# Glue / Sealant on stem wall & pier blocks **URL:** \ **Category:** Structural Inspections\ **Created:** [December 7, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718 "2025-12-07T22:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dfreund](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/dfreund/32/339074_2.png) [@dfreund](https://forum.nachi.org/u/dfreund)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/1 "2025-12-07T22:12:44Z")
I’m working on a narrative and wondering if anyone has a guess as to what this sealant/glue-looking material is and why it was applied (sloppily) in this manner? It was on most (if not all) of the stem wall and pier blocks. It made no sense to me. 1962 build, single-family ![IMG_2800](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/7/c/a/7ca86c7cbbbdf4b782b14040e801bc5e41eb3670.jpeg) ![IMG_2795](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/6/8/2/6829bd71b1b8dbcf81eb020dcaa066a6e3c22eed.jpeg) ![IMG_2791](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/5/1/4/5144a73c7eedc6827b70bdd868f3322a7dc94f10.jpeg) Edit: This one looks like possibly a past repair (or cover-up). ![IMG_2788](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/9/3/9/939f3b0ba462927beed31adc6e7d943b9dd1895c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![sbridges2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/sbridges2/32/213319_2.png) [@sbridges2](https://forum.nachi.org/u/sbridges2)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/2 "2025-12-07T22:20:25Z")
Do you think that at one time their was a plastic vapor barrier adhered to the block wall and around the support posts? ---
**Author:** ![jspencer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jspencer/32/172267_2.png) [@jspencer](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jspencer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/3 "2025-12-07T22:23:08Z")
That was my guess. ---
**Author:** ![dfreund](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/dfreund/32/339074_2.png) [@dfreund](https://forum.nachi.org/u/dfreund)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/4 "2025-12-07T22:23:17Z")
> [@sbridges2](#): > > Do you think that at one time their was a plastic vapor barrier adhered to the block wall and around the support posts? Possibly, and that would make sense since this home had a sump pump and lots of past water intrusion as you can see in the pics. I rarely see sump pumps, at least in this area. ---
**Author:** ![mfellman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/mfellman/32/369692_2.png) [@mfellman](https://forum.nachi.org/u/mfellman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/5 "2025-12-07T22:23:27Z")
> [@sbridges2](#): > > Do you think that at one time their was a plastic vapor barrier adhered to the block wall and around the support posts Good call…. that post in the first pic sure looks like it could have spent some time on the wet side of a vapor barrier ---
**Author:** ![jspencer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jspencer/32/172267_2.png) [@jspencer](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jspencer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/6 "2025-12-07T22:27:07Z")
![Vapor barrier 3](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/1/1/0/110cd70f822b24d1c4813d845d16ea7a46e48015.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![kleonard](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/kleonard/32/170953_2.png) [@kleonard](https://forum.nachi.org/u/kleonard)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/7 "2025-12-07T22:27:36Z")
> [@sbridges2](#): > > Do you think that at one time their was a plastic vapor barrier adhered to the block wall and around the support posts? That was my first thought as well. The stains are evidence of a previous (or current) moisture problem. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/e/d/9/ed9fcf9701bdf10c52668f1b55a8cca968e779d6.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![lhenderson2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/lhenderson2/32/58205_2.png) [@lhenderson2](https://forum.nachi.org/u/lhenderson2)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/8 "2025-12-08T00:25:34Z")
Some of the photos show evidence of something like a vapor barrier that was once stuck in the sealant. ---
**Author:** ![ryoung7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/ryoung7/32/188798_2.png) [@ryoung7](https://forum.nachi.org/u/ryoung7)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2025, 2:10am UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/glue-sealant-on-stem-wall-pier-blocks/262718/9 "2025-12-08T02:10:26Z")
Narrative: Incomplete encapsulation.