Foundation Parging: 4 Tips for Performing DIY Repair

house

Your home’s exterior is at risk of receiving damage from different sources, ranging from pests to occasional rainfall. Over time, exposure to harsh weather can cause a home’s foundation parging to lose its color. Besides the notable deterioration on an aesthetic level, this wear and tear can cause your foundation parging to crack. Although dirt and grime can easily be cleaned, these structural weaknesses can lead to a compromised home.

A homeowner’s DIY guide to repair foundation parging

Cracks on your foundation parging occur mainly to the house’s movement or temperature changes. Since ground movement and adjustments in weather conditions are unavoidable, occasional cracks aren’t uncommon. However, a buildup of cracks that grow wider than 1cm can signify that it runs deep inside your foundation walls. This can allow water to enter and result in a weaker wall.

It’s best to leave parging repairs to professionals since the slightest mistakes can be noticeable. However, if you want to repair the situation immediately, there is a DIY method you can follow as long as you follow important guidelines.

If you’re up to the task of repairing your foundation parging, here are four tips you should follow:

Determine your foundation parging

It’s essential to repair a parge coat with the same material. Otherwise, you’ll have to remove the coat and replace it entirely with a new one. Although this is a possible option for major replacements, it’s still best to match your home’s current parging. It will usually have either cement parging or acrylic parging. If you run out of product, remember to use the same product to maintain material and colour consistency. As a side note, use acrylic parging for small cracks on your wall. However, the suitable medium still depends on your foundation wall’s condition.

Schedule your project date

Before you repair a layer of parging, it’s important to track the weather during your workday. Like any exterior project, it’s best to execute your repairs during fair weather conditions. Some products you’ll use are only effective for temperatures above 4 degrees Celsius to set. Additionally, there shouldn’t be any rainfall for the next 24 hours after applying the parging product. Besides worrying about the rain, harsh sunlight can also cause your product to dry too fast.

Clean your surfaces completely

It’s important to have pristine walls to work with. Otherwise, any dents or dirt can be embossed on your walls over the layer of parging you’ll apply. Using a damp sponge and brush, scrub away tough stains and attached dirt on your walls. It may help to use a pressure washer to quickly and conveniently remove any problematic deposits on your walls.

Handle your parging product carefully

Once you’re ready to apply your parging, you need to ensure that you’re wearing the right protective equipment for your eyes, nose, and mouth. This is especially vital for people with allergies to dust or asthma. Using a trowel, carefully apply a parging product coat for an estimated thickness of 3/8 inches.

After applying the product, remember you only have around 40 minutes before the material starts to harden. This gives you enough time to smoothen edges and bumps around damaged areas.

Conclusion

Although it’s possible to perform DIY repair with your foundation, it’s important to note that this comes with plenty of risks. Additionally, applying parging products can lead to installation mistakes that will cause you to renovate your foundation walls anyway. For this reason, it’s in your best interest to hire professional building tradespeople to oversee your home’s repairs.

With the right structural experts, you won’t have to second guess the structural renovation of your living spaces. At Gillespie Handyman, we’re well-versed in providing precise and stable solutions to your home with different forms of repairs and replacements. If your home needs repairs for foundation parging in Ottawa, request a quote from us today!