Insulating coatings in construction and repair work are given special attention. Even if the main material of the structure has high technical and operational indicators in the form of strength and durability, the lack of protection against adverse climatic factors will not allow them to properly perform their functions. This applies to both temperature and humidity, as well as sound insulation. In this case, one of the most common materials of this kind is considered - waterproofing. This is an extensive group of insulating coatings, the tasks of which, however, go far beyond just protecting against water and moisture.
Appointment of waterproofing materials
Contact with water, as well as an increased moisture coefficient, adversely affects many materials. To prevent interactions of this kind, insulators are used that exclude the penetration of water and moisture. This task is solved in different ways. Waterproofing materials differ in structural design, functionality, efficiency, standard sizes, shapes, etc. Modern materials, which are membranes, also differ in the principle of moisture control. Such an insulator not only creates a barrier, accumulating water,but absorbs it and removes it through the appropriate channels. The simplest means of such protection involves minimizing the ingress of water. In particular, it can be ground waterproofing. With your own hands, it can be formed on a garden plot by laying out several layers of rubble and sand. Conversely, there are insulators that must completely block the access of not only moisture, but also steam. These are materials that provide maximum tightness in swimming pools, in critical equipment operation areas, etc. That is, the material is used not only in construction, but also in technological production processes.
Special waterproofing properties
The basic operational quality of waterproofing is hygroscopicity. This is the ability to maintain its structure and technical qualities in close contact with water. Hygroscopicity refers to the resistance of the insulation itself, but there is also a whole group of properties that determine how effective a particular material will be as a protective barrier. To evaluate such characteristics, experts use properties such as water retention, water absorption, moisture absorption, etc. As for water retention, in fact, this is the degree of sealing that a particular waterproofing can provide. This property determines, for example, whether the coating will be able to prevent the passage of water under the roof during a rainstorm. Moreover, the nuances of third-party exposure can be taken into account, when water accumulates at the location of the insulating coating. The pressure increases and under it the tightness can decrease. Moisture and water absorption is a group of more modern qualities that are appropriate to evaluate in membrane-type insulators. Such materials can absorb certain volumes of water and hold until it evaporates.
Waterproofing release forms
On the market, the material is offered in the form of panels, films, bulk fractions and liquid formulations. The most common format is the panel. It is a sheet material with easy installation and relatively high efficiency. Usually with its help the main protection of a roof, front walls and ceilings is realized. The film is more flexible in application, does not take up much space and is versatile in terms of installation locations. But most often, roofs are equipped with film insulators, protecting the thermal insulation from getting wet. Loose waterproofing agents are sometimes used as a filtration material. This is the same sand and gravel, in some cases supplemented with a film sheath. Recently, liquid mixtures have also been popularized. How to make waterproofing based on such material? It is usually supplied in special spray cans. The application is carried out with the help of pistols that feed the solution through a nozzle. Then the applied mixture hardens like a sealant. This method of isolation is used pointwise in the treatment of hard-to-reach areas. For example, if you need to seal deep seams in the same roof.
Classification of materials by application
In construction, this division distinguishes between external and internal barriers. The largest percentagemoisture enters the house from the outside. The most common sources are precipitation and groundwater. Accordingly, high-quality external insulation must be provided. In this part of the protection, polymer-bitumen sheets are more often used, which allow you to completely cover problem areas. With the help of burners, the insulator is soldered with a hermetic cover of the joints. Potentially hazardous areas include roofs, windows, basements and plinths. Internal waterproofing is a means of protection aimed at combating condensate, leaks in plumbing communications, water splashes during domestic use of taps, etc. In this case, we are talking about the protection of facing materials inside the premises. This type of waterproofing can be provided with a liquid coating, or you can initially purchase finishing materials that have a high waterproof coefficient.
Classification by application method
In accordance with this classification, assembly, pasting, filling, painting and cast insulators are distinguished. Mounting includes panel sheet materials that are fastened with hardware - self-tapping screws, nails, brackets, etc. This method is considered one of the most reliable, but it requires additional sealing, since mechanical fixation is ineffective in this regard. One of the easiest to install is pasted waterproofing, for laying which it is sometimes enough to remove the back protective film and lay the material. Usually these are roll coatings, for the fixation of which they are also used.special adhesive solutions with a water-repellent effect. Backfill materials also do not cause problems in laying - it is enough to form and compact them correctly. Paint insulation protects the specific parts and structures to which it is applied. These are protective paints and varnishes, most often used in the processing of wood and metal. Molded waterproofing is a group of fusible or liquid materials that are applied to the target area under high temperature and harden over time.
