Liquid waterproofing membrane

A liquid membrane is a waterproofingWaterproofingThe work and materials that stop water getting through on flat roofs, balconies, bathrooms, basements, planters and tanks. product that comes in a tin, like a thick paint. It is applied in more than one coat and, once dry, becomes a single flexible skin that water cannot pass through. There are several types, such as polyurethane, acrylic and cement-based.

Its advantage is that it has no seams: it follows every corner, pipe, base and parapetParapetThe low wall around the edge of a flat roof or balcony. The joint between it and the floor is one of the most common places for leaks., the places where sheet membranesBitumen membraneWaterproofing that comes in rolls of reinforced bitumen. It is torched onto the roof in sheets that overlap at the seams. struggle. At the most vulnerable spots, such as the corner between floor and parapet or around floor drainsFloor drainThe outlet in a floor where water drains away on roofs, balconies and in bathrooms, with a grate on top and usually a trap below., reinforcing fabricReinforcement meshA mesh or fabric, usually glass fibre or polyester, set into render, a coating or liquid waterproofing to hold it together and stop cracks from opening. is pressed into the wet coat for extra strength.

To last, it needs a clean, dry, sound base and the right primerPrimerThe thin first coat that goes on before the main material. It binds dust, seals the pores and helps paint or waterproofing stick firmly.. Thickness matters too: a coat spread too thin to make the material go further will not protect properly. Over the years the surface wears, but it is easy to repair locally with a fresh coat.