Tips From Technical Services

Image depicts a wet substrate that never allowed the membrane to cure which
resulted in a damaged, delaminated membrane.

Moisture Vapour and Damp Substrates With Membranes.

An article by Fred Gray, LATICRETE Australia Technical Service Manager, provides educational insights on moisture vapour transmission rates caused by damp substrates: 

"As we have progressively moved out of the hotter drier weather patterns to more prolonged warmer and wetter or damper conditions, we are starting to see the re-occurrence of a range of issues we have not seen for a while. In particular these resultant warmer, damper, wetter substrates and backgrounds can be problematic with the application of most waterproof membranes. 

The wetter conditions when combined with warmer temperatures accelerate moisture vapour transmission rates that get trapped under the membrane. The transmission of moisture vapour in the substrate under the membrane usually manifests as bubbles in the membrane which means isolated debonding of the membrane occurs.  

So how do we avoid these issues - protection of the works from the elements and allowing drying moisture equalisation is the best way, however construction schedules don’t allow for this, so the use of moisture shielding is considered the pragmatic way to mitigate high moisture vapour rates. LATAPOXY® Moisture Shield should be used on all work exposed to these conditions."  

Click here for the LATAPOXY Moisture Shield Data Sheet.

For more information or for Technical Support call 1800 331 012 or email sales@laticrete.com.au to arrange a demo or a FREE sample.