Waterproofing specific weight: types and material weight

No major construction project, whether underground utilities, a technical building or a residential house, is completed without waterproofing materials. Protecting building elements from underground, condensation and atmospheric moisture is one of the most important stages, because building materials interact with moisture to one degree or another. The variety of waterproofing types makes it possible to choose a material for specific application conditions.

Types of Waterproofing Materials

The following technologies are distinguished:

• for internal and external use;

• primary and secondary, meaning those used during construction or applied during interior finishing;

• depending on the features of the place of use: pressure waterproofing and non-pressure waterproofing, joint-sealing waterproofing, complex or surface-applied waterproofing;

• anti-capillary insulation prevents moisture from rising through capillaries in building materials such as brick or concrete;

• depending on the application method: roll, coating, sprayed, injection, bulk, film, structural and other types.

Before construction begins, a cost estimate is prepared and the necessary calculations of material weight are performed. These data are needed for correct distribution of loads on the foundation, calculation of its depth and other technological details.

Specific weight of waterproofing

Waterproofing materials make up a relatively small percentage of the total weight of a structure, but their mass should still be considered. Let us look at the main material types, their features, volume weight and specific weight indicators.

Coating Waterproofing

This type consists of various mastics used on the outside of foundations, joints of block walls and roofs, and for treatment inside basements and bathrooms. These are bitumen-containing substances with a relatively short service life and a short cyclic freezing period.

The service life of polymer-bitumen mastics depends on composition, substrate, layer thickness, protection from mechanical damage and operating conditions.

According to calculations, the weight of 1 m² of bitumen-polymer mastic is within 1-5.5 kg depending on the base material, place of application and layer thickness.

Pasted Roll Waterproofing

This type includes common roofing felt and various bitumen-containing materials based on fiberglass, polyester and other carriers. They are laid on many different bases for waterproofing roofs and foundations. They are recommended for use together with additional waterproofing means.

Roofing felt can be used as an example. The mass and density of this waterproofing depend on the grade, base and thickness of the material.

Film and Membrane Waterproofing

This type is used when installing roofs and baths and consists of a single-layer or multilayer membrane with additional coatings. Reflective vapor-waterproofing materials with a density from 92 to 132 g/m² are considered water-resistant.

Membrane pores allow surfaces to “breathe” and help maintain a normal moisture regime in the structure. Over time, pore permeability may decrease. For roofing systems under Euro-slate, metal tiles and other coverings, the membrane should be selected according to the project and manufacturer recommendations, not only by surface mass.

Mounted Waterproofing

This includes bentonite mats, which are a three-layer “sandwich” of cardboard and geotextile with an interlayer of bentonite clay granules. The material density ranges from 3 to 5.5 kg per m². It is used in places where concrete and other materials come into contact with soil.