what to do about torn Bituthene sheet coating on foundation walls (roofing, drains)
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I have already contacted Grace for ideas, but wanted to try the knowledgeable folks here too.
House was built in 2014. Concrete foundation. There's a gap between the T1-11 siding and the ground where the concrete foundation is exposed. This exposed section is covered with a Bituthene sheet product. I know its a sheet product as it has a repeating label "Grace Bituthene" all over it but that's all I know. Due to slope, this gap varies from a few inches to about 2'. Two sides of the house have sod right up to the concrete. Over the years the sheet Bituthene has been torn by gardening tools (probably string trimmers) in various spots. Some of the edges of the fabric are lifting slightly. Not sure if these gaps in the material are of concern for the concrete or not, but it doesn't look that great. IMHO with the repeating label, it also looks unfinished. I'm interested in patching/repairing the torn spots and possibly painting over the material entirely. I also considered installing some sort of solid flashing material over it but frost heaving is a real concern. A solid material could be heaved up enough to push against the bottom edge of the siding and damage it.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Last edited by Parnassia; 05-19-2021 at 02:31 PM..
Bituthene is an excellent waterproofing product for roofing and vertical foundation wall waterproofing. Your particular detail is unusual since normally wood siding ends 12 inches above grade, which is code in many areas and usually that 12 inches +/- of concrete above grade is left exposed.
I’m guess you’re concern is a cosmetic one and I believe bituthene cannot be left exposed to sunlight as it will degrade. You could check with Grace to determine the best way to cover and protect it. Colored metal flashing is an option, however it needs to be installed felony the wood siding and it’s subject to wrinkling or denting. Grace protection product and foundation plantings are probably your best option, IMO.
Bituthene is an excellent waterproofing product for roofing and vertical foundation wall waterproofing. Your particular detail is unusual since normally wood siding ends 12 inches above grade, which is code in many areas and usually that 12 inches +/- of concrete above grade is left exposed.
I’m guess you’re concern is a cosmetic one and I believe bituthene cannot be left exposed to sunlight as it will degrade. You could check with Grace to determine the best way to cover and protect it. Colored metal flashing is an option, however it needs to be installed felony the wood siding and it’s subject to wrinkling or denting. Grace protection product and foundation plantings are probably your best option, IMO.
Thank you! Yes, a lot of my concern is cosmetic, but sunlight exposure is another. Of course the side of the house with the most exposed material gets the most sun! We suspect one reason for the builder leaving more of the concrete exposed below the siding might have been frost heaving, but we'll never know. This is Homer, AK. Frostheaving is very hard to predict. It can be pretty dramatic. Though the house site drains well, a wetter winter tends to create bigger ice lenses in soil, so it heaves more. Driving down any local hard surface road for any distance around here gives ample proof of that. A bone jarring roller coaster ride. Snow also tends to drift up higher and persist longer on that same more exposed side of the house.
My handyman and I have discussed this a couple of times and we agree that a rigid flashing might create a problem unless we left quite a gap between the ground and the bottom edge of the siding. How to get that right...Considering the hassle and expense of flashing, we kept arriving at the conclusion that some sort of coating would not only be easier, could extend closer to the ground, and be easier to touch up if necessary. Some sort of rubberized coating like Flex Seal came to mind. The other thing I'll be doing is getting rid of the sod right next to the house. I'll be clearing/gravelling a strip next to the wall that doesn't need to be weed whacked, which will prevent further damage.
Do not apply any material or coating on the bituthene without checking with Grace to be sure it’s compatible otherwise it could break down the material.
Also, frost and flashing should not be a problem since I’ve seen and have used flashings in the NE where the frost line was 36 inches. Placing a strip of decorative gravel/stone or brick chips against the foundation wall is probably your best option! You could even raise it up to cover more of the bituthene and place a thin piece of rigid insulation, protection board or a Hardie backer waterproof board against the waterproofing. I hope this helps!
Do not apply any material or coating on the bituthene without checking with Grace to be sure it’s compatible otherwise it could break down the material.
Also, frost and flashing should not be a problem since I’ve seen and have used flashings in the NE where the frost line was 36 inches. Placing a strip of decorative gravel/stone or brick chips against the foundation wall is probably your best option! You could even raise it up to cover more of the bituthene and place a thin piece of rigid insulation, protection board or a Hardie backer waterproof board against the waterproofing. I hope this helps!
I already sent an email off to Grace for just that reason. All that Grace Bituthene lettering isn't exactly what I would want as part of my landscape decor . Getting tired of reading it.
Running a piece of rigid insulation/waterproof board along the bottom of the Bituthene before filling with gravel/chips is also a great idea.
A rep from Grace emailed back about the Bituthene. As expected, they recommended covering the exposed fabric to protect from UV. In their opinion painting wouldn't affect the fabric but we'd have a difficult time finding anything that would adhere to it. Some sort of cladding on top would protect it but you'd want to minimize piercing the fabric a lot in order to attach it.
Then I had another thought about the whole thing. Maybe the solution here is to ask a different question. If Bituthene is really intended to be buried below grade and forgotten for 50 years, why does it even need to remain on the exposed concrete above grade in the first place? Why not simply remove it and put whatever more appealing cladding/flashing material we want over the concrete instead? The remaining concern is once again frost heave, but we could leave some space at grade, back fill with gravel to accommodate that.
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. Getting tired of reading it.