Special types of waterproofing
This category of waterproofing materials includes industrial materials. For example, there is an insulating impregnation, which can be processed in the factory the same wood. The composition of the impregnations contains active chemical elements, plasticizers and modifiers that improve the insulating qualities of the material structure itself. Sprayed polymer waterproofing, consisting of a basic synthetic component and a curing catalyst, also belongs to special products. By spraying with such an insulator, metal surfaces of equipment, individual parts and structures are protected.
Combined waterproofing
This type of insulation is considered the most efficient and technologically advanced in the domestic segment of hydrological protection. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the multi-level structure of the coating with several layers of the membrane provides protection not only from water and moisture, but also from steam. It can be optimal waterproofingbathroom under the tiles, as it will protect the room from condensation. Along with this, the tile lining will also be protected. Some models of this type of multifunctional insulators also provide insulation and noise reduction effects, which also guarantee acoustic comfort.
Insulation Device Technology
The list of waterproofing operations includes preparing the base, fixing or applying the target material, as well as additional work to seal the joints. In some cases, the coating is additionally protected from mechanical damage, although combined insulations often provide metallized sheaths for such functions. Before starting work, it is important to calculate how much waterproofing will be used. The consumption in the application of panel sheets is determined, for example, by the coverage area and is estimated at the rate of 8-10 mm over the barrier thickness. Usually, up to 10-15 m of roll material is used for a room with an area of 30 m2. The volume of flow of bulk mixtures depends on the conditions of use and the characteristics of the fraction. The same applies to individual structures that are coated with paints and varnishes.
Foundation waterproofing
Like roofing, this part of the house is one of the most problematic in terms of the passage of moisture and water. Therefore, even at the construction stage, the foundation is protected. This is done both with the help of rolled bituminous coatings, and with the help of mastic resins, which are used to isolate concrete slabs and places.joints of individual structural elements. Also, the waterproofing of the foundation screed is strengthened with sealants and reinforcing meshes, which exclude mechanical rupture of the web structure. Moreover, isolation from water can be carried out together with thermal insulation, due to which a multifunctional protective cake is formed.
How to choose waterproofing material?
The choice is made on the basis of protection requirements, design conditions for installation and financial possibilities. The most affordable will be film or roll material, which can protect the internal surfaces of the roof, the same foundation and individual parts of the facade. Universal, but at the same time expensive membrane material will also provide heat and vapor barrier. It will provide optimal waterproofing of the basement from groundwater, which will also protect the lower floors from freezing in winter.
How to make waterproofing yourself?
It is possible to completely do without factory consumables only if the site is isolated from excessive saturation with groundwater. This is how the already described method is performed with a layer-by-layer filling of crushed stone and sand filling. A more effective option on how to make waterproofing without specialized and expensive materials involves the use of conventional polyethylene oilcloths and, even better, polyvinyl chloride. Such coatings, with high-quality installation and protection, can last a long time, and in combination with a heat insulator, they will also protect the surrounding space fromcondensate.
New technologies in the waterproofing segment
One of the main problems of all modern insulators is the incompatibility of the target protection material and the characteristics of the hydroprotection shell. To eliminate this incompatibility, technologists offer concepts for the maximum integration of sealing materials into the structure of structures. In particular, the method called "white bath" - functional structural waterproofing - is based on this principle. This solution is mainly used in the protection of underground utilities, which are initially focused on resisting water and moisture. In particular, water-resistant concrete, control-injection elements, water-swelling pipes, etc. are used.
Conclusion
Without proper protection of materials and structures from moisture and water, one can expect their gradual destruction and loss of primary performance. There is a rather narrow group of building materials that, even with prolonged contact with water, do not deform. But the use of hydroprotection does not always guarantee the expected result. To date, the best waterproofing is presented in a series of polymer and membrane coatings. They are characterized not only by optimal moisture resistance qualities, but also by additional protective qualities. Depending on the modification, they are resistant to mechanical stress, do not contribute to the spread of fire, and even support building structures in the form of a damping effect.
