It isn’t coolness, per se, that will cause a warping problem (as you have noticed, the panels are flat). But if the surface is cool enough to condense moisture, then that would be a problem. Also, as alluded to, Masonite is more vulnerable than some materials to a bit of expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes; therefore, if the movement is “excessive” for its attachment, it could warp/wave/detach. Again, you say that has not happened. So, I would just try for a more secure attachment, as you have indicated. You might also back-prime the Masonite panels before you reattach them to minimize absorption of moisture vapor to which it might be exposed (the more I think of that idea, the more I like it).
With all the interest in your problem you know your going to have to keep us updated…lol I really hope you find a solution to this. I know how frustrating set backs like this can be, hence the giant mess I call a train room
Thanks. I like that idea. And, it is something that I can do within the limitations of my current setup. What I wonder is whether to use a latex based or an oil based primer to back-prime the Masonite panels. It may be that oil based would be better than latex based, given the concerns over moisture.
I agree with you. If I were reading this thread instead of writing it, I would be most interested in how this is resolved. So, I will report back on the results. The issue here, of course, is the amount of time that must elapse before the success or failure of the remedy becomes obvious.
These separations occurred two years ago in the December-January time frame when the Chicago area temperatures were extremely cold, then moderated, causing a thaw that prompted the accumulated snows to melt resulting in water flowing over the foundation and down the basement wall. As a temporary measure, I screwed the loose panels back into the furring strips and left them that way throughout the next winter. But, the screws are visible and detract from the appearance of the back drops. That’s why I now want to reattach the panels. I will take some photos and keep everyone apprised of my progress and the results.
Rich
P.S. I am now also doing a better job of shoveling snow drifts away from this wall. My major problem two years ago was that a big rainstorm preceded a deep freeze causing the snow on the adjacent garage roof to melt and then refreeze in the gutters. Then, more snow. When that snow melted during a subsequent flaw, the ice dams that had formed in the gutters caused the melting snow to flow like a waterfall off the garage room and down against the wall above my basement sitting at a 90 degree angle to the back garage wall. Hopefully, that odd sequence of events will not occur again.
I have no personal experience with back-priming or painting hardboard, but I believe the safest choice would be a so-called “oil-based” or actually, an alkyd, solvent-based primer (or a shellac-based primer). Check the manufacturer’s recommendations on the can for that particular primer.
Did I understand correctly that you actually had snow-melt water running down the inside of your concrete basement walls? If so, that was almost certainly the cause of the problem.
Yes, the melting snow backed up over the top of the foundation due to the formation of ice dams. I still have bad memories of that day. It was a combination of odd circumstances including rain, then a hard freeze, snow, then a quick thaw. It never happened before in my 10 years in the house and it hasn’t happened in two winters since.
The reason that I am just getting to the back drop problem now is that I am reworking that section of the layout so I figured that I should repair the damage to the back drops. The temporary solution was to screw the loose back drop panels into the furring strips which were still securely fastened to the concrete walls.
Normally, I have no problem with my concrete walls. They have never been wet or moist. Before putting up the back drops, I coated the walls in Drylok, specifically to ensure that no moisture would seep through from the outside through the concrete foundation walls.
The problem is limited to the 3 panels on the south corner of the east wall. It was in the southeast corner of the basement wall where the snow melt water entered the basement over the top of the foundation wall. The panels never got wet, but water did run down the wall behind the panels which were are mounted on 1/4 inch furring strips, so there is a 1/4 inch space behind the panels. When I say water ran down the wall, we are talking about very small streams of water perhaps 1/8 inch wide that totaled less than two gallons of water. But, at the time, it was enough to cause a lot of anxiety.
Boy, I’ll bet there was anxiety! Interesting-and good!-that the Masonite furring strips on the wall were unaffected. Drylok is a good product-I used it on my basement walls (concrete block without any exterior dampproofing or parging!) in our former home-an old building as you can deduce.
While I didn’t notice the water seepage on the basement wall until later in the day, during the day we were in a panic because the melting snow on the garage roof couldn’t drain into the gutters since they were filled with ice. As a result, water was cascading down the adjacent brick wall of our house, and coming into our laundry room by finding its way through air spaces in the storm door and wood door weatherstrips. We resorted to placing a large piece of heavy gauge plastic sheet over the top of the closed storm door to redirect the water away from the door. In turn, the water began to re-freeze on the concrete step and back up over the top of the foundation into the basement as ice dams formed. The only thing that finally stopped it was nightfall and freezing temperatures once again. For a while, I was very concerned because I could not stop water from coming into the laundry room. At the time, it was a nightmare.