News

Our AIW President, Paul Evans, is giving a talk at this years "International conference focusing on technical and market developments for waterproofing membranes in construction and civil engineering applications" held between 14-16th November in Cologne, Germany. It is the 11th annual international conference on Waterproof Membranes and will involve a cocktail evening to welcome guests followed by a 2-day program of presentations covering technical developments and market trends in the roofing and geomembrane waterproofing industry. Waterproof Membranes 2017 will offer superb opportunities to network and interact with engineers, specifiers, researchers and commercial personnel working for: the world’s leading membrane producers; [...]

All too often we find the waterproofing details on project specifications are non-existent or very lacking in proper details. We find the waterproofing lumped in with all sorts of other items such as tiling, painting, plumbing, structural engineering and such. If the details are ambiguous then the old "apples for apples" is extremely difficult to apply and prices are all over the place. Most waterproofers have their own particular like and dislikes when it comes to what materials to use and how to install them. Choose the "right" product A particular material may or may not be the ideal product [...]

From 1 September 2016, Victorian builders must give a copy of the new Domestic Building Consumer Guide to their clients, before the client signs a major domestic building contract. The Domestic Building Consumer Guide is the contract information statement required by section 29A of the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995. Most of the information referred to in the guide can be found via our Domestic Building Consumer Guide page. You can also download the Domestic Building Consumer Guide (Word, 108KB). To complement the new guide, we have updated the checklist that must be included in a major domestic building contract.

The third major cause of waterproofing failures is residual moisture in the substrate causing adhesive failure or de-bonding of the membrane. Australian Standards for textile floor coverings (AS/NZS 2455.1), vinyl flooring (AS 1884), tiling (AS 3958.1),painting (AS 2311), plywood (AS/NZS 2269) and timber (AS/NZS 1080.1, AS 2792.2) all specify the substrate dryness or material moisture content for the installation of various floor covering materials over concrete and mortar screeds. Why Australian Standards for waterproofing (AS 3740 / AS 4654.1) has failed to define and specify methods for determining the substrate dryness or moisture content has remained a perplexing issue. There [...]

The second most common recurring problem, after poor surface preparation, is the failure to prime the respective parts and surfaces before the application of the waterproofing membrane. Failure of the waterproofing membrane bond to substrates is a recurring and consistent problem often associated with poor subsurface drainage and saturation of tiling or topping screeds. Every manufacturer of a sealant or a waterproofing membrane specifies priming of surfaces. There are primers available for a large range of materials to enhance adhesive bond strength of both sealants and membranes. Most membranes currently on the market will not form a chemical waterproof bond [...]

The property was inspected by Mr P. Evans, Registered Builder, Trade Qualified, Certified Waterproofer, Vice President of The Australian Institute of Waterproofing, Cert 111 OH & S, 40 yrs in Construction. Here are his notes, which are a great read for anyone in the constructon industry: Upon inspecting the balcony without performing invasive testing ( lifting tiles) an audio test on random tiles confirmed the tiles are de-bonding in a large majority of the balcony area consisting of approx 70M2. These tiles are know in the industry as "drummy" due to the hollow sound made when impacted with a firm [...]

If you are a member of the Australian Institute of Waterproofing, you are entitled to a number of benefits. These include access to technical information and drawings, trainings and additional exposure through our waterproofing directory. However one of the biggest advantages of being an AIW member is often overlooked. That advantage is the rights to use our logo on your website and on other forms of communication. As the official representative body for the waterproofing industry, our brand is highly recognisable and trusted. Aligning your company with the AIW will enhance your own credibility, professionalism and industry recognition. An AIW [...]

The construction industry has mostly been driven by the $$$ cost of having a product/service or both installed. As building demands become higher and higher for multi unit dwellings we have seen an enormous trend to short cut many of the building process in order to get in and out quicker and turn over the job so it can be sold or rented out. While the dollar is God in most cases, this drive is causing an enormous backlash for owners and insurance companies in rectifying waterproofing issues. Common causes of waterproofing failure are: the design in the first place, [...]

Ever wonder how long waterproofing has been around? Amazingly, it has been part of human dwelling construction for over 13,000 years, viewed by a number of people as the third oldest trade, behind only carpentry and masonry. It came about from the desire to protect our shelters from the elements, and not surprisingly, has seen vast improvements over the ages. The agrarian revolution saw a decrease in small hunter-gatherers groups as many formed larger social units and "stayed put" in more permanent locations. This resulted in a more productive form of agriculture and excess grain from the harvests needed to [...]