Why Hydrostop is worth using?
The table below lists product properties in the Hydrostop system, presented in comparison with various chemical construction materials.
Highlighted in orange are materials enjoying the greatest popularity at this time. Black bold type marks groups of materials which it is advised to substitute with Hydrostop, methods which are not recommended as troublesome, risky or too costly, and problems which can be avoided by using the Hydrostop technology. Underlined links, when clicked, will refer you to more information. For obvious reasons you will not find here names of suppliers who offer waterproofing materials inferior to Hydrostop.
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Type of Hydrostop (number and name) |
Arguments in support of using a group of products |
Arguments in support of using a specific product |
| 209 Hydrostop-Proffessional Compound |
Penetrating mineral coatings are very attractive to investors for their effective permanent sealing and protection at an affordable price. It is necessary to waterproof concrete against environmental factors, as average quality concrete will degrade especially with water access and flow. Mineral coatings are applied onto moistened substrates, which often favor Hydrostop against its competition. Our mineral coatings do not lose their waterproofing properties under constant moisture action, do not come off walls, do not require concrete ballast layers, do not undergo biodegradation under moisture, are not sensitive to light unlike tars and bitumen. Even if the coating gets damaged or scraped off, the penetrating sealing effect remains, so penetrating mineral coatings are more effective than any other coatings. Hydrostop mineral coatings are resistant to ageing, can be applied onto damp substrates subjected to pressing water, and they are much cheaper than synthetic coatings such as epoxies, poliamides or acrylics (including Hydrostop's own acrylic compounds). Hydrostop mineral coatings are more convenient to use with concrete than sealing mortars for waterproof renders, and this includes also Hydrostop's mortars, as unlike the mortars it is enough to apply a 1.5mm Hydrostop layer while it would require at least 5mm or 10mm with other mortars for a sealing effect. Hydrostop mineral coatings are vapor-permeable, which assists the drying process inside reinforced concrete structures. Hydrostop penetrating coatings enhance the freeze/thaw resistance in concrete subjected to moisture and freeze cycles. This makes it different from highly vapor-permeable synthetic coatings used on the lateral and bottom faces of downstand beams and reinforced concrete slabs, which can allow water and moisture accumulation at the surface, which in turn quickly leads to damage during freeze cycles and resulting corrosion of the reinforcement bars. Waterproofing with Hydrostop has been successfully done in Poland since 1985, which proves Hydrostop reliable unlike various "experimental" and "newly imported" technologies being promoted on the market that may not pass the test of our climate conditions. One advantage is the double action of Hydrostop mineral coatings: they are both topical and penetrating, which is different than other waterproofing coatings and roll materials in the market. It is considerable how little labor is required using the technology, as owing to good penetration and adhesion to normal concrete substrates there is no need for sandblasting or pore-opening prior to application, nor is there any need for labor-intensive post-application procedures except moisture curing. The coating does not give off harmful substances while setting and is odorless during usage, as it is not a crude oil derivative and the only solvent used is water. The material is environmentally friendly in both production, application and use. The mineral coating works well with concrete substrates due to their very similar compositions unlike other coatings which have completely different chemical and structural characteristics. The Hydrostop waterproofing technology is different from many others in that it does not require expensive equipment or specialist installers. At the same time installers do know and use Hydrostop willingly. For the most demanding applications we have a specialist waterproofing installation company, Hydrostop-3.
