How to paint the inside of the cellar from dampness, mildew and mold

Very often you can come across the question of how to paint the walls in the cellar so that the coating is not only visually attractive, but also durable. The use of low-quality compositions risks the fact that humidity will very quickly destroy the paint layer, and you will have to redo the entire job again. To avoid this, you need to choose a high-quality solution for finishing the walls and carry out the work correctly; these are the factors we will consider in this article.

In the photo: neat covering of the walls in the storage ensures the safety of all products

Selection of coloring composition

For finishing work, various types of solutions are used, which are selected based on the material of the walls and floor. Also, before purchasing, take into account financial capabilities and the expected duration of operation of the premises. Before making a choice, it is recommended to study the characteristics of each colorant.

Interior view of the cellar Source remkasam.ru

Lime whitewash

Lime composition is a traditional, time-tested means for decorating any premises. This substance is especially suitable for wooden walls, since it has the ability to protect against moisture and prevent the development of fungi and mold. In construction stores you can find ready-made lime, which does not have to be slaked before use. This option significantly speeds up the finishing process and also helps prevent inhalation of toxic fumes that accompany the extinguishing procedure.

Comments

We initially planned to just paint the basement, but my husband insisted on finishing the walls with boards. I was worried about the dampness, as if the wood would quickly rot. Everything turned out to be better, simpler and cheaper. The boards were whitewashed with colored lime, which is very practical and looks good.

I painted with a special water-based paint, which is resistant both to high humidity and to mold, dampness and all the other delights of the basement. It's already 4 years old and it's still like new.

My husband and I also did what Sergei did, but we chose cheap paint and, as they say, paid twice. Firstly, it was all peeling and cracked, the walls began to mold. Despite the fact that it was acrylic paint of a dull green color, for some reason it was all faded, darkened in places, and generally looks terrible. Now we have a wine cellar in the basement, so it’s terribly inconvenient to make repairs and move away shelves and boards. That's how we live. Spotted.

I recently built a basement in my garage, can you tell me what paint is best to paint the walls?

In general, I usually just whitewash the walls once a year and that’s it. But you can try acrylic paint or water-based paint. But I never use paints containing all kinds of odorous substances and solvents in the basement and cellar.

Video description

Whitewashing the cellar with your own hands.

Slaked lime Source markik.ru

Water-based paint

When choosing what to paint the inside of the cellar with, pay attention to water-based emulsion. This product is available in various formulations, each of which is intended for a specific room. Paint for a basement or storage facility must meet the following requirements:

Good tolerance to high humidity and its changes. There is a special microclimate in the cellar that can damage the coating that is not intended for this place. Therefore, when choosing products, you need to pay attention to the composition and durability characteristics.
Resistance to deformation and mechanical stress. The material must withstand significant pressure and temperature changes without damage. It is best to choose a product that can be washed regularly. In this case, cleaning will be easy and quick.
Vapor permeability. The coating should keep moisture inside the cellar, but it is important that it can freely exit the material, otherwise condensation may form inside the cellar.
Strong adhesion to the porous base. Often the basement is made of brick or concrete, the surfaces are plastered. Since such material absorbs liquid very easily, it must be treated with compounds to strengthen and protect.

Water-based paint for ceilings and walls Source 1pofasady.ru

The hardest part is over

Painting the cellar with your own hands

Now you can proceed directly to the process of painting the walls. You can handle this task on your own, but a little theoretical preparation will not be superfluous.

Perhaps you will learn some important trivia from us, so we recommend watching the thematic video in this article.

A few final tips:

The cellar is a small room, painting it will not take you much time. You will be able to enjoy a successful result very soon.
But, do not rush to use the cellar for its intended purpose immediately after painting. Otherwise, you risk acquiring products that are thoroughly saturated with toxic fumes.
Whitewash and paint usually dry within a day, but it’s better to play it safe and wait 72 hours.

After this, the room should be well ventilated. That's it, now you can store food in the cellar without fear that the paint will make it unfit for food.

Painting walls

Deciding what to paint your cellar walls with can be quite a difficult decision, as there is a huge variety of products on the market. But still the most common options are the following, each of which has its own characteristics:

Acrylic-based paints are recommended for use on porous coatings. They are strong and durable and can be used in damp areas without harming the composition. Such products are useful both in cellars and basements.

Moisture-resistant acrylic paint Source hotel-a.ru

If the storage area is very humid, latex composite compositions are suitable for painting it. The result is a protective layer that repels liquid and keeps the walls dry. The surface is washable and allows steam to pass through, creating an optimal atmosphere in the cellar.

