How to Distinguish Good and Poor Quality Waterproofing Membranes

1. Excellent physical properties

Qualified products shall meet standard requirements in tensile strength, elongation at break, water impermeability, high-temperature flexibility and natural aging resistance. Meanwhile, they should be easy to construct, produce no harmful gas, and feature more advantages and fewer drawbacks compared with similar products.

2. Good adaptability to different building areas

Different waterproof materials suit distinct construction parts. Waterproofing membranes are ideal for large-area waterproofing works thanks to fast construction and stable quality, but not suitable for bathrooms and toilets, where waterproof coatings work better. Rigid waterproof materials fit stable structures without vibration or deformation, such as basement walls and floors. They are not recommended for bridges and long-span roofs due to heavy weight and material waste.

3. Full utilization of material advantages

Each waterproof material has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it should be applied properly. High-density polyethylene geomembrane has poor flexibility and is unfit for roof waterproofing, yet it features high strength, superior root resistance, extra width up to 7 meters and weldable joints, which makes it irreplaceable for landfills, rivers, canals and ponds. Cementitious capillary crystalline waterproof coating can be applied on damp substrates, while polyurethane coating cannot, though the latter has better overall performance.

4. Matching with building importance

High-grade materials like SBS modified asphalt membranes and EPDM rubber membranes are perfect for Grade I and Grade II buildings, but uneconomical for temporary facilities such as construction sheds, short-term warehouses and disaster relief shelters that will be demolished within one or two years.

5. Convenient construction

Some materials have sound physical properties but are difficult to install. For example, reverse-adhered membranes are hard to seal at joints; powdery materials are difficult to spread evenly and form an integral closed waterproof layer.