Waterproofing Products & Methods

Most poured concrete basements have cracks of some kind that occur during the curing process. This is very common at window openings, beam pockets, and sometimes at corners or elevation changes.

When the soil around the foundation gets wet, it creates a constant hydrostatic pressure against the wall that will push water into the basement through even the tiniest crack. Moisture can also get into basements through capillary action which acts like a sponge and draws water from areas of high concentrations (exterior soils) to areas of low concentrations (interior basement walls) especially in the presence of minimal foundation protection.

DMX AG™ isolates these cracks and capillaries from the surrounding wet soil, to prevent this from happening, and provides a clear negative side drainage path for ground moisture to be redirected to the footing drains, eliminating lateral water flow into the basement.

DMX AG™ creates an air gap between wet soil and your basement wall, allowing the poured concrete and concrete block walls to breathe and provides a clear negative side drainage path to disperse any ground moisture that might find its way behind the membrane. Wet soil never touches the wall next to your living space, thus reducing the chances of water infiltration into the basement.

The DMX AG™ is made of HDPE which is an impermeable material to water, and when installed according to our installation guide keeps water exterior to the foundation walls. This means dryer basements for the end user and a wider choice of finishing materials for completing a basement area.

Yes! We suggest installing an extra row of DMX Quik Clips in the body of the DMX AG to help stand up to the vertical pressure heavy clay soil can exert on the membrane and wall.

(See our Installation Manual for details.)

This is highly unlikely when DMX is installed properly. However, even if the sheet was damaged and water got behind it, the air gap would prevent water from getting into the home by diffusing hydrostatic pressure build-up and providing a drainage path to the footing tile. Because there is no direct soil contact with the wall, water just drains down to the footing and away through the drainage system.

The configuration of the dimple structure allows for continuous flow of water along the path of dimples and air gap to the footing drain and resists the transport of drainage water to the foundation wall. The “conical” shape of the dimple provides a low resistance to vertical water flow and minimizes lateral movement of water, providing maximum protection of the foundation wall from moisture contact with the wall.

You will need DMX Quik Clips and plastic washers for attaching the membrane to the foundation. Use with 1¼ inch concrete nails for poured or concrete block foundations, and 1½ inch coated deck screws for ICF foundations.

DMX FlexTrim is available for sealing cut edges in the membrane where the flat panel has had to be trimmed off, such as around basement below grade windows or along the top of the membrane on a slope. For full details, download our DMX AG Installation Manual. What types of foundation can I use DMX AG™ on? Every type you can think of—poured concrete, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), block wall, and wood.

Absolutely! DMX AG™ will protect everything from a modest crack in a residential foundation to the stone foundations of century-old churches and homes.

The dimples in DMX AG™ create a negative side air gap that eliminates the hydrostatic load (pressure) that forces water into the foundation, via cracks and capillaries as discussed earlier. Without the dimples in DMX AG™, the product would be in direct contact with the foundation exterior, minus a negative side clear drainage path, that potentially could trap moisture against the wall should it get behind the membrane and force water intrusion into the basement. The key to the success of the DMX AG™ is the dimple for the control of hydrostatic pressure and ground moisture control.

Not at all! You can use DMX AG™ for under slab vapor barriers, exterior wall protection, interior wall repairs*, built-up flower beds, retaining wall protection**, around culverts, and many other commercial or industrial applications. Keep watching as we come up with even more! If your application calls for more robust drainage than simply moisture protection, you can use our DMX Drain™ Geocomposite Drainage Boards which are economical and very effective.

* Check with local building Codes on the use of exposes plastics and accepted practices for interior uses

** Drainage is very important in retaining wall designs, ensure appropriate drainage is accounted for before installing DMX AG™ (ie; sand, gravel, DMX Geocomposite)

Yes, but only in areas where there have been extensive geotechnical studies done to determine that a drainage tile is not necessary and the local water tables are not expected to cause any problem in terms of load bearing for the soil conditions. Consult your local Building Code or Regulations on the implementation and requirements regarding the installation of weeping tile or drainage pipes as defined in the Codes or by a Professional Engineer competent in soils investigations.