Do you have frustrating water seepage in your basement floor that keeps you from utilizing the space for living? It's a common problem and one that can be effectively addressed if you know what you should do. To start with, it may help to know why basement floors leak, and there are two major reasons:The original workmanship may have been poor when the floor was poured, or the house may have settled allowing cracks to form. Either way, it's an annoying problem and one that needs to be stopped. Using a concrete floor sealant is a way you can stop the leaks and keep your basement floor dry.

Before you can start sealing your floor, you will need to do some preparatory work. You should move everything out of the area you plan to seal and sweep the floor well. Make sure to get rid of all visible dirt and debris. If the floor is especially dirty, you may want to mop and clean it before going any further. Concrete sealer will work better on a clean surface. While you're cleaning, look for cracks that are wider than 1/8" and holes. You will need to fill these with epoxy and latex fillers and then allow them to dry, because concrete sealers aren't an answer for larger leaks.

If your floors have been painted prior to this time, you may run into problems, because water sealers often won't adhere to painted surfaces. In cases like this, you may need to rent a floor sander and remove the paint. After you sand, clean up all of the sanding dust and allow the floor to dry completely before adding an epoxy and latex filler. With other types of mortar and concrete, it isn't necessary to have the floor totally dry.

Now that everything is perfectly prepped, it's time to start coating the floor. Start with the corner farthest from the door, and work your way out. Use a stiff brush and a circular motion to spread the sealer over the affected areas making sure to feather the edges so that they aren't too thick. Allow the coating to dry until it doesn't rub off when touched, then soak the surface thoroughly with a garden hose and allow to completely dry. You will need to apply a second coat in the same manner, because only one coating of concrete floor sealant probably won't keep the floor from leaking again.