DURAmembrane Has An Edge Over Conventional Waterproofing Products

Flat roofs have become a common feature in the modern age and structures are mostly constructed of reinforced cement concrete. But concrete in itself will not be watertight on its own which in turn necessitates waterproofing.Water- proofing is necessary to prevent ingress of water into the structure.

There are various methods of waterproofing and the most common conventional method is the Hessian based tar felt. However, bitumen based waterproofing has a short life, usually not exceeding five years. Bitumen disintegrates on coming to contact with both UV radiation and some chemicals in the subsoil water. Also Hessian being organic in nature is subject to decay within a short time, resulting in decrease in tensile strength and life of tar felt. Further, imperfect laying of tar layers (which requires use of light rollers after laying but rarely done by the contractors) results in air pockets which in turn cause cracks on the surface over a period of time.

To overcome these problems, Supreme Industries has come out with a waterproofing membrane – DURAmembrane, a high performance, composite polymeric membrane. It is a new generation, cost-effective solution for waterproofing of roofs. Unlike bitumen, DURAmembrane is a versatile material, capable of retaining the dryness of concrete, masonry, metal and wood structures and is resistant to salts, alkalis, and most acids. As it is a closed-cell polymer based waterproofing membrane, there is negligible scope for water/ water vapour absorption. It is a well-known fact that bitumen disintegrates after contact with water and also catches fungi and starts melting in hot temperature (during summer) due to lessening of its puncture resistant strength. On the other hand, DURAmembrane has a very good puncture resistance of 199 N (Test method – ASTM E154: 1999) and since it is polymer based it won't deteriorate.

DURAmembrane can be used in new constructions and also at the time of repairing old structures. An additional advantage of DURAmembrane over traditional waterproofing materials is that it also acts as an excellent insulating material. Above all, it is easy to use – it can be cut with knife for easy installation and doesn't require any special skills.