Not everyone can order a ready-made pool. That is why many are forced to do it on their own. This process is very laborious and complex. And at the final stage, you need to take care of the most important thing - waterproofing. It affects not only reliability, but also the durability of the structure as a whole. Let's talk about what and why we need waterproofing the pool, as well as how to cope with this task without the involvement of specialists.
About purpose and types of waterproofing
Before moving on to the practical part of the work, I would like to talk a bit about what functions waterproofing performs. To do this, you need to deal with its types. So, the waterproofing of the pool is of two types: external and internal.
You can guess that the outer insulation is used to protect the structure from the effects of groundwater. At the same time, internal waterproofing is necessary so that the water drawn into the pool does not destroy the concrete structure from the inside. Moreover, if you are going to build a pool inside the building, then you do not need to use external waterproofing.
It must be understood that any type of insulation does not solve all problems. Yes, it will be moisture proof on any side, but nothing more. If the pool bowl is made with deviations, then waterproofing will not help here.
About the waterproofing tab
Many are mistaken precisely at this stage. The fact is that waterproofing should be equipped even during the construction of the pool. Moreover, if the work is not completed on time, then cracks of 3 mm and more can form. This will lead to moisture on the concrete base, which will start the process of its gradual destruction.
Often it is required to use various materials for waterproofing (coating, rolls). For example, coating insulation requires a carefully prepared bowl and its base. Moreover, in some cases I use a one-component mixture, in others I use a two-component cement-polymer mixture. It is this type that is used for internal processing. For outdoor use roll materials. Since they have poor adhesion to certain surfaces, it makes no sense to use them for internal work.
Technology Brief
We have already figured out why waterproofing is needed. Now I would like to consider the technology of carrying out internal and external works. All work can be done manually, but this will require a little theoretical knowledge.
The inner layer of waterproofing is carried out immediately before the finishing treatment of the pool. For this, reinforced coating materials are used. They are necessary to prevent moisture from seeping through the bowl into the structure, which can lead to its destruction.
External waterproofing is implemented by introducing plasticizers into the concrete mixture . The purpose of the latter is to increase the strength and water resistance of the bowl. Work must be carried out during construction, if this is not possible, then at the stage of repair work. In any case, waterproofing a concrete pool is a must. Many experts emphasize that high-quality waterproofing should be not so much strong and flexible as creating a monolithic layer that reliably protects from moisture.
Tile pool waterproofing
Now I would like to talk about how to protect the concrete base from moisture from the inside. Such waterproofing is done under the tiles. After the bowl has been filled and formed, it should harden and completely dry. After this, you can apply waterproofing. Almost any elastic mixture will do. It is better to apply in several layers, because it is so much more reliable. To prevent leakage in any area, the waterproofing must be distributed evenly along the bottom and walls of the bowl.
In principle, waterproofing pools for tiles is quite simple and quick. The main thing is to pay attention to the quality of the mixture and apply it as evenly as possible. After drying, check the pool. To do this, it is filled with water, which is released after some time. After this, some conclusions can be drawn. If leaks are detected, they can be covered.
Waterproofing of pools: materials and everything about them
The abundance of modern waterproofing materials is simply amazing. It may even seem that sometimes it is simply impossible to choose, because there are a lot of them. But it is extremely important to pay attention to the design features of the bowl. And only after that proceed with the selection of insulating material.
The most popular and at the same time relatively inexpensive material is a film of high strength. It has a lot of advantages, but all of them can be crossed out with one minus. The fact is that if at least one tiny hole appears in the film, then the entire layer will have to be changed.
It is impossible not to pay attention to membrane materials. This is a film of PVC, TPO and others. Such waterproofing has a service life of about 50 years, and is also environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to mount a PVC film on your own, and the material itself is very expensive.
Mastics and bentonite mats
In most cases, mastics are not used as an independent waterproofing for many reasons. The fact is that they do not always give the proper result. But during repairs inside the pool, it’s difficult to do without them. Any local damage is best covered with mastic. It is economical and reliable. It is recommended to purchase mastics from the following manufacturers: Psykpes, Penetron, as well as Kalmatron.
Bentonite mats are suitable as the main waterproofing. But you must understand that bentonite granules are washed out by the pressure of water. In addition, the maximum load requirement, which should not exceed 200 kg / m 2 , must be observed. This material is very resistant to mechanical damage and has the ability to regenerate.
Work order
Often waterproofing is performed at the end of construction work. First, it is desirable to perform external manipulations. To do this, the pool walls are cleaned of soil and concrete mix residues. Moreover, cleaning must be done to a depth of the pillow around the perimeter. At the next stage, it is necessary to expand the seams of the walls with a puncher to a depth of 5 cm. Put the mastic in the holes obtained, which must be carefully smoothed. The external walls need to be slightly moistened with water, and after about 15 minutes apply penetrating insulation. After 24 hours, a second coat is applied. The thickness of each layer should be about 2 mm. In principle, waterproofing the pool with your own hands from the outside is almost done. Walls can be additionally coated with liquid rubber. At the very end, the walls are covered with soil, preferably not dump, but clay.
More about internal work
We have already figured out a little how the waterproofing of the pool from the inside is done. The fact is that it is much more difficult to properly perform internal work than external work. Firstly, the quality of the waterproofing material and its technical characteristics are more important here, and secondly, the layer should be perfect, without cracks.
Many experts recommend the use of a cement-polymer mixture (self-leveling). It is poured onto the surface of the floor. But the surface of the walls is preferably treated with penetrating insulation. At the same time, it is worth paying attention to such areas as the corners of the walls, the adjacencies of the walls and the floor, the holes for the pipes. It is these places that are the most vulnerable and the most problematic. After completion of the work, it is advisable to apply colored mastic in several layers, wait for it to dry and test the waterproofing.
Conclusion
So we talked with you about how the external and internal waterproofing works are carried out. If the material is selected correctly and the technology is followed, then everything should be in order. For example, liquid waterproofing for swimming pools is often washed off, but is resistant to mechanical damage, but nothing will happen to the film due to the high pressure of the water, but any damage will require repair. In any case, waterproofing of concrete pools is necessary. So you can protect the foundation from premature destruction. Remember that it is better to perform work not during repair, but during the construction period. So significantly increases the effectiveness of waterproofing.