Asphalt binder
Hydrostop does not get washed out of concrete unlike water glass, used by inexperienced contractors as a sealing additive for concrete. Hydrostop mineral coatings also beat any roll waterproofing materials such as sheeting heat-sealed or glued to form a trough in a trench before concrete is poured. Practice shows that during construction works the sheeting becomes punctured or damaged at the seam; also, over consecutive winters the frozen layers of top soil rub against one another, abrading or tearing apart the roll waterproofing material. Even a smallest breach in the waterproofing will cause water to get into the trough, from where it is easily transported through the gap between the roll waterproofing material and the surface of the structure. For several reasons, Hydrostop mineral coatings cannot really be substituted with sealing additives for concrete. Having a waterproof and attested type of concrete is by no means equivalent to having a waterproof wall, for in practice as the concrete is curing in the first week and once hydrostatic pressure has occurred along with the weight of the upper storeys on the reinforced concrete wall, microcracking takes place and is invisible to the naked eye. Such cracks are well sealed through penetration by a Hydrostop coating. Another reason why it is not sufficient to buy a waterproof conrete is that a structure has to be waterproofed in a comprehensive manner, including wall joints (see also products no. 303, 401, 533 and 511). The above is not a total criticism of concrete additives. Superplasticizers, particularly freeze/thaw resistance enhancing additives for structures subjected to freezing, should be used; however, using costly concrete sealing additives with the intention to build a waterproof structure is often unjustified extravagance. If the above long enumeration of advantages, effectiveness and other attractive features of the products is not convincing, please double-check with experienced users. |
Mieszanka Profesjonalna is a product ready to mix with water. It has an extraordinary ability to penetrate and over a period of 3 days it practically seals defects in concrete's cement matrix, which gives it an advantage over competing products. From that point the waterproofing is practically integrated with the substrate, with a buffer of sealing agents to self-repair in case of a possible new defect in the matrix. The extraordinary strong bonding strenth of Mieszanka Profesjonalna, reaching 4MPa, brings this mineral product close to the class of epoxy resins in this respect. |
| 203 Hydrostop-Mix |
Mieszanka has been developed as a dressing that absolutely permanently bonds to the bottoms of foundation slabs, bottom slabs between slurry walls, spread footings and the like. In the case of a crack occuring in the bottom of the slab, groundwater transports sealing compounds into the slab to initiate self-repair. Using this waterproofing technology does not in fact delay construction progress. | |
| 208 Mieszanka Mostowa |
As product no. 209. Enhanced resistance to sulphates. Particularly applicable in road and bridge construction (attested by IBDiM). Bridge constructors can make enormous savings by purchasing effective and inexpensive wateproofing materials. | |
| 211 Transparent |
Transparent coatings are an attractive material for waterproofing and finishing while preserving the original aesthetics of substrates. This makes them different from arguably all waterproofing products. Transparent coatings add semi-gloss finish, conceal light matte effects on the surface, help keep the substrate clean, and slightly deepen the hue of color porous surfaces. Grout joints and tiles coated with the transparent coating do not soak water in (do not become dark from spilled water), which does happen with some impregnating compounds. The transparent coating is recommended for 50cm protective strips on walls along the ground surface, terrace floors, balconies and roofings. This way rain drops bouncing off those horizontal surfaces will considerably less affect the walls, clinker brick faces and mineral rendering. The clinker substrate is free from rain-caused efflorescence, and any possible dirt is much more easily removed from the impregnated surface. The cost of the transparent coating ensures surfaces much more resistant to dirt, and that without having to pay for expensive acrylic renders. Transparent coatings give clinker brick fences a "noble" appearance, preventing graying and water entering their sides, which could cause efflorescence due to the alkalis in the binding mortar and clinker bricks. It is enough to take a glance at dirty grout joints and grayed tiles to make the decision! Have you inspected those dirty walls splashed with rainwater bouncing off the ground or terrace floor? If you pay close attention to those dirty areas, we believe our transparent coatings will become your valued ally in construction and repair work. |
Protects against water without hydrostatic pressures and at the same time it does not considerably affect the appearance of the substrate unlike almost all other Hydrostop waterproofing coatings. Depending on what is required, Hydrostop-Przezroczysty can be used as an impregnator or a sealing coating. |
| 212 Przezroczysty Płytko Penetrujący |
As above. Absorbent substrates absorb less of this than of product no. 211, which is economical if a sealing coating is required on highly porous surfaces. | |
| 302, Hydrostop-Fix 35-seconds |
Hydrostop-Fix (fast-binding cement) is practically indispensable in waterproofing work. It is possible to do without expensive wellpoints for waterproofing basement structures. In cellars, underground tunnels, water supply networks, shelters and other underground structures, water leakage spots can be successfully sealed rather than using costly wellpoints or troublesome and costly resin injections, which require specialist pressure equipment. It should be kept in mind that with wellpoints costs eventually increase above the budget because of unforeseen delays, and with injection it is not uncommon for a few times more resin than planned being used up per injector because of the resin's tendency to move beyond the barrier being sealed. Also, resin stains are troublesome and time-consuming to clean away while the substrate needs to be cleaned before subsequent waterproofing layers are applied. Being a cementitious binder, Hydrostop-Fix has a composition similar to concrete, which allows it to work well with the structure and make for a permanent non-aging filler/sealer unlike synthetic materials. Hydrostop-Fix allows easy sealing of construction joints in pouring concrete. Where the pouring of concrete has been stopped for at least 2 hours, the concrete poured next will not bind with the partly set concrete, which results in the formation (due to shearing forces acting at the boundary of the unevenly shrinking concrete masses) of a barely visible gap that may allow water seepage. As a permanent mineral filler, sealing construction joints with Hydrostop-Fix is superior to swellable polymer seals and grooved polymer tapes covered with concrete, as polymers are of limited durability; moreover, with a more extensive range of construction work, mistakes are made in applying polymer tape, whereupon it is very difficult to even locate the leaking spot and then repair it. Hydrostop-Fix is applied at the surface, the seal is easily accessible, and if the seal fails, the hole/groove is cleaned and immediately resealed. Hydrostop-Fix can be used both right after the concrete part has been made and at any other time afterwards. It is particularly convenient to make checks while sealing during a water test; on the other hand, the above-mentioned swellable polymer seals and tape can only be used while pouring concrete. Over the 15 years of production of Hydrostop-Fix the company has acquired a lot of technology experience which has allowed us to engineer no fewer than three binding times, something unseen with other suppliers' poducts.
