How does AQUA-STOP differ from other products on the market?

Firstly, and most importantly, AQUA-STOP is not a coating that just sits on the surface of the wall. AQUA-STOP penetrates below the surface of the concrete where it creates a chemical reaction with the free lime that fills and blocks the pores of the concrete. As the weeks progress, AQUA-STOP continues to penetrate deeper into the concrete, pushing the water on the exterior side of the wall or floor further away from the inside.

There are products on the market that are described as “waterproof paints” but because these products just sit on the surface of the wall or floor, water that has soaked through the concrete is pushing against the backside of these paints and will gradually loosen their adhesion to the wall – this is called “negative hydrostatic pressure”. In a matter of weeks or months these coatings will start to bubble away from the surface and then flake off.

Some of these ‘waterproof paints’ state that the product will withstand 4-10 psi (pounds per square inch) of hydrostatic pressure. So that you get a better idea of what this really means – if you stand in a normal, dry basement, the walls around you are subject to approximately 12-15 psi of pressure from the earth surrounding the foundation. So long as water continues to drain properly around the exterior foundation, the concrete can withstand this normal pressure and you will never have a problem with a wet basement.

BUT, if water doesn’t drain as it’s supposed to, such as after a very heavy rain storm when the ground can’t handle all the water and drain it fast enough, the hydrostatic pressure builds up and this is when your foundation can develop leaks. A waterproof paint that can withstand 4-10 psi isn’t going to do much for you when the water has already pushed through concrete. By contrast, AQUA-STOP is a commercial grade product, not a paint, and it has been tested down to depths of 460 feet – which is equivalent to 200 psi of hydrostatic pressure. That’s 20 times more powerful!

The products can be applied with a brush or hopper-type sprayer

They can also be used to waterproof concrete structures such as ponds, fountains, swimming pools, concrete water tanks or cisterns.

What do I do if I have cracks in the wall or floor?

Any cracks larger than “hairline” (1/32”) must be repaired before you apply either AQUA-STOP or AQUA-BLOCK BB. The crack needs to be ‘opened up’ to create a cavity for the repair material – this ensures that enough material gets into the crack to create a firm bond that will hold.

For most cracks you can use AQUA-STOP CRACK FILLER which is a fast-setting waterproof sealing mortar that reacts with moisture and the free lime in concrete to form a repair that can withstand the extremes of hydrostatic pressure. Supplied in a 10lb bag of powder, you mix it with water, fill the prepared area immediately and smooth even with the wall surface, as the product will set up in approximately 30 seconds. Each 10lb bag of powder makes sufficient product to fill 10 – 15 feet of cracks that have been chiseled out to a cavity measuring approx. ¾” x ¾”.

If you have a crack that is actively leaking water, around a pipe, etc., you need to seal it with Aquaseal’s SUPER-STOP. This is a very fast setting hydraulic cement which sets immediately when exposed to water – it will plug and stop active water leaks in about 10 seconds. SUPER-STOP can be applied in its dry powdered form and it will mix with the incoming water to stop the leak. Each 13lb bag of powder makes enough product to fill up to 20’ of cracks.