The waterproofing of a project can be daunting, and you may want to leave it to the next person to deal with; however, if everyone involved, from designer to installer, does there bit correctly, then there shouldn’t be an issue with performance.

The 4 key components of successful waterproofing are:

  • Design & Detailing
  • Application
  • Product/s
  • Supervision

Design & Detailing:

Designing and detailing the membrane over large areas is particularly easy; however, it is the areas like drainage, termination, and penetrations which can cause issues with performance, remembering water is fluid and can get into the smallest gaps.

ARDEX have standard detailing and can also get involved in project specific detailing for these areas. This is available at http://ardexaustralia.com/services/autocad-files 

Application:

Obviously, if the membrane is not applied correctly, there is a great chance it is not going to perform correctly. Incorrect application can occur due to a number of factors, such as the contractor has not been trained correctly, they have not installed the membrane thick enough, they have not applied the correct number of coats, in addition to many other reasons that result in an incorrect application.

ardex Australia addresses these issues through providing training which is second to none in our industry for the correct application of their membrane systems, and can recommend trained applicators for your project.

Products:

The product/s used in the different waterproofing areas of the project need to be the most appropriate one/s. Warranties may be given by other manufacturers with an extended period of time given for use of their products; however, the warranty terms are the most important part of the warranty, not the warranty period.

Therefore, if speaking to another manufacturer, ask them how their warranty compares to ARDEX Australia’s; focus on the terms, rather than the period of time as this is far more important if a failure occurs. Further information on ARDEX Australia warranties can be found at http://ardexaustralia.com/services/ardex-warranty

Supervision:

“Ensure the contractor installing the waterproofing membrane has been trained and recommended by the product manufacturer”.

This would be the most important thing you would put in your Specification as it ensures the manufacturer then absorbs the pressure of recommending someone who is trained and is competent in installing the membrane correctly.

Further to this, the supervisor on the project can also look at putting into place documentation to ensure clear installation windows are checked on site to ensure everyone is confident the membrane is being installed correctly.

Please feel free to contact the ARDEX Australia Technical Services Department on 1800 224 070 prior to the installation for our best recommendations.