Retaining walls are very similar to planters but without the bases. They may be critical such as when the other side is a habitable room, or relatively non-critical such as a garden wall to stop the paint cracking off. Here the membrane is on the outside of the wall rather than on the inside but the same principles generally apply as for planters.
New Retaining Walls Construction
A core filled blockwork wall is normally open at the top when waterproofing is required. The first thing to do is to cement flush where the core fill has shrunk and waterproof on top with virtually any membrane to hand as this helps to reduce the porous block from becoming saturated every time it rains.
Torch applied SBS is safest and very long lasting and has the advantage with expansion joints, and also where the face of the blockwork wall is flush with the face of the footing as all that is required is an extra strip over the cold joint.
Membrane can be protected by: Cuspated protection board, XPS Polystryene board, Corflute board and Geotextile drainage sheet.
Where drainage sheet is used, terminate it at the top with a flashing profile to help hold in place and to keep water from travelling between the dimples and the membrane. Wrimco supplies 8mm to 18mm dimpled drainage sheet with integral filter.
Wrimco's sheet membranes are ideal for installation as a roofing or tanking membranes, offering an optimal adhesion on a variety of substrates. It can be used on flat, vertical or pitched surfaces. It is available in 3mm and 4mm 'plain (either Sand or PE film topside), as well as a 4mm mineral in a natural Slate Grey.
It is a high quality, elastomeric, sheet waterproofing membrane composed of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) thermoplastic rubber with non-woven polyester (180g/m2) reinforcement and high quality bitumen. The top and bottom surfaces are covered with a thermofusible plastic film thus facilitating its installation using a propane torch. It is designed to be the base sheet ply in two-ply modified bitumen systems or as a single-layer system when double layers of the material are used at all transitions, drains and corners. Typical applications include decks, tanking, podiums, planters, roofs and bathroom floors.
Location:
Jersey Road, Mortdale
Wrimco SBS waterproof membrane being torch applied to unusually complex retaining walls with several projections and height steps. The operator is unrolling the Wrimco SBS upwards as he torches the surface so the "hot melt" then adheres the 3mm sheet to the blockwork wall.
The operator torching the bottom of the sheet onto the wall.
link: Retaining Wall Specification
The membrane being torched as a vertical strip in the corner. The "no nails" PACTIV 6.4mm PB4 protection board will be subsequently spot torched to the waterproof membrane.
Location: Ryan Ave, Mosman
Applicator: Wrimco Waterproofing Contractor
Torch applied membrane + termite protection + insulation + back fill
Location: Ryan Ave, Mosman
Applicator: Wrimco Waterproofing Contractor
Location:
Mosman
Applicator: Wrimco Waterproofing Contractor
Location: Manly
Applicator: Wrimco Waterproofing Contractor
The retaining walls waterproofed with Wrimco SBS membrane since the base was well below the water table, the Wrimco SBS was first laid on the blinding slab. After the main concrete base slab was poured, the membrane was subsequently wrapped around the sides and brought across to the walls in order to totally encapsulate or "tank" the basement. The depth of the excavation can be gauged by the fencing which is at road level facing the ocean beach.
Location:
Palm Beach
Applicator: Wrimco Waterproofing Contractor
Photos showing a foundation wall well below the water table with Wrimco SBS being torch applied to shotcreted walls and blinding slab prior to pouring the main floor slab and forming the walls so the membrane ends up sandwiched between the two
Location:
WhaleBeach
Applicator: Wrimco Waterproofing Contractor
Wrimco SBS membrane torch applied to a 1.2m high retaining wall protecting the front of the building. PB4 dedicated protection board will be subsequently spot torched to the Wrimco SBS.
