As a veteran of waterproofing Sydney properties for 20+ years, clients often inquire about apply liquid rubber barriers to seal foundations and vulnerable slab surface instead of sheet good alternatives. When initially developed decades ago, cold fluid rubber demonstrative clear advantages costing fractions of predecessors. However, more recent advancements demand updated performance considerations before dousing exterior-facing substrates. Here is what I currently advise based on thousands of under-house applications across Sydney reactive clay soil movement.
Pros of Liquid Rubber Waterproofing
- Lower Material Costs: Basic rubber polymer formulations remain the most affordable liquid coatings for typical moisture sealing, translating to smaller quoted jobs versus advanced epoxies or urethanes.
- Enhanced Crack Bridging Ability: Cold fluid rubber remains a bit stretchier than other membranes. This durability ensures small foundation cracks and soil shift settlement doesn’t instantly undermine water resistance overtime as barriers age.
- Superior Adhesion: Industrial-grade rubber polymer resins bond strongly with minimally prepared concrete and cement board surfaces where painting usually requires intensive acid etching or scouring with mechanical grinders beforehand.
Cons of Liquid Rubber Waterproofing
- Chemical Vulnerability: Basic rubberized coatings still wear quicker against corrosive soil conditions and saltwater degradation compared to formulated polyurethanes. Sydney’s reactive clay frequently shortens anticipated lifespans.
- Limited Vapour Transmission Protection: Unlike class-leading epoxy and urethanes barriers rated for permanent hydrostatic pressure resistance below 8 metres, liquid rubber largely gets overwhelmed by moisture vapour drive through capillary action over decades.
Ideal Liquid Rubber Applications
- Low-Risk Residential Moisture Protection: For home foundations without aggressive runoff or sea spray factors involved, rubber makes an affordable, crack-tolerant membrane option where cheaper acrylic emulsions fall short.
- Non-Critical Commercial Barrier Supplements: Some Sydney architects specify using basic liquid rubber sheets on building rooftops or plaza decks as supplementary leak protection added behind primary thermoplastic seamless lining for enhanced resilience.
So while liquid rubber waterproofing clearly stands ahead of outdated tar paper and primitive paint-on products, considerable chemistry advancements now allow superior moisture barriers given project budgets. Know that longer-term vulnerability risks must factor into using basic rubberized resins beyond just comparing raw material costs alone. Discuss options with Sydney waterproofing experts beforehand tailoring choices to building conditions and planned lifecycles.
