Can anyone please enlighted on the difference between "tanking" and "dry lining"?

What different methods are there for keeping damp out of a basement so it can be converted to being a regular room?

Thanks

Two totally different things tanking is damp proofing your cellar its basically a really thick plastic membrane almost like egg box so the water, condensation etc has space to run down the back often into a drainage and a sump pump removes the water.
You can also mix a special agent into render instead of tanking this actually stops the water coming in full stop!
Although the water would then go somewhere else mabe your neighbours?
I think the plastic is best for most jobs as it still allows water to move freely round your house as it has probably done for 100 years.
We just converted an outbuilding and tanked it as one of the walls was slighlty below ground and had water coming in with heavy rain.
Dry lining refers to plasterboarding a wall.
Hope this helps!

numero uno has covered the basics on damproofing for you but its probably worth noting that there are various other issues around converting a basement into a regular room e.g. fire escape, daylight, ventilation, insulation etc etc. Nothing insurmountable but you will need to think about them/get some advice.

You will also need to gain building control approval.

Hopefully helpful - I'm a bit new to the whole forum thing!

Thank you. From your replies it sounds like the membrane type was what had been originally mentioned to us. The basement is set into a hill so the front is fully under ground the sides are partly under and the back is open with a window and a door to the outside world.

I assume the membrane would then be plasterboarded over?

Are there different products/types of materials for doing the plastic sheeting?

There are a couple of types of membane one has a mesh attached so you can just use drywall adhesive and stick the boards to it and the other has nothing so you have to build studwork from either timber or metal and attach the boards to that.

There are various types of damp proofng for use in different areas someone i knew ordered tanking off the internet because it was cheap and received a thick grade visqueen.
You can also get a damp barrier that you put on the outside before you backfill with soil the list goes on....

If you are stuck on planning etc just give the planning office and building regs a call at the council they are very helpful. You can also complete a HE1 form i think you can download them, send that in to planning and they will say if you need it or not. It all depends on what you are wanting to use the room for.

If you need anymore information please feel free to pm me

Lucky you - a window makes all the difference to basement conversions.

Unless you are a pretty brave DIYer I would recommend getting a builder that has done this work before to have a look and give you a quote...if tanking isn't done correctly the damp will get in and cause you all sorts of problems which can cost a lot to sort out restrospectively.

If you need any help with regs etc give me a shout.

The tanking is part of a property development I hope to be working on soon and I just wanted to get my head around the technologies and methods used before I look at costs.

Sounds interesting - if you do want any other help, let me know. I've got a fair bit of experience managing various types of development and can run you through the various issues, including planning etc.

I also have a few contacts with cost consultants etc which I can pass on.

The tanking is applied to the outer face of the basement wall which may also need insulating depending on the wall build up to meet current building regualtion requirements for heat loss prevention through basement walls and floors.
If it's a retaining wall then obvious calculations need to be done by a structural engineer to ascertain the wall build up and thickness (which will also impact on the required insulation), be it all concrete or masonry with reinforcement. the internal surface is then finished appropriately, either left exposed concrete/fair faced blockwork/brickwork or dry lined and skimmed.

(Sorry, just a subject I have experience and interest in)

The tanking is applied to the outer face of the basement wall which may also need insulating depending on the wall build up to meet current building regualtion requirements for heat loss prevention through basement walls and floors.
If it's a retaining wall then obvious calculations need to be done by a structural engineer to ascertain the wall build up and thickness (which will also impact on the required insulation), be it all concrete or masonry with reinforcement. the internal surface is then finished appropriately, either left exposed concrete/fair faced blockwork/brickwork or dry lined and skimmed.

(Sorry, just a subject I have experience and interest in)

A bit of confusion here, tanking is where you hold water back with a render or similar, drained cavity is where you effectively 'dry line' the walls with a membrane and (usually plasterboard over) it is called dry-lining as no wet trades are involved, the membrane and plasterboard are applied dry, rather than as a wet mix render or plaster.

The conclusion is right though, the British Standard, BS8102 quoted drained cavity as the most reliable, and I can assure you that it is. You should always use a sump and pump and underfloor channeling for the best results.

Cheers,

Ray