Latex dispersion paint Source nashaotdelka.ru

One of the most modern solutions is water-based silicone paints. The advantages of such products are resistance to moisture, mechanical stress, as well as prevention of the development of fungus and mold. Painted surfaces are easy to clean, they allow vapor to pass through and do not pose a risk to human health. The disadvantage of this option is the high price, so not all users can afford it.

Silicone facade paint Source beton-house.com

Using lime whitewash

If the walls inside the cellar are wooden, you can use whitewash. Painting the cellar with chalk is a good solution in cases where the humidity is not very high and the ventilation is properly equipped and working.

Whitewashing a cellar is good if the humidity in it is low.

Lime is suitable for almost any type of wall decoration. Painting the cellar with lime is the most reliable option, since in addition to the appearance and transformation of the cellar, you also get an anti-fungal coating. Lime has long been known as a substance that can kill pathogens and microorganisms. By choosing a lime whitewash method, you solve two problems at the same time. In addition, lime mortars are quite affordable for every consumer.

In addition, modern manufacturers offer a range of paints for wet rooms with an antifungal effect, developed by scientists. These paints have unique functions. They release moisture from the concrete, but do not let it in. It turns out that your walls will “breathe”. This is a great option, but you will have to pay a little more money for such paint.

Another expensive option for painting a cellar is liquid glass paint. Most often used for industrial purposes, in warehouses and bunkers. Expensive, but quite long-lasting option. Having painted your cellar with this paint, you don’t have to worry about updating it for 15 years. Paints on liquid glass are not afraid of strong moisture or changes in humidity, so this is an excellent choice for painting the interior walls of a cellar.

Video description

Ventilation in the cellar.
How to paint the walls. It is a common belief that basements and cellars need to be painted every year. This is not always true, since purchasing high-quality paint allows you to postpone the next treatment for a period of 3 to 5 years.

Silicate compounds

Products based on liquid glass have won the trust of consumers due to their special properties, including high strength and resistance to moisture. The products differ in the following characteristics:

Water-repellent effect, which allows you to maintain the coating even if a large amount of liquid gets inside the cellar. The substance also has high vapor permeability, so moisture will evaporate freely from the surface without accumulating in storage.
Durability of the material. If you are thinking about how to paint the cellar so that it remains attractive for a long time, choose silicate paints. This product can remain on surfaces for more than 10 years; this is the most stable option among all possible ones.
Easy to care for. The walls can be washed without fear of damaging the coating, thereby preventing the development of mold and microorganisms in the storage area.

Silicate paint for external and internal work Source shelbelkras.by

Cellar paint is toxic

Many people think that painting a cellar is easy, because the design of this room does not require any special frills. Indeed, beautiful basements are not as important as exquisite decoration of living spaces.

But the process of painting a cellar does not become simple:

Before starting work, you need to remember safety precautions. The consequences of a frivolous attitude towards them can be catastrophic.
The main danger lies in ventilation, or more precisely in its absence or improper functioning.
It is impossible to carry out work in a stuffy room without a flow of fresh air.

Advice. When painting, you need to wear a protective mask, a respirator, and best of all, a gas mask. In a respirator, you will have to breathe the same poisoned air, only slightly restrained by thick fabric. But using a hose gas mask will allow you to breathe fresh air from the street while being in the basement.

Coloring rules

To obtain a high-quality and durable result, it is important not only what to paint the cellar with, but also how exactly to do it. No matter how modern the paint is, it will not help provide reliable coverage if the technology is violated. The procedure must be performed as follows:

The room is cleared of all unnecessary things, racks and shelves for products are removed. All items that will be stored in storage must be carefully treated with a protective compound.
Craftsmen recommend drying the cellar before painting. This is done using different methods, but their essence is the same – to remove as much moisture as possible from the room.
The bases are cleaned of dirt, stains and dust are removed.
Damaged walls are filled with cement mortar, then it must dry. The surfaces are leveled using a special grater.
The last step is to apply a primer. It must penetrate deeply into the structure of the material, contain antiseptics and protection from moisture.

Preparing walls for painting Source recn.ru
When arranging a cellar, you must definitely think about the ventilation system. Access to fresh air will extend the life of any coating.

Preparing for painting

Preparing walls for painting
Before you start painting, the room needs to be properly ventilated.

Preliminary work:

Clean the walls, remove the layer of previous coating and dry completely.
This procedure is carried out more carefully if you are painting the cellar not for the first time.
Then it won’t hurt to give it an extra brush to remove small pieces.
The less moisture there is in the cellar, the longer the paint will last.

