Waterproofing: Construction Industry’s Unsung Hero

the most important components of any building
Waterproofing is one of the most important components of any building, but ironically, the most neglected one! It has never received its due importance by the construction fraternity at large. Er. Shrinandan Bhalerao, Professional Waterproofer and Director of Infinite Build & Coats Pvt. Ltd., based at Nashik, discusses the importance of waterproofing and emphasises that it should be performed by technical professionals rather than plumbers, labourers, general contractors, or other non-specialists.

As we all know, water is an integral part of human life. We need it for our existence itself, in terms of drinking, cleaning, cooking, farming and a number of other uses. Hence, we can easily say that water is life!

But when it comes to our properties, our houses, buildings or any type of structures, we do not want water coming inside them, be it from the roof, walls, below the plinth, or from the toilets, because if water enters the building it will play havoc. Water can damage the structure internally and on the surface, and therefore its flow needs to be stopped.

“The different ways and means of preventing water from entering buildings is called waterproofing.”

the most important components of any building

Importance of Waterproofing

If water enters buildings, it will harm the structure in two ways: Internally, it will affect the structural elements, and on the surface, it will affect the aesthetic features of the building.

Water will directly impact the most important component of the structure – the steel present in it, as steel gets corroded when it comes in contact with water. The corroded steel may eventually lead to failure of the structure, partly or fully. Water also affects the concrete in many ways: continuous contact of water results in spalling of plaster, flaking of paints, damage to false ceilings and wallpaper, etc.

The most hazardous effect is on our health. Dampness in internal surfaces results in the formation of molds and fungus, which make the indoor spaces unhealthy, and the unhygienic living conditions can lead to various diseases in the long run.

The construction fraternity must understand the ill effects of water ingress in buildings and give waterproofing its due importance during construction planning and execution. In fact, waterproofing has to be considered right at the planning stage.

Applications of Waterproofing

Water can enter from the basements, terraces, toilets, external walls, windows, open slabs like podiums, balconies, toilets, building facades, sloped roofs, industrial metal roofs, industrial silos, etc. Waterproofing is not only used to stop the ingress of water into the building from these areas, but also used to stop water flowing out of water retaining structures such as swimming pools, and from underground and overhead water tanks. Specialised systems of waterproofing have been developed for applications in different areas.

the most important components of any building

Waterproofing Basements

As underground structures, basements are bound to face problems of water ingress from water under the ground and from rainwater. Here, waterproofing has to be done from the positive side, that is, from the outer side of the basement from where the water is likely to seep in. If basements are not waterproofed properly at the time of construction, huge problems may arise as a consequence. Since concrete is not considered waterproof, water may enter the basements from all sides. Where the water table is high, water may enter from below the raft slab if the water pressure is high and from the side walls – all of which can make basements unfit for use.

Preventive and remedial ways of waterproofing basements

  • From the positive side, that is the outer side of the basement using membranes, coatings, and other methods.
  • By using integral compounds mixed with concrete during casting.
  • From inside the basement after the construction is done.

Types of waterproofing systems for basements

  • Raft: Traditional Shahbad Box type waterproofing or modern techniques using membranes like HDPE, TPO, EPDM as per the site condition.
  • Retaining Walls: Traditionally done with Shahbad Box type system but now modern techniques are available such as SBS membranes, cementitious coatings, and PU coatings.
  • Injection Grouting: The concrete surfaces affected with honeycombing are treated with different types of Injection grouting.
  • Integral Compounds: During concreting, integral waterproofing compounds like crystalline products are added to concrete to get the waterproofing effect. But these are not very dependable.
  • After construction is completed, basements are often treated with various types of coatings from inside, as a remedial measure, but this is not recommended.

Waterproofing Terraces

The terrace is the most exposed part of the building to weathering. Water ingress from the terrace is a common factor which affects the building in many ways. There are different ways to waterproof new and old terraces; different systems are used to treat an exposed old terrace and a new one. Traditionally, terraces have been treated with Brickbat Coba as a commonly used waterproofing system. It has a proven track record in terms of longevity and efficacy. But then there were no other technologies available for waterproofing.

