Waterproofing Of Homes
Waterproofing for subfloors, Waterproofing for bathroom floors
When constructing a new building where below grade structures may be at risk for water intrusions, such as basements, elevator pits, or underground garages, waterproofing is essential to keep these areas dry.
Waterproofing of structures requires a high level of skill and planning, because ground moisture can come in many forms and affect structures in different ways. One common method involves the application of waterproofing materials to the interior and exterior walls of the structure, including the floors, to completely create a watertight seal against ground contact.
Polyurethane is a resilient, flexible and durable material that can be placed on paint, cotton, rubber, metal or wood in thousands of applications across virtually all fields. Since its invention during the 1940s, polyurethane has been used in a wide range of items, from baby toys to airplane wings, and it continues to be adapted for contemporary technology.
Polyurethane Elastomers
Pros
- Abrasion resistance
- Cut and tear resistance
- Higher load bearing ability
- Ozone resistance
- Microbial resistance
- Oil and petroleum resistance
- Non-marking, non-staining
- Versatility
- Superior dynamic performance
When elastomeric wall coatings were first introduced to the market they were sold like magic in a can. "Solve all of your water intrusion problems. Don't paint, waterproof!" was the mantra of manufacturers' representatives and painting contractors alike as they convinced customers to "upgrade" from traditional paint to elastomeric waterproof coating.
Elastomeric Wall Coating Provides a Long Lasting Waterproof Coating
Exterior masonry walls--particularly ones that are weathered--have long represented one of the most difficult maintenance challenges for the contractor, the painter, and the waterproofer alike. Most architectural and maintenance paints are based on "hard" polymers. As a result, the films formed by these formulations tend to be relatively rigid and in-elastic.
A Better Alternative: Elastomeric Wall Coating
For more than three decades, virtually everyone associated with the construction industry has known about the limitations of traditional paints on masonry. Recognizing that hard binders were not the answer, the industry turned to "softer" polymers with much lower glass transition temperatures. Because they had low glass transition temperatures, they furnished excellent elasticity and flexibility over a wide range of temperatures. Formulations based on these polymers were better able to tolerate dimensional fluctuations without cracking than conventional paints.
Elastomerics are applied at about five times to ten times the thickness of traditional acrylic paints. This higher film build has advantages, like minimizing the appearance of surface imperfections and offering waterproofing properties.
Facts about elastomeric coating
1. In order to achieve elastomeric waterproofing properties, care must be taken to apply these products at their recommended dry film thickness. This may necessitate the application of additional coats. Because of its high build, elastomeric coatings usually have a texture. Care must be taken during application to "dress down" to achieve proper appearance.
2. Often severe attack on the coating comes from the back. The primer must be able to resist alkalinity and support the stress of the cured elastomeric coating film. 3. Elastomerics only bridge hairline cracks. Proper repair of structural and moving cracks is critical to prevent water from getting behind the coating.
4. Elastomerics are just as good for new buildings as they are as maintenance coatings. Many more failures occur on new buildings. This is due to the fact that structural cracks and high alkalinity are often initial conditions that tend to lessen as the building ages.
Why is waterproofing important?
Waterproofing regulations apply to the sub floor and some areas of the floor itself. The importance of effective moisture prevention cannot be underestimated; water damage can cause severe long term damage to the structure and make it unsound. This can be very costly to repair - if it's repairable at all - and can cause accidents if not treated in time.
Waterproofing for subfloors
As a rule, your builder should be well aware of the waterproofing requirements for subfloors, and the correct waterproofing should be installed as standard part of the subfloor construction. The National Building Code, state construction regulations and city construction regulations provides specifications for different waterproofing requirments.The regulations are in place to prevent water from rising from underneath your house, seeping up through the concrete and weakening the foundations.
Waterproofing for bathroom floors
Because they're likely to see more water than any other area inside your house, it's particularly important that bathroom floors are properly waterproofed. There are regulations that your waterproofing will need to comply with, as set out by the Building code and other city/municipal rules and regulations.
Polycoat products waterproofing materials are duly certified by many city councils for there quality. The products are environment friendly and are VOC free. The products are fire retarding and are fire rated.
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