Self Healing Waterproof Barrier

It's an age old substance but bentonite clay has been used for waterproofing for centuries. With characteristics such as binding, cohesion and sealing, bentonite can expand and contract an infinite number of times and is capable of absorbing ten to fifteen times its own weight in water.

Swelling up to 15 times its normal dry volume, the clay becomes a highly efficient sealing medium which is one of the principal reasons why it has become the ideal material for the safe sealing of concrete structures.

Established construction product

First used to help seal earth dams and line ponds in the late 1920s, it went on to be a useful lubricant for driving pilings and caissons. By the 1960s, bentonite became accepted as a below-ground waterproofing membrane for the building construction industry. It can be used under both structural and non-structural floor slabs, below ground foundation walls, between slab applications, and along tunnels and subway walls.

Unique sealing solution

It's not just the inherent properties within this clay that make it so effective for waterproofing, but when you combine this with geotextiles, an integral and unique part of Sika Bentonite systems, it's easy to see why it can offer designers the confidence in the long term performance of the seal, and reduces the risks and costs associated with post-construction repairs and maintenance of leaking structures.

Maximising performance

For basements and other below ground structures that are exposed to aggressive ground conditions and stress, the Sika Bentoshield MAX LM system combines the unique sealing technology of sodium bentonite with high strength polypropylene geotextiles. Easy to install, its ability to self-heal is unmatched by other bituminous, paint-on or plastic waterproofing methods. It can even swell and seal the pores, cracks and voids in concrete that might be invisible to the naked eye.

Whether you want to keep the water in or out, bentonite waterproofing systems are proven on new and remedial waterproofing projects worldwide, preventing the penetration of water and subsequent attack by whatever chemical substances might be present in the surrounding soil. Visit www.sikawaterproofing.co.uk