Note. Despite their strength, stone, brick, concrete and cement walls allow water to pass through.

In this case, you definitely need high-quality waterproofing:

The simplest and most reliable way is to lay out the walls with a layer of rich mint clay (10-20 cm) and tamp it down well. The fatter the clay, the less water it allows to pass through.

Preparatory work

Like the rest of the house, the cellar requires care and attention from the owners. The first thing you need to take care of is protecting the room from moisture. To do this you will have to resort to waterproofing. This way you will get rid of excess water inside the cellar and forget about mold forever.

A quick guide to waterproofing:

Before starting construction work, carefully inspect the room for leaks and other problem areas. After they are “neutralized”, proceed to the first stage of work.
The first stage is the external drainage of the underground floor. If your soil is predominantly swampy, then perform internal drainage of the cellar. This will prevent moisture from penetrating inside.
At the second stage, arrange a waterproof blind area. To do this, concrete a circular plot of land that “encircles” the house. Now your cellar is not afraid of rain and melt water.
The next stage is the use of adhesive or penetrating waterproofing. It is best to combine these methods of protection against water with each other.

Soil structure is the main reference point

Sands

Note! The filtration coefficient of such soil is very high - and this is good. But at the same time, sandy soils have very low strength; they are most susceptible to seasonal movements and frost heaving. So these are not the best conditions for building a basement.

Clays

Advice! If you do not want the wood to begin to rot in a few years, which will force you to disassemble and repair the floor, purchase not wooden lumber for the floor, but special floor beams made of composite wood that are not susceptible to corrosion.

What else can you turn your basement into?

If the size allows, the underground room can be used not only as a storage of vegetables or equipment, but as a place for relaxation or entertainment.

Swimming pool in the basement. The ceramic floor and mosaic at the bottom of the pool will create an atmosphere of relaxation. The design of the pool can be very diverse. Many bright “eyes” compensate for the lack of windows. Take care of waterproofing and good ventilation.
A sauna under the house is convenient and unusual. Such a room is finished with clapboard and decorative or natural stone, depending on the design of the sauna.
The gym on the ground floor will appeal to active and athletic people. Now you don’t need to visit a paid gym, just go down to the basement and you’re there!
Billiard room. The special design of the basement, complemented by a billiard table, will surprise your guests. The design of such a room is usually done in a classic style, with a predominance of wooden panels. Good lighting will make not only the game enjoyable, but also the stay itself.
Wine Vault. For lovers of good wine, collectors or producers, there is the opportunity to turn the basement into a wine cellar. With convenient racks and the right temperature.

As you can see, decorating and designing a cellar is a very multifaceted and creative task.

Site consultant, builder-installer with 8 years of experience. He started his career as an installer-finisher, and currently works as a foreman in a company engaged in suburban construction.

The presence of a cellar in a private house, country house or country house means that this structure requires care.

Not only does it need to be ventilated, cleaned, removed unnecessary or missing products, and sorted what is stored on shelves and in different areas. In addition, the cellar requires cosmetic care. In particular, it is important what kind of paint your “underground warehouse” will be painted inside; the atmosphere inside the room depends on this.

Moisture-resistant base - guarantee of longevity

How to paint a metal cellar and how to choose paint for other surfaces

If the walls in the cellar are concrete, it is best to paint them with a substance with a waterproof structure:

Ordinary emulsion paint is not suitable for such a coating; it is not designed for high humidity.
If you paint concrete with an enamel mixture, it will begin to deteriorate within a week and become covered with moisture.

Advice. A water-based base with a neutral color will provide longer-lasting results. Later you can choose the desired shade for it. In this case, the wall covering will last at least a year.

Another good option for concrete walls are toxic substances - silicate paints.

The validity period of such coating is at least 5 years, even with high humidity in the room. Water simply rolls off silicate paint.

Painting boards

Choosing paint for boards in the cellar

How to paint the boards in the cellar is also an important question:

For wooden walls, lime whitewash is considered the best option. It is perfect for rooms with low humidity and proper ventilation.
The use of chalk solution provides certain “bonuses” - antifungal protection.
It has long been no secret that lime destroys pathogenic microbes and microorganisms.

Note. Thus, you solve two problems at once. And such paint costs little, and is considered the most economical option.

How to whitewash a basement from dampness?

As a rule, ordinary lime is used as whitewash, which can be found for sale in any store. Air humidity and condensation in this case will not affect the wood. In addition, to protect wooden elements from mold and mildew, it is necessary to apply antiseptic impregnation to them.

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