As we go through the building process for the house, I am coming up with many questions about the materials being used, and learning a lot along the way.  I want to make sure I know what’s going into our Whitaker Corners Barden Home.

With the foundation poured and in place, the GC put a wrap of sorts around the outside of the foundation walls, before any backfilling takes place.  I wanted to know more about the wrap, so my GC sent me the product name:  Platon Foundation Protector.

The idea behind the product is to keep wet soil away from the foundation walls, which obviously helps to keep your basement dry.  The wrap is a tough, waterproof, double-dimpled, high-density polyethylene plastic membrane.  The dimples create an air path between the wall and the wrap.  If any water does find it’s way behind the wrap, it moves down the membrane between the dimples and into the footing drain. 

Unlike many waterproofing options for foundations, the Platon system is not adhered to the foundation with an adhesive.  This allows the membrane to remain in one piece should the foundation wall crack, shift or settle over time.  The system has a 30 year warranty.

Here’s a pic from their website of the product that kind of shows how it works:

Pricey?

From what I’ve been reading online, the Platon membrane is actually more affordable, especially when you consider labor for installation.  It also allows you to install in any weather conditions, unlike sprays and peal and sticks.