
floor 
u. 
ir.dZ 
Have the cellar slope to a drain, 
the water seal of which is 
secured against evaporation 
sleepily down to turn on the 
draughts, and step into six 
inches of disgustingly cold 
water, why, no wonder you 
start a lawsuit against your contractor, at the next term of court 
— but you lose it. 
Why ? 
Because his expert witnesses testify that 
cement is not waterproof; and they are 
right. Even the best concrete is nothing 
more than a sponge — did you know that? 
So, if your soil is at all damp and heavy, 
something more than mere cementing is 
needed. A drain of some sort should always 
be put in; a solid, well-laid line of iron or 
glazed terra-cotta pipe, with 
an iron “cess-pool trap”' set 
in the cellar floor. The ce- 
See that the rain leaders carry the roof water to the lower side of a sloping 
site, unless the foundation wall is amply protected 
then build solid concrete 
walls on this. Otherwise 
you will not get a perfect 
joint, and the moisture will 
ooze up around the base of 
the walls. The concrete must 
have some waterproofing 
material mixed with it; 
there are several sorts on the market that come for this especial 
purpose. ♦ 
But maybe the cellar is an old one—what can be done then? 
First, see that the walls are roughly surfaced up—that is, 
“dashed.” Then, paint them with 
damp-proofing paint; not ordinary ^ 
paint, but something made from min 
eral wax or asphaltum, and 
guaranteed to do the work. 
Three or four different con- 
make this. The paint 
A “French drain” 
may be dug 
under the cellar 
floor to take 
care of water 
ment slants down on all sides to 
the perforated top of this trap; 
then, if any water does get in the 
cellar, it will run off at once. 
If possible, run the pipe out 
through some hillside; but if the ground is too level to do this, 
you must connect to the regular sewer system. In such case 
a waste pipe from kitchen sink or laundry tub must 
be run down into the cess-pool trap, otherwise 
water seal may dry out, letting sewer gas into 
cellar. 
But if there is no sewer system, and no con- — 
venient low ground, a “French drain” must be dug. 
This is merely a pit, several feet deep and i8 
inches across, filled with brickbats and coarse sand; at 
the top a small hole is left in the concrete floor. This 
will soon dispose of all ordinary water, unless the 
ground is naturally .“springy”; in such case it’s better 
In unusually 
damp situ¬ 
ations, ap¬ 
ply damp- 
proof 
paint to in¬ 
side of wall 
and floor 
, 7 —; 
the 
the 
cerns 
must be thickly smeared on, two 
coats of it ; bring it out on the old 
concrete floor a few inches. Then, 
within twenty-four hours, before the 
paint has a chance to dry, plaster the 
walls with cement ; but leave an inch 
or two unplastered at the bottom. Next, lay a new cement floor 
on top of the old one (if there is an old one), mixing plenty of 
waterproof with your concrete. 
Sometimes, of course, one wants a thoroughly dry basement, 
free from any suspicions of dampness whatever — 
for a billiard-room, let us say, or possibly a gym¬ 
nasium. In such case, use solid concrete walls and 
floor, all waterproofed ; then, at least a month after 
laying, give the whole two good coats of damp- 
proof paint. You can now cover the walls with 
ordinary inside plaster—not necessarily cement — 
furring and lathing are not at all needful. Indeed, 
nowadays all progressive architects have discarded 
stripping entirely; the inside of a brick or stone 
house wall is merely damp-proofed, and the plas- 
Building the 
* ^ m 
concrete cel- 
• * O 
lar floor first 
and the wall 
on top of it 
0 
will give a 
4 
joint that is 
o'"* 
< 
much more 
secure 
( 34 ) 