Note that Hydrostop-Fix is a washout-resistant cement (also applicable in underwater construction) with excellent plasticity, and this makes it different from other fast-binding mortars available on the market or product no. 402. |
For occasional use. The exceptionally short binding time of product no. 302 allows sealing by filling and pressing to stop the outflow all over the surface. |
| 303 Hydrostop-Fix 1-min. |
A basic type of fast-setting cement for efficient work | |
| 304 Hydrostop-Fix 2-minute |
A cement with retarded setting action for beginner customers and for application where overly fast setting is troublesom. | |
| 401 Hydrostop-Mortar |
In waterproofing there usually occur spots, openings, grooves, gaps and defects that need sealing although there is no water outflow in the process. For this purpose Hydrostop offers waterproof mortars, which are considerably cheaper, stronger and easier to use than fast-setting cements. The products in this group are indeed excellent in waterproofing, as layers no thicker than 0.5cm to 1cm (depending on product number) ensure good waterpoofing at the consistency of render - this is not achievable with plasticizing and sealing additives used in production of commercial concrete. In other words, additives for concrete production cannot yield waterproof mortars. Hydrostop mortars are used for making clinker brickwork and monuments (except fitting marble directly) while it is still a little known fact that using a lime-with-cement mortar and a mortar with a lime-replacement additive for clinker is a terrible mistake. It typically does not take long (e.g. 1 year) for rainwater falling onto and soaking into the grout to wash out soluble substances, which then settle as difficult-to-remove efflorescence on the edges and surfaces of the bricks. If such an error has been made, efflorescence can be prevented using the no. 701, 211 and 212 impregnators. Hydrostop mortars and the Plast. additive are recommended as replacements for bituminous barriers beneath and on walls, as it has long been known that bituminous binders and tar paper undergo biodegradation due to moisture, shrinking and becoming brittle to lose their waterproofing properties often within several years. Once bituminous have degraded and there is no way to replace them, the problems are remedied through injection waterproofing with product no.721. Mortars no. 401 and 402 have short setting times (they cure within a few days) and are highly competitive relative to mortars from known brands that are not waterproof and might even not bind at all under extremely bad conditions. |
A ready-to-use strong universal mortar, highly waterproof and adhesive. It is much better and easier to use than self-made mortars with sealing additives, e.g. product no. 403. For wedge-shaped seals, coves, waterproof renders, fillings, underlayments. Mortar no. 401 along with no. 411 is excellent for filling tie-rod holes. |
| 402 Zaprawa Wodoszczelna. SzybkowiążącMorta |
Fast-binding cement substitute useful to make wedge-shaped seals and to fix defects causing minor non-pressurized water leaks. | |
| 403 Plast |
Thanks to its weight, this sealing additive is easier to transport and store than the ready-to-use mortar no. 401. You get a very affordable price per kilogram of a mortar using Plast, cement and sand at a construction site. | |
| 423 Repair |
Our range includes two basic materials for reinforced concrete structure repairs. Hydrostop-Reper is a universal thixotropic mortar applicable in reprofiling of corroded reinforced concrete. Hydrostop products bond well with the substrate and are convenient to apply. |
A repair mortar with a thixotropic property that can be applied up to 50mm thick. |
| 461, Passivating |
Passivates reinforcement steel. Applied onto cleaned rods after corroded concrete has been remoced. Also applied in anchoring rebars. | |
| 531 Flexible |
Aside from waterproofing with mortars and mineral coatings, construction and renovation often require flexible sealing in expansion joints, pipe holes, active cracks/fractures/connectons, among others in terraces and balconies. Hydrostop has a comprehensive range of coatings for sealing spots between working structural parts, and the system works well with other Hydrostop coatings and mortars, which is an advantage over incomplete solutions from the competition. Our flexible coatings are available for three sizes of allowable crack expansion in structural parts, i.e. the gap at the connection of parts. Hydrostop-Elastyczny Zbrojony is unique in that at approximately 2.5mm thick it ensures that any spot in a slab sealed at a gap of up to 5mm wide is resistant to cracking. This material also covers expansion joints of up to 20mm wide, and we do not know of any competing product to boast the same unique properties. Our expansion joint sealing methods are novel. All our technologies are seamless and can thus be applied to any shape of substrates, something not possible with glued or heat-bonded coatings, which can unseal at the