Foundation waterproofing

When you put a membrane on it, you want it to be durable. It is disappointing to have to excavate again 3 years later to redo everything with all the costs that can involve afoundation repair in Gatineau. Unfortunately, we see this kind of situation every year since sometimes people entrust the work to contractors without knowledge of the trade. Want to know more about foundation waterproofing?  

A quality membrane should be required:

• resistant to high water pressure
• Elastic
• Robust

Resistant to high water pressure in Gatineau

A foundation is a low point of the building that attracts rainwater,so it sometimes faces a high hydrostatic pressure. A waterproofing membrane must therefore be sufficiently resistant. Most of them are, because it is an essential element.

Elastic

Elasticity is a crucial point that plays on the durability of a membrane. Elastomer membranes are the most effective. With our winters, the walls of foundations are constantly moving! Their elastic properties can resist the movements of foundation cracks and other movements. Elastomer membranes are therefore preferable to obsolete products such as tar.

Robust

Robustness is another important element as it must withstand the pressure exerted by the embankment. We are not talking about a membrane that resists a nail, but a protection robust enough to withstand rock pressure for example.

VOPAA Inc. uses the Henry-designed Blueskinmembrane which is a highly reputable and innovative company in waterproofingproducts.

In the images below, we see the installation of this one which is done in 5 major steps :

• Preparing the surface
• Application of primer
• Application of the membrane on the joint between the sole and the wall
• Application of the membrane on the wall including a second layer on the joint
• Applying a bitumen sealant to the membrane joints

Alveolar membrane

A honeycomb membrane has three functions:

• Allowing water to flow to the French drain
• Protect the waterproofing membrane
• Waterproofing and extra steam

Water flow to the French drain

Thanks to its surface composed of alveoli, it allows water that accidentally seeps in to flow all the way down the wall to the French drain. This creates a kind of gap between the waterproofing membrane and the filling which helps to reduce the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the foundation.

Protecting the waterproofing membrane in Gatineau

The honeycomb membrane also acts as a protection for the waterproof membrane. During the embankment,despite all the precautions taken, it is possible that rocks come into contact with the foundation, which can pierce the Blueskin. The draining membrane prevents damage.

VOPAA Inc. uses the Plato membrane which is more robust than the Delta Ms which is generally used by contractors.