All leaks are water-tight? Ways of waterproofing buildings: Is the bituminous or cementitious reactive method the best?

When it comes to waterproofing building components in direct ground contact, it is rather like ancient Rome: As we all know, many roads lead to the final destination. But in construction, a certain word beginning with "b" quickly springs to mind when it comes to waterproofing: The "bituminous" method has been standard in waterproofing for the past 50 years.

But how up-to-date is the mineral oil product obtained from processing petroleum and what disadvantages does the application of bituminous thick layer coatings entail? We have put together a few here:

• no UV resistance
• no pressure resistance
• cannot be plastered over
• slow drying
• does not tolerate moisture on the rear
• only suitable for exterior use
• soft surface

Increasing numbers of construction companies and SCHOMBURG customers are now using an alternative solution for the waterproofing of building components in direct ground contact: AQUAFIN-RB400 from SCHOMBURG for new builds and renovation. AQUAFIN-RB400 is a rapid, reactive setting cementitious waterproofing product for interior and exterior applications. In new buildings, it is suitable for waterproofing wall and floor slab building components that are in direct ground contact, as well as for horizontal waterproofing under rising masonry work. Skirting surfaces can be UV-resistant, protected against splash water and overcoated. Waterproofing on windows and doors can also be carried out with AQUAFIN-RB400 without changing the material and prevents subsequent water ingress. The strengths of AQUAFIN-RB400 are also brought to bear in the renovation sector. In addition to cementitious substrates, old and firmly adhering bitumen waterproofing on exterior walls can also be overcoated and subsequently waterproofed with AQUAFIN-RB400. You will find all areas of application set out clearly and in detail in our solutions area.

The AQUAFIN-RB400 cementitious waterproofing system also easily outperforms bitumen solutions in the overall costing of a building site, especially when the rapid reactive setting behaviour (rainproof and suitable for overcoating after three hours) is taken into account. AQUAFIN-RB400 from SCHOMBURG is pressurised water tight and ready for filling after just 16 hours. This accelerates processes on the building site in the long term. Furthermore, it delivers a whole host of advantages compared to conventional bitumen waterproofing, which we have listed once again here:

The advantages of cementitious waterproofing with AQUAFIN-RB400:

• rapid curing irrespective of the weather thanks to reactive drying
• rainproof, can be walked on and overcoated after three hours
• can be filled after 16 hours and is sealed against pressing water
• pressure-stable and UV-resistant
• can be plastered over and versatile in application
• highly flexible, crack bridging >2.0 mm
• cold flexible at -5 degrees Celsius
• as waterproofing under stilt bearings
• basement and plinth waterproofing can take place in a single casting application
• can be mechanically applied (airless, worm pump and peristaltic pump)
• protects against radon exposure
• suitable for substrates with residual moisture content
• for interior and exterior use
• straightforward handling and particularly flexible in application
• resistant to water attacking concrete XA2 and to de-icing salt attack

You can find all the information about the rapid cementitious waterproofing AQUAFIN-RB400 and the wide range of possible applications on our product page.

AQUAFIN-RB400 cementitious waterproofing from SCHOMBURG shows its strengths in particular when it comes to time-critical projects; the reactive waterproofing can be applied by machine using the airless spray technique even with a hose length of up to 30 metres. In addition to the airless method, outstanding AQUAFIN-RB400 application can also be achieved with a worm pump or peristaltic pump.

Thanks to its particularly smooth consistency, the material is perfect for machine processing. The advantage for all those responsible for the project and the companies carrying out the work: You can increase the efficiency of the waterproofing many times by spray application and also obtain a uniform waterproofing appearance.

Are you also interested in benefiting from the many advantages of rapid cementitious waterproofing with AQUAFIN-RB400? Whatever your waterproofing project – our application and project management specialists will be happy to advise you. Just get in touch with us here. We look forward to hearing from you.