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  • COMMAIK
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  • The Villa
    • The top floor
    • The upper floor
    • The first floor
    • The cellar
    • The garden
  • Stories from the construction
    • irrigation
    • Photovoltaics
    • Pool and terrace
    • SmartHome
    • The planning
    • The demolition
    • The installation
    • Machinery
    • Restoration and working techniques
    • This and that
  • Videos
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    • Garden kitchen
    • Pool
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    • Tutorials
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  • Draining the basement with a new horizontal barrier – conclusion after 9 months

    A man with gray hair and a thoughtful expression stands in front of a textured beige wall with faded markings, while a large white arrow points to a spot where a horizontal barrier was installed for drying purposes. www.commaik.de

    It is now nine months since our old damp cellar was drained with a retrofitted horizontal barrier – time to take stock. In a building over 100 years old like ours, which was built without the foundation waterproofing that is common today, moisture in the basement is a real challenge. As the rising damp in our cellar became increasingly visible, I installed a new horizontal barrier with injection cream in the thick cellar walls to create a barrier against the ground moisture. In this article, I show in detail what effect the moisture barrier has had, where problems still exist and what other measures seem sensible to keep the cellar…

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    Partially completed garden kitchen with unfinished wooden cabinets, a dark worktop, an open window, and power tools on the counter. Trees and buildings can be seen outside. www.commaik.de

    Build your own garden kitchen – worktop and jamb for the outdoor kitchen

    20. May 2024
    A black Reolink NVR device is shown against a gray background. A large text in German reads "Hard disk retrofitting". The Reolink logo appears in the bottom left corner. www.commaik.de

    Expand Reolink NVR storage space – Installing and configuring hard disks correctly

    26. February 2026
    A surveillance control room with six security cameras surrounding a Reolink recording device on a desk, monitors displaying blurred Reolink footage in the background. www.commaik.de

    The best storage solutions for Reolink surveillance cameras: recommendations & experiences

    31. January 2025
  • Drainage – retrofitting a horizontal barrier yourself

    A gloved hand holds a white stick near a moldy wall. On the wooden floor, a silver packet labeled NOVUstick für nachträgliche Horizontalsperren contains 10 sticks for creating an effective horizontal barrier and improving drainage. www.commaik.de

    In addition to draining the outside of my villa, which was built in 1900, some of the basement walls also need to be sealed from the inside. The horizontal barrier in the 36 to 80 centimeter thick walls is no longer in tact. This time I dared to install a retrofit horizon blocker and used the NovuSticks for this. Here I describe my approach and my experiences.

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    Built-in outdoor kitchen featuring a black gas grill with a sizzling sizzle zone in the center, a side burner on the left, and sleek metal drawers and cabinets below—all set in a stylish wooden and concrete counter. www.commaik.de

    Permanently installing the sizzle zone of the Napoleon gas barbecue in the outdoor garden kitchen

    30. April 2025
    Two surveillance cameras are shown on the left and a network diagram for installing an IP camera is shown on the right. Below is written: Install Reolink surveillance cameras yourself. www.commaik.de

    Install surveillance cameras yourself – IP camera network explained simply

    16. January 2026
    Partially completed garden kitchen with unfinished wooden cabinets, a dark worktop, an open window, and power tools on the counter. Trees and buildings can be seen outside. www.commaik.de

    Build your own garden kitchen – worktop and jamb for the outdoor kitchen

    20. May 2024
  • Draining the cellar – 1 year later

    In a damp cellar, plastic containers are inserted into holes at the base of a brick wall to dry out the room. A red dehumidifier and various appliances can be seen in the background. www.commaik.de

    I have been working on draining the cellar for a good 2 years. In addition to repairs to the pipe system, ventilation concepts, dehumidifiers, dryers and a pump shaft in the cellar, I also installed a subsequent horizontal barrier with a masonry injection. It is now time for a review and a summary of the individual measures.

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    Partially constructed cinder block walls on a wet concrete floor, with stacked bricks and construction materials, including pipes and cables, suggest preparations to build a pool. The area appears to be under construction. www.commaik.de

    Build your own pool – Masonry walls with reinforcement | Set formwork stones

    8. August 2021
    A close-up of a sprinkler spraying water over a lush, green lawn on a sunny day showcases the benefits of planning lawn irrigation, with a stone wall and some trees in the background. www.commaik.de

    Plan and install lawn irrigation yourself 2 – Calculating the water connection

    13. May 2020
    A long gabion retaining wall made of wire cages filled with rocks stands beside a dirt path, showcasing the strength and durability of gabion construction. Some building materials and houses are visible in the background. www.commaik.de

    Securing a slope with gabions – 1. initial situation and preparation

    20. April 2020
  • Dry out the cellar yourself – infrared heating is used

    Plastic bottles attached to a pipe run along a brick wall in a basement or garage, probably part of a drainage system. Nearby is an easel or a whiteboard on blocks with several cables hanging above it. The floor is made of concrete. www.commaik.de

    In order to make the basement rooms of our over 100-year-old city villa usable, I first have to dry them out. The house is partially built into the slope. On the east side the basement floor is at ground level and on the west side about 200 cm below ground level. I have already used various methods for draining. I am currently creating a new watertight horizontal barrier in the masonry using chemical agents such as injection liquid, injection sticks and injection cream. I have already drained the eastern part of the cellar. Now it is the turn of the western part of the building. This time I let my…

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    Close-up of a heavily rusted and corroded basement metal girder with jagged edges showing considerable decay. A blurred ladder and a bright background can be seen through a large hole in the metal. www.commaik.de

    Renovate basement ceiling yourself – safely replace steel beams

    25. October 2020
    A stylish party room with black walls, a tan floor, and a wood-burning stove with firewood storage. A partial wooden divider with a large window opening separates the space from the cellar-style utility area in the background. www.commaik.de

    Build your own party room in the basement

    14. March 2014
    A man holds a roll of infrared heating foil. An arrow points to a thermal image revealing heat distribution on the floor. The words Infrarot Heizfolie are displayed above. www.commaik.de

    Efficient heating with infrared heating foil: installation, experience and tips for electric wall heating

    11. February 2025

Autor & Blogger

In this construction diary, we share our experience in the renovation and modernization of our Art Nouveau villa and hope to give a few suggestions and tips to some of you.

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