Plinth
The base of a wall where it meets the ground, and the level to which a building is raised above surrounding ground.
On an actual building
It is where rising damp enters and where ground water splashes back against the wall. Damp-proofing at plinth level and correct external ground levels prevent a class of persistent damp that no amount of internal treatment resolves.
What we most often have to correct
That damp at the base of a wall is condensation. A level tide mark with salt deposits is rising damp.
Terms that come up alongside this one
- Rising Damp
Ground moisture drawn upward through the pores of masonry by capillary action, typically producing a horizontal tide mark and salt deposits..
- Capillary Action
The movement of liquid through narrow spaces against gravity, driven by surface tension.
- Efflorescence
White crystalline deposits left on a surface when water moving through masonry or concrete evaporates and leaves dissolved salts behind..
More building elements terms
Plinth — questions we get asked
What does plinth mean in waterproofing?
The base of a wall where it meets the ground, and the level to which a building is raised above surrounding ground.
Why does plinth matter on a real project?
It is where rising damp enters and where ground water splashes back against the wall. Damp-proofing at plinth level and correct external ground levels prevent a class of persistent damp that no amount of internal treatment resolves.
What do people commonly get wrong about plinth?
That damp at the base of a wall is condensation. A level tide mark with salt deposits is rising damp.
Have a building showing this?
If a term on this page describes something you are looking at, a site inspection will tell you how far it has gone and what it needs. It costs nothing.
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