Finishing out inside of storm cellar?

OkieDavid · #1 01/20/08, 10:52 AM

Wanting to finish out the inside of our storm cellar. Sealed exceptionally well and I have no concerns about moisture infiltration. What I'm after is some product (give product names please) to use as a skim coat to cover the air bubbles/voids in the concrete then prime/paint a brighter color. Tried simply priming on a test spot and I'm not satisfied with the amount of primer/paint it's going to take to fill the voids. Looking for alternatives to reduce the darkness of the concrete and brighten the place up somewhat.

ericjeeper · #2 01/20/08, 11:03 AM

But they make a commercial paint that is a block filler.. We painted my buddies basement with Dry lock.. It has a wonderful odor.. It will get you stoned in a jiffy.. LOL Need lots of ventilation. I mean lots..But it is white and did a great job of sealing the walls to boot.

braggscowboy · #3 01/20/08, 08:21 PM

I live here in Eastern Oklahoma and know why you need the cellar. Don't know if this will work for you and I have never seen this befor, but my daughter is in the process of buying a place that has a wonderful cellar. It is metal and has rubber grid on the steps, spring loaded door, wind turbine. Carpet, two benches with carpet and is big enough for a bed with room to still sit on the benches. It is curved on the top and sides and looks like a space capsul on the inside. I don't kinow how it was done, but it looks like it has the slick surface laminate that is used in bathrooms. It is white and really light inside. That might be an idea that might help.

Columbia,SC. · #4 01/20/08, 10:35 PM

Mine is less than 4 years old and leaked like a screen door!~ I used the dry-lock stuff and it made a 180 degree difference! as mentioned you better have a good strong fan running in fresh air and take breathers!
I am going free style here but if it is really good and dry why not try sheetrock mud if you want to smooth out the walls?
If I get up the nerve I will do it in ours.
I bought 2 cans of dry-lock (damaged goods from Lowes for $5.00 each) and only used 3/4 of one can painting the floor and walls up about 48" high (past the joint line). Mine used to have moisture in the corners in the shape of an upside down V and I also had puddles you could slap at and splash.
We have been buying miss matched paint ( $1.00 a pint) so the kids (5 and 9) can go down there and paint it like they want to,,, who cares what it looks like and it will make them feel easier if we have to get in it!

P.S. I also store paint and sheetrock mud buckets in there as well as plant bulbs to keep from freezing!
I call my storm shelter a souped up septic tank/root cellar. My folks have so much stuff in theirs I joke that they will have to get an addition added to it! (cameras,computer stuff, files) ect.

OkieDavid · #5 01/21/08, 05:49 AM

Thanks guys. This cellar is about the best I've ever seen as far as size and the fact that we live in a sand box keeps it extremely dry. This one is large enough to have double bunk beds down either side and a small card table in the middle. Has two windows and two overhead 8 inch PVC vents. A small fan provides all the air movement we need for a night of storms. The only water I've ever seen in this one was when I washed it out. It was constructed as a monolithic pour (no seams).
I've thought of dry wall mud as that is about the easiest to work but I didn't know how that would bond to concrete. Easy enough to try a sample spot and there is no big rush on this as I've been tinkering off and on with it for over eight years. Laminate would probably work was well but I figure the expense on that one (as well as the logistics of holding it in place while the glue sets) will keep it off the table for now. Thanks again for your ideas.
David

foaly · #6 01/21/08, 08:19 AM

OkieDavid--

Is your storm cellar accessible from inside your home?

We have a storm cellar on our back patio installed by Tornado King. It is pretty terrific with the green astroturf carpet. It does get a little sweaty during the humid spring but I can live with that since we don't spend too much time down there. It is just big enough for six people.

I would love to have a basement. Here in the land of the F5 tornado, you would think homebuilders would put them in every home. "Sorry lady, you can't build basements in Oklahoma." No, it's just that no one remembers how and so we follow along with this silly mindset that it can't be done. Outside of OKC, lots of home have basements. Grrrrrr......

I am grateful for my storm cellar but the part I don't like is going outside in the storm to be safe from the storm. Call me crazy but..........

OkieDavid · #7 01/21/08, 10:25 AM

You have to go outside to get to ours. Typically when the warning is announced and the track is our way, we'll just go on out. It's wired with both electric and battery lighting and radio. I installed a "hard line" phone in case we lose power. Along with the usual assortment of drinks, snacks and games we have sufficent bedding and the requisite high lift jack and chain saw in case we have to spend the night out there or cut our way out after "the big one". Just one of those things you learn to live with here. Never had a basement and wouldn't know what to do with one if I had it.