Scaling and efforenscense - how to treat

[kvenner]

Hi.

I have an older home in Calgary (1910). While undertaking some renovations recently, I pulled off the old panelling from the basement walls and found scaling on the foundation wall in some areas below grade - in some areas you can chip away about 1/8" of concrete. The foundation wall is poured concrete - not block or rubble. We don't have weeping tile or a sump. The foundation walls appear perfectly square and the floor joists above are as level as the day they were installed. There does not appear to be evidence of significant amounts of water entering the wall (original 1910 furring strips still in great shape). Hopefully, I am dealing with a superficial issue only...not something symptomatic of a larger issue. I want to reframe and insulate the basement walls, but need some advise prior to proceeding.

Question, I am concerned with the scaling...and would like to treat the interior surface of the foundation (hopefully to stabilize the scaling and add a water-proofing/resistance to clean it up). I have read about Xypex...does this product work well on older concrete?

Thanks,

Ken

[chumpchange]

Wire brush all the loose stuff off, and seal it with UGL concrete sealer. It is a clear oil based sealer that helps keep future spalling from happening, and is a vapor resistant barrier. Don't refir to the concrete, build a stud wall away from the poured wall by about an inch, and use a pressure treated floor plate for the bottom stud wall plate.

Ventilation will be absolutely necessary during and for two days after application. The BAsement System guys have a vapor resistant floor tile that locks together and looks good for finishing concrete floors.