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Nandan Pradhan Executive Director, Mcon Rasavan Pvt. Ltd. |
Leakages, dampness or moisture can prove very damaging to any construction. Countless money can get wasted due to unexpected seepage of water into walls or woodwork. Sometimes the presence of moisture can even corrode the steel framework, placing the whole structure at risk. In order to safeguard precious construction and also avoid future inconvenience, it is highly important to take strict measures to waterproof your house. Any building structure waterproofing has a major challenge in the areas of terraces and podiums, which are directly taking the wrath of the weather and the extremes of Indian climate.
The new age liquid membrane when combined with a strong reinforcement gives a fantastic combination of the following characteristics:
- Breathability
- Elongation
- Bonding to the Substrate
- Tear Resistance
- UV Stability
- Abrasion Resistance
Mcon Magic Coat PU is a Pure Polyurethane based liquid membrane which can be applied by brush, roller or spray to give you a tough membrane having the above mentioned characteristics.
But, are these above mentioned characteristics so important for a Waterproofing System? Well let’s study each of them below:1.Breathability: When you do a waterproofing coating or membrane application, then there are all the chances that air gets entrapped inside the coating. Over a period of time these air bubbles or water vapour tries to escape the surface due to change in temperature. Breathable membranes help to release that water to the air in the form of water vapour. This mechanism works just like our skin.
2.Elongation: This is the ability of the membrane to stretch, which is measured in percentages. An elongation of 150% means that the membrane can stretch to 1.5 times its length when pulled. Elongation is a must in buildings that will move, such as high-rise buildings, or buildings made with steel, which is flexible. This property will allow the membrane to stretch over cracks that may develop in the future. Mcon Magic Coat PU has an Elongation of 400% which makes it a unique feature.
3.Bonding to the Substrate: What good is a membrane or a coating which gets peeled off over a period of time? Mcon Magic Coat PU has this high bond strength with most of the building material such as concrete, cemented surfaces, china chips, tiles and also other deteriorated membranes. With a pull out strength of more than 2 MPa, this product can boast of providing long life waterproofing to the structure.
4.Tear Resistance: This is an important property, as many membranes that have good elongation also can tear easily. Take a small applied sample of the material in your hand, and try and tear it into two pieces. This gives a fair idea of its tear resistance. You are looking for a membrane that will not tear even if a reasonable force is exerted on it. Mcon Magic Coat PU has an excellent tear resistance and when it’s applied along with reinforcement of Geo-textile, then the strength of an Elephant to tear it apart is required.
5.UV Stability: If the membrane is to be exposed to the sun, then it must be UV stable or UV resistant, else it will degrade over time. If the membrane is not UV stable then it is important and compulsory to cover it with some screed or UV resistant coating. Mcon Magic Coat PU is a UV resistant liquid membrane and hence can be coated and left exposed to the sunlight.
- Abrasion Resistance: This is the ability of a membrane to withstand wear and tear. As most membranes are covered with concrete screeds and tiling, the abrasion resistance comes into play during the construction period, when workers are walking on the surface, dropping nails and screws, and scraping hard objects like rebar against the membrane, which can damage it. A very soft membrane with low abrasion resistance may get damaged in such a situation, which can cause it to leak. Also during the waterproofing repairs especially pre-monsoon stage, you can leave an abrasion resistant coating exposed to foot traffic which is again helping Mcon Magic Coat PU to attend the Express Waterproofing Needs.
So, waterproofing system is unique in its own way, but the above mentioned features are a must for the solid performance of a liquid membrane.
For further information,
visit: www.mconrasayan.com