As a homeowner, one of your greatest concerns is likely to be protecting your dream home from the outside elements. India is known for its extreme climatic fluctuations – the summers are hot and oppressive, winters are cold and dry, and the monsoons bring torrential rainfall. You will want your home, be it a luxury flat in Thane or Mumbai, to stand steady and remain protected through seasonal changes. One of the important aspects of maintaining structural integrity is waterproofing the building. By this, we mean coating the walls, roof, foundation and other surfaces with a material that will protect them from water damage and seepage.
Incorporating waterproof designs
Waterproofing of a building starts with the design elements incorporated. Water seepage often occurs in seams and junctions such as those between facades and the essential elements of building a weather-proof building must involve an understanding of these junctures. Having said this, it must be said that the use of the appropriate waterproofing material in construction is the most important aspect of making your building water-resistant.
Traditional waterproofing methods
Traditionally, waterproofing has not been given much consideration, particularly in the Indian context. Wrapping with metallic sheets, mud phuska, and brickbat coba have been the preferred methods but it is now evident that these are ineffective and building constructed with these methods develop major seepage issues within a short period of time. Construction companies and civil engineers have now started to look at global standards of waterproofing and it is likely that the 2BHK flats in Thane West that you have been considering are built using modern waterproofing material.
New-age waterproofing material
With newer, more efficient water-proofing products becoming available in the market, civil engineers and home developers have a lot more flexibility when it comes to waterproofing methods and choosing the appropriate product for the appropriate structure. Let us take a look at the commonly used waterproofing material that you are likely to find in some of the modern luxury flats in Thane –
- Cementitious waterproofing – Cementitious waterproofing is very easily available and widely used in construction. This waterproofing material is easy to mix and apply and when used with an acrylic additive, it offers a more durable coating. It is preferred for areas that have high exposure to water but low exposure to sunlight such as bathrooms and toilets.
- Liquid Waterproofing Membrane – Liquid waterproofing membrane comes in liquid form and can be sprayed or applied by a roller, trowel, or brush. When applied the liquid waterproof membrane comes in contact with air and forms a thick, seamless, rubbery coating. It is ideally used to waterproof roofs and concrete surfaces.
- Bituminous Membrane – Bituminous membrane is popularly used for waterproofing the roof. These membranes are made up of asphalt, polymers, and fillers and may also contain resins. Rolls of these membranes are unfolded and laid on the roof surface. Some of these come with adhesives while others are installed using blowtorches.
- Bituminous Coating – Bituminous coating or asphalt coating is the most common coating used for areas such as basements and foundations which are not exposed to sunlight. They are made from bitumen-based products with polymers added to them. This is an excellent waterproofing agent used to coat concrete foundations and areas beneath screed wet.
- Polyurethane Liquid Membrane – Polyurethane waterproofing systems offer a number of advantages such as a seamless finish, great durability, and ease of installation. Though expensive, it is the waterproofing material of choice for roofs and surfaces exposed to weathering. Installation of this material requires very little specialised skill and cuts down on the need for supervision. It is a great choice for post-construction weather-proofing works as well.
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