Waterproofing concrete is necessary in order to protect the material from the damaging effects of water. Recently, penetrating waterproofing has been the most common among all other varieties.
Need for waterproofing work
Concrete only seems to be monolithic, but in fact it has pores through which water penetrates, destroying the reinforcement. A sign that the concrete has been saturated with water is the peeling of plaster and other decorative coatings, the appearance of fungus and mold, as well as cracks. In order to avoid such phenomena, penetrating waterproofing is used.
Pros of penetrating waterproofing
Penetrating concrete waterproofing has many advantages over other types of protection materials. If we compare with pasting materials, then they serve for a very short time, in addition, water can penetrate through the joints. And if you do the work without observing the technology, then air may remain under the roll, which sooner or later will becomecausing delamination and moisture penetration. If we consider building bitumen, then it does not have sufficient plasticity, which causes cracks at the time of shrinkage of the base. Mastics, for example, although they have the necessary qualities of elasticity, are subject to mechanical stress.
Penetrating waterproofing feature
Penetrating waterproofing of concrete is unique in its principle of action. With a liquid consistency, it penetrates the pores and fills small cracks.
The material is sold in dry form, it must be diluted with water, and then applied to the walls using a brush (the latter can be replaced with a roller). However, if there is a desire to finish the work as soon as possible, then it is recommended to use a sprayer.
After application, liquid waterproofing merges with concrete, extending the life of the structure. The material consists entirely of natural ingredients, therefore it does not pose a he alth hazard. You can work with the composition both indoors and outdoors. Using it is extremely easy. After polymerization occurs, concrete acquires a single film, which is not afraid of mechanical impacts. Excellent adhesion characteristics do not allow the material to move away from the base.
Among the positive features, one can single out abilities:
- protect concrete from moisture penetration;
- prolong the life of the structure;
- strengthen the foundation that has been erectedjust now;
- protect rebar.
Area of use for penetrating waterproofing
Waterproofing concrete penetrating action has found its wide distribution. In addition to the external protection of the foundations of buildings, it can be used to treat the internal surfaces of the walls of the basement floors, waterproof the pools, and treat the concrete surfaces of bathrooms and kitchens.
Concrete preparation before waterproofing
The surface must be prepared, for this it must be freed from old paint, dirt, grease stains. It is definitely recommended to rid the base of foci of fungus, as well as mold, if any. If there is loosely fortified plaster on the surface, it must be removed by treating it with a deep penetration strengthening primer.
Liquid concrete waterproofing must be applied on a flat surface. Therefore, if there are cracks on the base, they must be eliminated by initially jointing and treating with a special penetrating composition. Areas of passage through the design of communication systems must be well sealed.
Design Features
If you have to work with a new concrete base, then the composition should be applied in a layer whose thickness is 1 mm. You can process communications that come out of the foundation and floor. It is recommended to use a brush in the case of a liquid composition. There is waterproofing available.concrete, which is designed to be applied with a spatula, which is advisable when the old foundation needs protection. It is necessary to apply a layer whose thickness is 2 mm.
There is a penetrating mixture designed to protect the joints, as well as the interfaces of concrete products. The material does not shrink. Before processing, it is recommended to embroider the seams 2.5 cm deep.
Waterproofing penetrating concrete can be represented by a repair mixture that can repair faults and large cracks in the foundation of a house. It is necessary to use the composition in tandem with a reinforcing mesh. The layer thickness should be approximately 10 mm, only then it will be possible to achieve a positive result.
Waterproofing additive
In order to give concrete waterproofing qualities, special additives are sometimes used. They are presented in the form of a dry composition. The consumption of the mixture is very small and equal to 1% of the mass of cement, which is used when mixing the solution. If you do not know the volume of cement, then you should use 4 kg per 1 m3 concrete.
Admixture in concrete for waterproofing is used with a mortar into which it is poured after mixing with water. Initially, it is necessary to combine the additive with water, following the manufacturer's recommendations. As a rule, 0.75 liters of liquid must be used per 1 kg of the composition. Mixing should be done within two minutes, using a drill set at low speed. You should not make such an amount of the mixture that you cannot work out inwithin 5 minutes. The prepared solution should be poured into a concrete mixer without stopping mixing for another 10 minutes. Only then can the mortar be poured into the formwork.
This concrete additive for waterproofing can usually be used with other components, such as plasticizing or antifreeze. You can choose the composition for concrete waterproofing with which it will be more convenient for you to work. The features of the main ones have been described above. But coating waterproofing of concrete, for example, does not have as many advantages as penetrating, so it is recommended to use the latter.
