Below-grade Waterproofing

Words: Dan Kamys/Public/News/462004823.gif" width="150" height="115" border="0" align="right" hspace="10" vspace="1"> All foundations will eventually get cracks, typically within the first year. Some coatings stretch over the cracks but become weaker, while others can crack with the foundation leaving your wall prone to headwater pressure. Typical tar coatings may dissipate into the soil in as little as five years due to ground settlement and the alkalis in the soil.

While a coating may seal the foundation, keeping water out, it does not provide for soil drainage and may also trap moisture caused by high indoor humidity and dampness inside the home. This interior moisture can create the perfect environment for mold and mildew growth.

Superseal Dimpled Membrane is a tough 24-mil HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene Membrane). Superseal Dimpled membrane is unrolled against the concrete block foundation with the dimples facing the wall and fastened with Superseal DimpleGrip Molding along the entire top edge, hanging like a curtain. Vertical joins are overlapped and buttoned like a shirt with Superseal Plugs. This creates an air space that keeps the backfill from touching the concrete block foundation while allowing construction or interior moisture to condense on the membrane and fall freely to the drainage tile for removal. Superseal Dimpled Membrane is not a coating so it has no curing time and can be backfilled immediately to provide waterproofing and 6.6 gal/min/ft of drainage in one application. Typical wall cracks do not affect the membrane's performance and it is resistant to alkalis, acids and salts. It also contains 30% HDPE recycled content. The E.P.A. estimates HDPE will take about 300 years to degrade when buried.

Superseal Dimpled Membrane was awarded a CCMC approval, is pending an ICC approval, and meets all U.S. and Canadian standards, ASTM and CGSB requirements.

GEN NXT: Luis Sontay
September 2026

For this month, the MCAA got to sit down with aspiring mason Luis Sontay. From taking an interest in masonry as a kid to placing 1st in a postsecondary competition, Luis’ dedication and passion for the trade is clear. Luis describes his early passion fo

Mentmore Towers, Fort Point, and More
September 2026

The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, UK, stands as a sweeping estate that represents the absolute peak of English masonry. Conceived with breathtaking scale and precision, the monumental complex is defined by

The Alhambra
September 2026

High above Granada, Spain, the Alhambra offers masonry professionals something more than an architectural landmark. It is a working lesson in how relatively simple building materials, placed by skilled craftsmen and maintained over generations, can create

The Wall
September 2026

There is a story around Huntley Brothers that some of our guys simply call “The Wall.” I’ve told it enough times over the years that when I start telling it to one of our younger guys, I can see a few of the older ones rolling their eyes. They’ve heard i