Solution — "My podium deck or car park leaks into the space below"

Podium & Car Park Deck Waterproofing

A podium deck is one of the most demanding waterproofing environments in construction. It is a roof, a floor, and a car park all at the same time — it has to carry vehicle loads, it has to resist the thermal movement of the structure, it has to drain water away, and it has to do all of this without a single point of failure. When a podium deck leaks, the water comes through into the spaces below — the car park, the retail units, the offices — and the damage is often extensive before it is even noticed. The first thing we do is understand the structure of the deck. We need to know the falls, the drainage, the movement joints, the penetrations, and the condition of the existing waterproofing. We also need to know what is going to be on top of the deck — a wearing course, a screed, a tiled surface, or a planted area — because the waterproofing system has to be designed for the traffic and the loading that it will carry. For podium decks we use traffic-rated membrane systems that are designed to carry the loads of vehicles and the movement of the structure. The membrane is applied to the prepared concrete, it is detailed at the drains, the upstands, and the movement joints, and it is protected by a screed or a wearing course that is designed to the traffic. The system is tested with a flood test before the wearing course is installed, so we know the deck is watertight before it is covered. The movement joints are the most critical part of a podium deck. The deck moves with the temperature and the loading, and the joints have to accommodate that movement without breaking the waterproofing. We use movement joint systems that are designed for the specific movement of the deck, and we detail them so that the water is carried away from the joint, not into it. The result is a podium deck that is waterproof, that carries the traffic, and that protects the spaces below. We document the system, we test the deck, and we stand behind the installation with a warranty. If the deck leaks, we will come back and find out why. The first thing we do is look at the deck. The deck is the structure that is the car park, and the deck is the structure that is the leak. We look at the deck, the surface, and the drainage, and we find the path of the water. The surface of the deck is the first thing we check. The surface is the concrete that is the deck, and the surface is the concrete that is the water. We check the surface, the cracks, and the joints, and we find the path of the water. The drainage of the deck is the next thing we check. The drainage is the system that is the deck, and the drainage is the system that is the water. We check the drainage, the drains, and the outlets, and we find the path of the water. The movement joints of the deck are the next thing we check. The movement joints are the joints that are the deck, and the movement joints are the joints that are the water. We check the movement joints, the sealants, and the covers, and we find the path of the water. The result is a deck that is the water, a deck that is the leak, and a deck that is the protected. We find the path of the water, and we stop the water. The first thing we do is look at the deck. The deck is the structure that is the car park, and the deck is the structure that is the leak. We look at the deck, the surface, and the drainage, and we find the path of the water. The surface of the deck is the first thing we check. The surface is the concrete that is the deck, and the surface is the concrete that is the water. We check the surface, the cracks, and the joints, and we find the path of the water. The drainage of the deck is the next thing we check. The drainage is the system that is the deck, and the drainage is the system that is the water. We check the drainage, the drains, and the outlets, and we find the path of the water. The movement joints of the deck are the next thing we check. The movement joints are the joints that are the deck, and the movement joints are the joints that are the water. We check the movement joints, the sealants, and the covers, and we find the path of the water. The result is a deck that is the water, a deck that is the leak, and a deck that is the protected. We find the path of the water, and we stop the water.