Tamseal. Aqua Stop. Sika Epoxy. One Crew, Start To Finish.

Our Basement Waterproofing Process. Start To Finish.

Below-grade French drains, exterior protective coatings, foundation damp-proofing, and sump pump installation. The most-requested service in our service area.

Basement Waterproofing job before Pennacchi work began
The same basement waterproofing job after the Pennacchi crew finished
By Paul Pennacchi·Fourth-Generation Owner, A. Pennacchi & Sons

This page documents how A. Pennacchi & Sons waterproofs and finishes a basement, photographed start to finish on a real New Jersey project. The walls get a bonded three-product coating system. The floor gets real crack repair and a light gray epoxy finish. Every step is below, in the order the crew works it, and every project is Paul-led from the site visit to the final coat.

Pennacchi crew troweling Tamseal waterproofing onto prepped basement foundation walls
Step 01

Clean, Prep, And Trowel On Tamseal

Every basement starts with the walls. The crew cleans and preps all exposed foundation walls, then caulks and seals around the basement windows, sewage lines, copper pipe, and every penetration through the foundation. Thoro Acryl 60 bonding adhesive goes on the prepped block so the coating system grips the wall, followed by the first coat: Tamseal, trowel grade, worked tight across the full foundation. Coating over a dirty or failing surface is the number one reason previous waterproofing attempts peel, so the wall is made right before anything goes on it.

Basement foundation wall sealed with white Coronado Aqua Stop over Tamseal
Step 02

Seal The Walls With Coronado Aqua Stop

Over the cured Tamseal coat, the walls receive Coronado Aqua Stop Sealer in white as the final coat. This is not a hardware store sealer rolled over damp block. It is the second layer of a bonded two-coat system on a prepped foundation, corner to corner and grade line to sill. The white finish brightens the basement immediately and protects the Tamseal coat underneath it.

Basement with sealed white walls and bare concrete slab during floor crack repair
Step 03

Rout, Inject, And Patch The Floor Cracks

Cracks in the concrete slab get repaired, not painted over. The crew routs out each existing crack, injects Sika epoxy into the cleaned and prepped crack, then applies Daraweld bonding agent and a high strength patch compound to lock the repair flush with the slab. The perimeter joint where the floor meets the foundation walls is caulked and sealed as well. It is the difference between a floor system that lasts and a coating that telegraphs every crack back through in a season.

Finished basement with light gray epoxy floor coating and white sealed walls
Step 04

Coat The Floor With Epoxy

With the cracks repaired and the perimeter joint sealed, the complete slab is cleaned, prepped, and coated with light gray epoxy floor coating as the final coat. The result is the photo above: a bright, dry, sealed basement that resists moisture from the walls and the slab, wipes clean, and is ready for storage, laundry, and utilities. The same crew that prepped the first wall lays the last coat.

What Our Clients Say

A Reputation Built On Referrals.

5.0
Countless Google Reviews
MA

Michael Atkin

8 reviews

10 Months Ago

Knowledgeable, professional, reliable. Sent 6 masons to get the waterproofing job done quickly. Highly recommended. Has the knowhow to get the job done right the first time. A trustworthy expert firm.

Basement Waterproofing
LH

Lauren Hilton

1 review · 1 photo

A Year Ago

I had a roofer come out for a small leak in my attic. He fixed it and while up on the roof took pictures of my chimney. Told me I had a big problem. Lot of mortar missing. I called A. Pennacchi & Sons. Paul came out the next day. He told me what needed to be done and gave me a price. I asked him if I should add a few bricks to the top. He said "why do you want to spend more money?" What contractor says that? The men came out a few days later. On time, polite, got right to work, and cleaned up like they were never there. Paul had given me a choice of colors. His price was the best one. My chimney now looks absolutely beautiful. I would give them 10 stars.

Chimney Repoint
RT

Rich Treichler

11 reviews

A Year Ago

Great experience with Paul and the Pennacchi team. We contracted this firm to waterproof our basement and replace our basement windows. Nick was excellent at coordinating the effort, including preparation, window replacement, waterproofing, clean up, and follow up to inquire about and resolve a few questions. Happy to recommend Pennacchi and Sons.

Basement Waterproofing
BG

Brenda Giannacio

1 review

A Year Ago

A. Pennacchi & Sons has offered outstanding service since our first meeting. Honest, reliable, knowledgeable, and very responsive. The staff take pride in their work and are very respectful of your home. We highly recommend using them if you are having issues with a wet basement. We cannot thank them enough.

Basement Waterproofing
JA

Jackson Adolph

2 reviews

A Year Ago

Pennacchi sealed our basement 2 years ago. After a recent heavy rain we noticed seepage and asked Pennacchi to look at it. They sent Nick, who did an excellent job diagnosing the problem, finding the most likely seepage site, and then repairing it. Nick came by the next day, inspected the repair, and also improved sealing of 2 utility pipe entries. The rapid response, competency, diligence, and follow-up were excellent.

Basement Waterproofing Repair
MA

Mmm Aaa

Local Guide · 19 reviews · 24 photos

2 Years Ago

We are so impressed with Pennacchi & Sons. Multiple people recommended this company as the best in the region. For a company with a huge legacy, working throughout the county, there was no hesitation to see what our small job looked like and whether they could help. The crew was friendly, timely, and efficient. Ray walked us through the process, gave us a play-by-play for the best understanding of the work, and answered tons of questions. The end result was better than the original.

Masonry Restoration
MS

Michael Su

Local Guide · 11 reviews · 1 photo

2 Years Ago

Pennacchi has an exceptional reputation and we now have firsthand experience of their stellar work. The precision craftsmanship and professionalism are impressive. We had our chimneys repointed, brickwork restored, and a basement wall resealed. It all blends seamlessly and looks gorgeous. Ask for Sam as your foreman if you can, he was amazing. The entire crew was fantastic. Kudos to Paul and the leadership for building a great team. Impeccable service and beautiful finished product.

