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WATERPROOFING
HI-RISE WATERPROOFING
What may seem to be a simple and mundane paint job on the exterior
elevations of a high-rise structure is, in fact, a complex combination
of different products and application methods designed to seal the
building envelope.
A careful study and analysis of existing leakage from both window
& door openings, thermal & structural cracking, failure of joint
materials, and porosity of the vertical walls will reveal the work scope
necessary to adequately seal the building. Long-term remedies pay
for themselves many times over and should be the manner necessary to
approach a project. One must choose between the benefits
of 20 mil or 10 mil elastomeric coatings, and the benefits of 100 %
acrylic coatings, all of which offer different exterior
characteristics. Elastomeric coatings are very soft in nature, and
therefore produce a coating which can harbor dirt and mildew.
Acrylic coatings, on the other hand, are much harder at the surface, and
consequently stay cleaner longer, but have a tendency to crack under
stress conditions and therefore do not provide a waterproof
surface. A combination approach, a soft stretchable base coat,
followed by a harder protective surface, will provide building owners
with the best of both worlds.
URETHANE INJECTION
The urethane boom has given us many products in the
construction industry, and one of the most interesting is the use of hydrophilic
urethane injection materials. This material is used to seal water
leaks through slabs, walls, and other surfaces where positive side
waterproofing is not an option. Negative side waterproofing can be
a tremendous money saving method of controlling water leaks. The
urethanes on contact with water expand and actually chase the water
source to completely seal the crack or hole. The down-side to this
approach is that in 99% of the cases, we are unable to physically see
the cavity into which we are injecting, and therefore have no idea as to
how much material any one injection can take.
UNDERGROUND WATERPROOFING
In our world of condominiums, many developers have planters
and other grass areas that are over the main concrete deck. At the
time of construction, these areas are waterproofed, but many of the
materials used have a fairly short life span. Urethane coatings
impregnated with bitumen and other such chemicals provide a soft
elastomeric membrane that will adhere to both the retaining walls and
the concrete deck, providing a seamless waterproofing system. A further
benefit is the use of protection board which can be laid against the
coatings prior to the backfilling of soils and other planter
materials. CONTROL JOINT REPAIRS
AND SEALANT REPLACEMENT
The world of caulking (sealants) keeps improving with the
products better able to accept our climate and the constant thermal
movement. The great array of products all have their place in the
industry, but the hard work has long been the domain of plural component
polyurethanes. Some of the latest innovations have however challenged
urethane's superiority. R&J Coatings and Waterproofings's staff
pride themselves in using the very best products available. |
