Tips on Waterproof Coatings Tips
Read these 4 Tips on Waterproof Coatings Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Waterproofing tips and hundreds of other topics.
Waterproofing Membranes
The point of a waterproofing membrane is to protect a building's visual and structural integrity by keeping water where it belongs and out of where it doesn't. You might need a few tips on waterproof coatings and some explanations before getting started. To do its job and achieve total "waterproofocity", a membrane has to be:
• Impermeable. The membrane must be impermeable to prevent the passage of water.
• Flexible - membranes need to withstand any normal movement that may occur in building structures.
• Durable. The membrane must be able to retain its integrity over a long period of time.
• Designable. The membrane must lend itself to design details in a building. It must be suitable for each specific application. If a membrane cannot be applied where needed because of structural details, it is useless.
• Breathable. The membrane must be able to breathe so that moisture vapors from building interior and substrates can escape freely.
• Bondable. The membrane must be able to bond easily and readily to tiles that are fixed directly to them.
• User-friendly. The membrane must be easy to apply, relatively lightweight, non-hazardous, and environmentally safe.
• Repairable and maintainable. In exposed areas such as rooftops, the membrane should require little maintenance, and in the event of damage must be easily repairable.
• Continuous. The membrane should provide a continuous film, without areas of weakness such as overlaps, which could prove to be a potential source of water entry.
• Resistant. The membrane must withstand environmental and climatic conditions.
Cementitious Waterproofing System
No. Cementitious was never a Pope. Couldn't have been. Cementitious systems contain Portland cement with and sand combined with an active waterproofing agent. These systems include metallic, crystalline, chemical additive and acrylic modified systems. These systems can be applied as negative or positive side waterproofing.
Bentonite Waterproofing Systems
Natural clay systems, known as bentonite act as waterproofing by swelling when exposed to moisture thus becoming impervious to water. This swelling can be 10 to 15 percent of the thickness of the base material. Clay panels and sheets are popular for use in blind-side waterproofing applications such as on retaining earth systems and elevator and sump pits.
Sheet-Membrane Waterproofing System
Sheet-Membrane Systems—Sheet membranes used in below grade applications are similar to the materials used in roofing applications and include thermoplastics, vulcanized rubbers and rubberized asphalts. *The thickness of these systems varies from 20 to 120 mils.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Heidi Splete |