Chimney & Basement Sealing
AA

Adam Arif

Local Guide · 98 reviews · 1,020 photos

2 Years Ago

Pennacchi & Sons does amazing work. They restored my front door steps which were in bad condition. They fixed all the chips and cracks and painted them. Very professional and great service.

Stone Step Restoration
VC

Victoria Chow

9 reviews · 9 photos

3 Years Ago

Water was getting into my house because of the old brick exterior. It needed to be repointed and painted on the interior. Although this was a very small job, Paul and his son Paul Junior were incredibly professional, listened, and addressed my concerns. I left their crew to complete the work without being home and everything was safe and secure when I got back. They kept their work areas clean and took away their trash. Paul’s price was the most competitive. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Brick Repointing
WR

Wayne Richardson

8 reviews · 1 photo

3 Years Ago

My basement was leaking really bad and had 2 different companies come out and try to fix the problem with no luck. Decided to try a third time and luckily I came across APS. They came out and did amazing work and solved all my issues. Put in a French drain, sump pump, and stuccoed the walls. They had to fix all the problems the other companies did, and it was a great experience working with them. Paul was extremely professional. Highly recommend if you need the job done right the first time.

French Drain & Waterproofing
SB

S. B.

Local Guide · 14 reviews

3 Years Ago

These guys did a great job on my chimney with stucco.

Chimney Stucco
SS

Shibani Sharma

8 reviews

3 Years Ago

Excellent work. Very professional.

General Masonry
ES

Ellen Scanlon

Local Guide · 13 reviews · 1 photo

5 Years Ago

Pennacchi is the best. We had several jobs done in the past few months and found Paul and team to deliver exceptional work and service for reasonable prices. Very knowledgeable and professional. We had the basement waterproofed, foundation redone, and steps repointed. Extremely satisfied.

Foundation & Waterproofing
BC

Bill Cunningham

Local Guide · 78 reviews · 265 photos

5 Years Ago

The best in the business. Ask for Paul. Tell him Billy C. sent ya.

General Masonry
KT

Katia Ten Eyck

Local Guide · 24 reviews · 69 photos

6 Years Ago

We hired Pennacchi and Sons to waterproof our basement. We did not necessarily have issues, we just wanted to prevent any moisture problems in the future. We consulted with a few other people before speaking with Paul, the owner. Paul came up with an effective and cost-effective solution for us. We are very happy with the service and highly recommend Paul to everyone.

Basement Waterproofing
JM

John Monsport

7 reviews · 1 photo

6 Years Ago

These guys did an amazing job for us. 20 years of trying to get my basement dry and these guys finally got it to work. We actually had another company do it 15 years ago but we always got water back. Paul and his brothers worked hard and they cleaned us up as well. Thanks for letting me tell this story guys.

Basement Waterproofing
MS

Mike Salvador

2 reviews

6 Years Ago

I hired Pennacchi and Sons to do repair work on my chimney. In the 3 days they were here, they did an excellent job from start to finish. They also left my home in the same condition as it was before they came. I could not recommend this company more and would definitely hire them again if I needed future masonry work done.

Chimney Repair
MB

MeghanB

16 reviews · 2 photos

6 Years Ago

Gorgeous job repairing and painting my chimney.

Chimney Repair & Paint
BK

B. K.

Local Guide · 56 reviews · 1 photo

6 Years Ago

You want the best, call Paul at Pennacchi & Sons. Great work and he stands by all his work. A++

General Masonry
MP

Marcus Padulchick

Local Guide · 102 reviews · 32 photos

7 Years Ago

I would use them again. We needed a front porch and patio repaired. They did a great job and are very responsive to follow up. Attention to detail is certainly something I was impressed with.

Porch & Patio Repair
How Long Does The Full Basement Process Take?
Most residential basements run two to five working days depending on square footage and cure times. The Tamseal coat must cure before the Coronado Aqua Stop goes on, and the epoxy crack repairs must set before the floor coating is applied. The crew sequences the stages so each coat bonds to a properly cured surface.
What Products Do You Use On Basement Walls And Floors?
The wall system is Thoro Acryl 60 bonding adhesive, a trowel grade coat of Tamseal, and a final coat of Coronado Aqua Stop Sealer in white. Floor cracks are injected with Sika epoxy, bonded with Daraweld, and patched with high strength compound before the slab is coated with epoxy floor coating. These are commercial grade materials, applied in the order the manufacturers specify.
Do You Coat Over Damp Or Failing Walls?
No. Coating over damp or dirty masonry is the reason most previous waterproofing attempts peel within a season. We clean and prep the foundation, seal every window and penetration, and apply a bonding adhesive before the first coat goes on. If the wall is actively wet, the source of the water gets corrected before any coating is applied.
What If My Basement Takes On Water During Storms?
Active water entry is a drainage problem, not a coating problem. No wall paint will hold back standing water. In that case we install an interior French drain and sump system first, then apply the wall and floor system on a dry foundation. The site visit determines which scope your basement needs.
Is This The Same As Finishing A Basement?
No. A finished basement adds framed walls, drywall, and flooring. This system protects and brightens the masonry itself: parged and coated walls, sealed slab cracks, and a painted floor. It is the right scope for storage, laundry, utilities, and any basement you want clean and dry without the cost of a full build-out. It is also the correct first step before any finishing work.
Start Your Project

Ready For This Process In Your Basement?

Call the Hamilton headquarters or submit the form. A specialist replies promptly to confirm scope and schedule a site visit.

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