When erecting any building, builders pay special attention to ensuring the protection of the foundation. It is necessary to prevent exposure to the construction of an aggressive underground environment, water, various compounds - penetrating concrete, they destroy it. Within a few years, the base of the building will begin to crack, and then collapse. Special mixtures produced by Russian manufacturers will help to prevent this. Among them, the penetrating waterproofing "Hydrotex-B". What is this material, what are its features and advantages? And what do the reviews of experts and consumers say about the Hydrotex-B mixture?
Material Description
Hydrotex-B is a dry gray mixture. Consists of screened sand, in which minerals are added. They help the solution penetrate the pores of the concrete stone and fill them with sparingly soluble crystalline hydrates. They interact with calcium salts of concrete and create waterproofing.
Several modifications of the Hydrotex material are available:
- "P" is universal.
- "U" - antifungal effects.
- "B" - restoring.
- “B” is quick hardening.
Scope of application
The instructions for use attached to the Hydrotex B mixture indicate that the solution can be used both on the surface and in underground conditions. Thanks to this material is in demand in civil engineering. It is used for the manufacture of shut-off waterproofing in the
repair of foundations, basements, pools and other structures. In addition, a waterproofing solution is indispensable in cases where emergency leaks must be eliminated.
In many other areas, they also use Hydrotex-B. Application examples:
- Industrial hydraulic engineering. The material is indispensable in the construction of water tanks, sumps, treatment facilities, dams, etc.
- Marine construction. For the construction, repair and restoration of various structures. These are piers, breakwaters, etc.
- Industrial engineering. Collectors, tunnels, bridge supports, pumping stations, concrete buried rooms and many other objects need to be protected from moisture.
- Energy Waterproofing provides protection to concrete structures.
In other words, you can use the mixture in many cases. But not at all. There are objects on which it is unacceptable to use "Hydrotex-B". The instructions for use state that the mixture is not suitable to provide protection to those structures exposed to mineral acids.
Material advantages
The main advantages of the mixture
"Hydrotex B" - technical specifications. In particular:
- Durability.
- Ecological cleanliness.
- The ability to create a very durable coating.
- The ability to significantly increase the operating time of the structure.
- High adhesion to the work surface.
The safety of the mixture is of no small importance, since it is created on a cement basis without solvents. Confirms the safety of the slurry permission to use it in the domestic and drinking industry. This is stated in the GHS document No. 77.01.03.570.P.17806.04.09.
Another important property of a waterproofing solution is its economy: work can be carried out inside buildings, which eliminates the need for external costly insulation. Thus, using materials for waterproofing brand "Hydrotex B", you can forget about the repair for a long time, which saves money and labor.
How to prepare the mixture for work?
Like any other material, it requires knowledge of the handling characteristics of Hydrotex-B. Instructions for use will help to understand the intricacies of handling the material. The most important are the following points:
- You need to take from the packaging and dilute only the amount of the mixture that will be used in the next 30-35 minutes.
- Calculation per 1 square. m - 2.5 kg.
- The container for stirring should be convenient so as not to waste extra time on the preparation process.
- Water should be warm. It should be taken 20-25 percent in relation to the weight of the mixture.
- You can stir manually or using a low-speed mixer.
- Leave the solution for 5-6 minutes, and then stir again.
- The material is then ready to work when it is plastic, uniform.
Features of use
Before preparing a waterproofing solution, you need to prepare the surface that will be processed. To do this, it must be cleaned of various substances. These are grease, dirt, paint, plaster, etc. You can use a metal brush, a puncher, an electric drill with an abrasive nozzle, and a sandblasting machine — any suitable tool for this. Then it is necessary to expand all the cracks and seams where the Hydrotex B solution will be laid. Instructions for use indicate the following indicators:
- In brickwork, the joints should be expanded by at least 0.5 cm.
- At the joints of structures, the seams must be expanded at least 0.2 cm and to a depth of 2 cm or more.
Next, the surface must be washed with water to remove all cleaning residues. If there is exposed reinforcement in the treatment area, it must be cleaned so that a metallic sheen appears.
The prepared surface should be clean, rough to the touch and abundantly moistened, with marked fistulas and leaks.
Restoring the water resistance of structures
After preparation, the surface must be primed with a waterproofing solution. To rub the mixture, a flywheel brush is usually used. Then with a spatula, or it is possible to apply material by spraying, filling the joints to the very bottom of the crack. The minimum coating layer is 2 mm. After a day, the treated area must be checked to see if there are new leaks. Using drainage tubes, remove moisture and after 72 hours eliminate them.
If the structure is loose, porous in structure, it is necessary to repeat the treatment using the same materials for waterproofing. When the next layer of the solution dries, it is possible to carry out finishing work (wallpapering, whitewashing, painting). But before you start finishing, you need to rinse the surface with a 5% solution of acetic acid.
Opinions and recommendations of specialists
Experts recommend carefully understanding the handling characteristics of the Hydrotex-B mixture. Instructions for use - the most important document that must be studied before starting work. Ignorance of many subtleties will lead to the fact that the declared characteristics can change, the material will be wasted, and the main task - to restore the waterproof structure - has not been solved: the protective coating will peel off.
Is Hydrotex B really so high-quality and reliable in compliance with all recommendations? The feedback of those who had to work with the mixture confirms that there are practically no problems, the use of the solution provides an excellent result, and due to the fact that you can work from the inside of the building, you do not need to dig out the foundation, which greatly facilitates the whole process.