Today, we are spoilt for choice given the various modern systems available for waterproofing terraces. They include:
  • Cementitious coatings with Brickbat Coba
  • Cementitious coatings with lightweight concrete screed
  • TPO membranes with screed for slopes
  • APP membranes with screed for slopes
  • Hybrid Polyurea & Polyurethane coatings for exposed terraces
The choice of waterproofing system depends on the site condition, budget, expected life, use of terrace, etc.

Waterproofing Toilets

Continuous use of water makes toilets vulnerable to water seepage into the surrounding area. Modern techniques of waterproofing of toilets include coatings such as cementitious, acrylic-based coatings, PU coatings, bitumen-based coatings, etc, besides various types of tapes, geotextile cloths, binder materials like SBR, etc. The system used, application methodology, workmanship, and supervision play an important role in the success of waterproofing.

the most important components of any building

Waterproofing Podiums

Podiums for parking, driveways, and garden areas have become an integral part of modern townships and group housing projects. For driveways, parking and garden areas, PU coatings are commonly used due to their versatility such as high elongation, high crack bridging capacity, anti-root properties, and ease of application.

Waterproofing Facades

Paints are no longer considered enough for painting facades. This is because the new materials available offer a more technical and sustainable solution. These include Anti-Carbonation coatings that have very high elongation of 300%, high crack bridging capacity of around 2.5 to 3 mm, and anti-carbonation and anti-fungal properties. Due to these special properties, the coatings are considered a boon to the construction industry.

Waterproofing Industrial Buildings

the most important components of any building
Waterproofing of Industrial buildings is a challenging task as they include metal roofing, silos, cooling tower tanks, liquid storage tanks, STPs, along with the main building – all of which will require different waterproofing solutions.

Heat resistant coatings are also the need of the hour as they contribute to the environmental sustainability to buildings by reducing the power needed for keeping the buildings cool.

Industrial waterproofing is a specialised branch that requires a thorough knowledge of the wide variety of needs and their solutions.

Waterproofing water retaining structures

These include swimming pools, water tanks, STPs, industrial storage tanks, etc; each of which requires different waterproofing systems.

The underground structures like swimming pools and underground water tanks have to be treated from the external side to stop water ingress as it may contaminate the water stored inside. They have to be treated from the inside also to prevent water from going out.

Waterproofing systems include cementitious coatings with plaster, PU coatings from internal side, HDPE membrane, and SBS membrane, EPDM membrane from external side.

the most important components of any building

Current Situation and Challenges in the Waterproofing Industry

Currently, waterproofing is still not taken very seriously by the construction fraternity. Even though immense breakthroughs have been achieved in terms of new technologies in waterproofing material and construction chemicals, a large section of construction professionals still use the traditional and old methods of waterproofing, which are executed by unskilled labour. This approach needs to change fast.

Challenges include

  • Lack of seriousness about waterproofing as an important aspect of construction.
  • A mindset of saving money in waterproofing even though huge amounts of money is invested in interior décor and on aesthetic components.
  • Waterproofing is done through untrained and unskilled workers who do not have even the basic knowledge of waterproofing.
  • Substandard and low-quality products have thronged the market which when used fail miserably.
  • Due to competition, the non-serious players in the industry acquire projects at throwaway prices, do sub-standard jobs, and dent the image of the whole waterproofing industry.
We collectively have to overcome all the challenges in order to create a conducive work environment where waterproofing professionals can thrive and bring sustainable solutions to the building construction sector.

Waterproofing by Professionals

It is time that waterproofing, an important aspect of building construction, is handled by technical professionals and not by plumbers, mistries, general contractors, etc. The importance of having professional waterproofers handle waterproofing during construction cannot be overstated. Their expertise ensures that waterproofing solutions are applied effectively, using the right materials and techniques for each specific area of the building.

This approach not only safeguards the structure from water damage but also saves time and money in the long run by preventing costly repairs and renovations. By entrusting waterproofing to skilled professionals, property owners can rest assured that their buildings are fortified against moisture, promoting durability, safety, and peace of mind for years to come.

When the construction fraternity, including Architects, Engineers, PMCs, Structural Consultants, and Contractors decide that they will employ a technically strong and professional agency for their waterproofing requirements, then such an approach will definitely influence the general public as well. It’s time that we gave waterproofing its due importance in protecting our buildings from water ingress and subsequent damage and costly repairs.
ICCT, May - June 2024

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