Atul Ltd's Lapox® epoxy range of adhesives find the largest application in the construction sector. Products include Lapox® Lacrete and Lapox® Procoat for terrace waterproofing; Ultrafix for vertical cladding of marble and granite; Lapox® Ultra for marble to marble bonding; Lapox® Granito for crack filling in natural and Italian marble; Epoguard, a high performance industrial paint for metal structures, to name a few.
In building construction, waterproofing is a fundamental aspect of creating a building envelope, which is a controlled environment. Water penetration causes major problems to a structure. Water damages a building first aesthetically and then structurally. Moisture penetrating reinforced concrete structures will rust the reinforcing bars, causing them to expand in size, resulting in spalling of concrete.
Waterproofing is done in different areas of a building, starting from basement, podium, bathrooms and exterior walls and to the top of the terraces. Terraces, roof top decks and balconies are an integral part of waterproofing since they are exposed to sun, extreme weather and foot traffic, and therefore, require special treatment.
Pioneering epoxy systems
Atul Ltd (Atul), founded in 1947 by Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai, is amongst the first companies of Independent India, and has the privilege of being the first private sector company of India to be inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of the country, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
A pioneer in manufacturing epoxy resins in India, its Lapox® epoxy range of adhesives are finding the largest application in the construction sector, as the epoxy systems have been formulated keeping in mind modern day construction needs for strength, durability, and design. Products include Lapox® Lacrete and Lapox® Procoat for terrace waterproofing; Ultrafix for vertical cladding of marble and granite; Lapox® Ultra for marble to marble bonding; Lapox® Granito for crack filling in natural and Italian marble; Epoguard, a high performance industrial paint for metal structures; and many more.
Terrace waterproofing with Lapox® Lacrete and Lapox® Procoat
With expertise gained over 70 years, Atul Ltd has launched an epoxy system Lapox® Lacrete, to overcome all issues related to leakage and seepage. The concrete strengthening polyurethane system Lapox® Procoat is designed to provide UV protection, and also enhance the structure aesthetically.
Terraces in India, being flat, accumulate a lot of rain water in the monsoon season. If a proper slope is not provided to the terrace slab, water starts accumulating and percolating through the slab, and eventually inside the house. Conventional waterproofing methods such as brickbat coba or polymer-based waterproofing, are not sufficient in preventing such leakage.
High performance epoxy waterproofing like Lapox® Lacrete is the need of the hour. Also, UV resistance becomes an important factor to increase the life and durability of the waterproofing coating and structure. Lapox® Procoat, a polyurethane coating, is a tough protective paint applied on exterior and interior structures that are exposed to extreme weather such as scorching heat, gusty winds and pouring rain. Polyurethane coating is highly resistant to such extreme weather conditions, and provides excellent durability, along with aesthetics. It is resistant to UV rays, weather extremes, abrasion and dirt, besides which, it reduces temperature and has a glossy effect and colour retention.
The combination of Lapox® Lacrete and Lapox® Procoat becomes a long-term and durable solution for terrace waterproofing, thereby, increasing the life of the structure. The system is designed for a permanent waterproofing solution as it forms a protective barrier against the harsh environment.
