Waterproofing System Specification & Consultation

There is no single best waterproofing system. The right choice depends on the structure, the substrate, the exposure, the movement expected, the drainage and what the space will be used for. A system that is excellent on a roof can be the wrong answer in a tank.

We start with the structure: is it above or below grade, is it new or existing, what is the substrate, and how much movement will it see? Then the exposure: permanent water, intermittent rain, traffic, chemicals or potable water. Then the build-up: what goes above and below the membrane, and how the water will drain.

Only then do the system families make sense. Cementitious coatings suit water-retaining structures and damp substrates; liquid polyurethane or acrylic membranes suit complex roofs and wet areas; bituminous sheets suit large simple decks; PVC and TPO suit exposed and green roofs; crystalline and integral systems suit concrete that must be watertight in its own right; injection suits cracks and joints that cannot be opened up.

The details matter as much as the family. A membrane is only as good as its junctions at upstands, drains, penetrations and movement joints, and the protection layer above it decides whether it survives construction and service.

A specification should say what system is being installed, on what substrate, with what preparation, and how each detail is treated — not just name a product. That is what we produce after a site assessment, and it is what a contractor can build from.