How to lay the waterstop on the exterior wall of the basement

Everyone has built the waterstop on the basement’s exterior wall many times. But, there is a small project today. The construction team wants to build it per the following pictures. To ease the construction, the carpenter only made a ten-centimeter wooden formwork. I always feel that it is very strange. I post it here for everyone to discuss.

There are various opinions

Master A said: This is a method that was often used before. As long as someone cleans up the construction joint properly, there is no problem. Using the waterstop steel plate is troublesome. Someone needs to weld the joints. If not handled properly, it is easy to leak.

B said: Raft foundation? No problem. After pouring the concrete, make sure the construction team can keep building the shear wall formwork shown in the drawings.

C said: Why not follow the national standard drawing set? The idea is quite creative, but it is both wasteful and troublesome.

D said: A steel plate waterstop and a tongue-and-groove shape increase construction difficulty. Is it necessary?

E said: Strong! The rusted steel bars are like that and not treated! The steel plate waterstop must match the drawings and specs. Don’t do whatever you want. The carpenter must rectify the wooden formwork. The position of the steel plate waterstop and the tongue-and-groove has its reasons. This is the reserved construction joint. It ensures the project’s safety and quality when connecting to the next section.

F said: The specs say to place the steel plate waterstop for the foundation guide wall at least 300 cm above the foundation top. The pictures clearly violate the design and construction specifications. How did it pass the concealed inspection?

G said: Do the steel plate waterstop per the drawings and specs. Don’t do whatever you want. The carpenter must rectify the wooden formwork. The position of the steel plate waterstop… The position of the steel plate waterstop is incorrect. The wooden formwork is not for setting the tongue-and-groove. It’s a hanging formwork less than ten centimeters high.

Well, by now, everyone has a clear judgment on this case. So, for future work on the basement’s exterior wall, please follow the specs to avoid problems.