seams. The methods of application ensures excellent bonding with the substrate (including wet), and unlike bitumious materials there is no concern about the material coming off or necessity to use ballast walls/overpours. The flexible waterproofing is applied to the accessible exposed side, where it is easy to install, which is advantageous compared to installation while pouring concrete as is the case with expansion joint tapes and absorbent bentonite sealants or materials applied prior to covering the foundation walls of a building with soil such as bentonite mats, membranes, binders, tar papers. Free access to the waterproofing allows the Hydrostop coatings to be complemented/repaired after water tests and also in the case of damage to the barrier during use. The waterproofing is based on a good quality acrylic polymer, better than competing coatings based on natural and synthetic latexes, which age with years like tyres made from the best latex, i.e. they become harder, shrink, get brittle and cracked on the surface. Hydrostop's flexible waterproofing products are sold as water-based, again better than coatings in which the solvents are gasoline or acetone. Hydrostop-Superelastyczny and Hydrostop-Elastyczny Zbrojony contain a high percentage of the polymer for high elasticity. This three-component system of flexible waterproofing ensures great ease of waterproofing structural areas at expansion joints, connections and surfaces where cracks can occur. |
The waterproofing is unaffected by microcracking in the substrate. |
| 533 Super- flexibe |
An acrylic rubber (ACM) coating with an elasticity approaching 100%. | |
| 511 Elastyczny Zbrojony (zestaw) |
For substrate cracking of up to 5mm wide and for sealing expansion joints. It covers expansion gaps of up to 2cm wide (plus chamfers at joint edges). | |
| 721 Injective |
Hydrostop-Iniekcyjny is used for stopping capillary moisture in masonry walls bonded with lime-with-cement mortar. The unique formula of this material allows it to be used in several ways in a wall - this ensures a unified and comprehensive technology for wall sealing unlike competing methods that either solve issues partially or through use of multiple and not fully compatible materials. Hydrostop-Iniekcyjny is used as a vertical and horizontal barrier. It is odorless unlike other materials available on the market, which smell of gasoline, kerosene, acetone, alkohol or fungicides long after application. The drying of the wall being sealed is not a prerequisite as is the case with silicone impregantors. There is no need for long heating of the wall as required by hot injection methods, paraffin injection and microwave drying. The technology is solid and durable once applied, as it does not rely on the flow of current (electroosmotic drying, where moisture withdraws twice as fast after the electrodes corrode or power is disconnected). Once sealing has been done, no electric power is used and no electromagnetic waves are emitted unlike the method of electromagnetic retention of water (the emitters consume power comparable to that which cell phones use while calling and they increase the levels of harmful electromagnetic pollution). Vertical sealing with Hydrostop-Iniekcyjny is quick - once drilled, holes are immediately filled without the need for long and energy-consuming drying required by other methods. One advantage of this technology is spontaneous and deep (up to 20cm) penetration without intruducing the injection fluid under pressure as is the case with resins in pressure-injection methods, where a lack of pressure often causes the porous or cracked wall to allow the resin to flow out, and there is also no certainty as to whether filling/soaking/injecting procedure has sealed all the pores responsible for the water penetration. This technology does not require specialst equipment: only a trowel and a watering can while other methods call for air/heat/microwave/refrigeration dryers or pumps for injection of sealants. This sealing can be done at any time - probably best when the wall has the most moisture unlike methods requiring walls to be dried and being more troublesome at high groundwater levels. When doing horizontal sealing, vertical sealing should be done as well below the holes using Hydrostop-Iniekcyjny. This comprehensive solution prevents the render from falling off. One of competing methods actually causes extensive efflorescence to occur, render to come off, and even tiles to fall off where injection sealing was done before. It is possible to seal walls of any thickness without the need to uncover them on the outside. With walls up to 25cm thick, horizontal sealing is done without drilling holes.Hydrostop-Iniekcyjny is in our view the best in class among injection sealants. If anyone has a different opinion, we will be happy to share constructive ideas. All the materials presented above are water- and freeze-resistant. |
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All the materials presented above are water- and freeze-resistant.