Okay, so the balcony on our apartment, it’s seen better days. Little cracks were starting to show up, and after a really heavy rain last spring, I noticed a damp patch forming on the ceiling in the room right below it. My husband was like, ‘We need to get a professional to look at this,’ but you know how it is. Professionals cost money, and they take their sweet time scheduling things. I figured, ‘How hard can it be?’ I’d seen those DIY waterproofing sprays advertised, the ones that look like you’re just painting on a protective layer. Seemed like a quick fix, right?
Looking for a Quick Spray Solution
I went to a big hardware store, the kind that has aisles and aisles of tools and building materials. I was looking for something that would be easy to apply, basically like spray paint but for sealing concrete. I found a few options, some were like a thick paint you roll on, and others were actual spray cans. I remember seeing one that claimed to be a ‘waterproofing spray for concrete and balconies.’ The can showed a picture of a happy family with a dry balcony. It was around 20,000 KRW for a can, which felt reasonable enough. I bought two cans, thinking that would be more than enough. The instructions said to clean the surface first, which I did, scraping off some loose bits of old paint and dust. Then, just spray it on evenly. Easy peasy.
The Reality of Spraying on Waterproofing
Well, ‘easy peasy’ it was not. First off, that spray can is not like spraying regular paint. It’s much thicker, and it comes out in a less controlled mist. I ended up getting drips everywhere, and some spots looked way thicker than others. It was also a lot more work than I thought. The whole balcony surface, maybe about 10 square meters, took ages. I was constantly crouching, trying to get an even coat, and my arm was killing me. Plus, the smell. It was strong, not like normal paint, more chemical. I had to keep the windows to the living room shut tight for days because the fumes were really potent.
Did it Even Work?
So, the next time it rained, I was watching that ceiling in the room below the balcony like a hawk. And… it was still damp. Not as bad as before, maybe? But definitely not dry. The spray seemed to have sealed some of the bigger cracks, but the smaller ones, or maybe just areas where I didn’t spray thick enough, were still letting water through. It was so frustrating. I felt like I had wasted time, money, and a lot of effort for a result that was barely better than nothing. My husband just gave me that look, you know the one. ‘I told you so,’ but he didn’t actually say it, which was nice of him.
Trying a Different Approach: Rolling on the Goo
After the spray disaster, I was pretty bummed. But the damp patch was still there, and the thought of calling a professional still made me hesitate. I went back to the hardware store, and this time, I looked at the rolling-on waterproofing stuff. It looked more like a thick, rubbery paint. They had tubs of it, and it was definitely more expensive. A tub was about 60,000 KRW, and I needed two tubs for the balcony. The instructions were similar – clean the surface, then roll it on. This time, I decided to use a proper roller for rough surfaces and a brush for the edges. It was still messy, and it took a long time, but it felt like I was actually applying a solid layer of waterproofing. The texture was weird, kind of sticky and thick, and it took days to fully cure. You couldn’t even step on it without getting it stuck to your shoes.
The Lingering Uncertainty
After applying the second coat of the rolling stuff, and letting it cure for a good week, we had another big rain. This time, I was cautiously optimistic. And… no damp patch on the ceiling! Success? Maybe. It’s been a few months now, and things seem dry. But I still have this little voice in the back of my head wondering how long this will really last. Will it crack again next year? Will the sun degrade it? I read online that some of these DIY waterproofing jobs don’t hold up as well as professional work. So while it seems okay for now, and I avoided the high cost of hiring someone, I’m not entirely convinced it’s a permanent fix. It was definitely cheaper than hiring a contractor, maybe around 150,000 KRW for the materials and a lot of my own sweat, but the uncertainty is still there.
That sticky texture really stuck with me – it felt like a completely different material than the spray, and the curing time was intense.
The drips were a huge problem, weren’t they? I’ve found similar products do best when you apply them in really thin layers, letting each one dry completely before moving on.