Will adding weed cloth and mulch around my foundation cause basement dampness?

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strategery

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I want to put down some paper and mulch to control the weeds and for cosmetic value. I already have a damp basement which i deal with by opening windows when it's dry out (fall, early spring) and dehumidify during the summer. Will this likely contribute to the problem?

I'm not sure if there's anything else I can do about the moisture, at least nothing that's within my reach right now. I've already extended the downspouts as far as I can.

My other half wants to improve the appearance of the house around the shrubbery and she is pushing to put down the paper and the mulch.
 
Adding material that holds water near the house will not help and will make waterproofing a bigger job when you decide to do it.
 
We put down 3 feet of plastic [the thicker the better] with 3-4 inches of rock on top when we redid our basement wall. Not a weed in sight. It is also sloped away from the house so any water that doesn't hit the gutters runs away from the basement. Another advantage of rock vs mulch is that you don't have to replace it every year. Depending on how much your other half wants to spend it comes in all kinds of pretty colors too. The gutter downspouts have black pipe that run a minimum of five feet from the house. If water is really a problem , you may want to talk her into removing the shrubs so the plastic doesn't have holes, and putting some nice planters on top of the heavy plastic and rock.
 
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