How to prepare my terrace or my facade? (I) Waterproofing

​It is normal that with the passage of time and the weather, our facades and terraces seem with careless appearance, raised paint and, in some cases, with humid.

In such cases, many users believe that a coat of paint is more than enough to restore the excellent appearance and condition of the exterior surfaces of our home.
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However, painting is not always the most appropriate solution. The painting is usually only the final part of a process a little deeper and laborious, but that in the long term, brings a higger profit.
 
In fact, in most of these cases, a correct waterproofing of the surface is required before painting.
 
In this post, we want to give you some tips so that you can restore your terrace or your façade with a work of good result. It reports an attractive economic saving and keeps away from problems in the future.

​Recommendations for properly waterproofing a surface.

​Waterproofing is of fundamental importance. It serves to apply a treatment to all the exterior surfaces of our house to prevent rain and dew from entering the interior of the building. It also serves to preserve in good condition and for much longer the paint that we apply afterwards.

​Waterproofing treatments are based on water-repellent products. Some of them contain fungicides to prevent mould and fungi from being generated on the walls.
 
These products must be applied to all the exposed surfaces of our house: roofs, walls, terraces.

For the higher parts of the façade, you have to carry out work in height. That is why the first thing we recommend is the installation of an approved scaffold, like those of ASC Spain, that guarantees your safety.

​Before proceeding, we must assess the area to know what kind of solution and products should be used. You probably don’t know that there are waterproofing products specific to each application.
 
For this, it is best to consult the professional of the store where you buy the products so that they’ll advise on what is most convenient for your case.

​We should look at the type of waterproofing material that we are going to buy. Note that there are transparent waterproofing materials that do not alter the colour of the façade or the terrace floor. These are the most suitable to be applied on ancient stone surfaces or tiled floors, that we don´t want to alter their original appearance. Therefore, before buying it, we must also look at it and make sure it is permeable to water vapour to avoid problems with condensation.

​Types of waterproofing products.

Not only the facades and terraces need waterproofing products. There are other types of walls in dwellings that need this type of treatment, such as basements.

Depending on the needs, there is a different type of waterproofing:

· Waterproofing Products Water Repellent.

They are transparent compounds based on silanes, which create a waterproof protective film, which allows the wall to breathe without altering the appearance of the facades.

This type of waterproofing products is perfect for all types of materials.

· Emulsions and Waterproofing Coatings.
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Liquid-type treatments made with bituminous substances and elastic fibres. They must be applied with a roller on any surface, regardless of the material.

· Waterproofing paints.

They are acrylic paintings composed of silicates. They are usually used to decorate facades, at the same time as they are protected from rain and allow walls and walls to breathe. 

​Instructions for waterproofing a surface.

​The first thing to do is to clean the entire surface with a brush to remove both the dirt and the remains of old paint that remain loose.
 
​It is essential that this cleaning is done dry to prevent the walls from becoming muddy with the soil or dust they may contain. Besides, we must do this conscientiously so that there are no traces left that could damage the waterproofing. 

If you find cracks or fissures, you must plug them, repair them and let the putty dry, before applying the waterproofing product.
 
After this, and with the facade completely dry, we can spray or apply with brush or roller the waterproofing product.
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It is essential to distribute the product very well on all the walls in a uniform way, without leaving any areas to be covered.

 After the first application, we must wait for its complete drying and proceed to apply a second layer. In this way, we'll achieve uniform coverage of the treated surface and a full waterproofing effect.
 
Once the second layer of waterproofing is dried is when we can apply the finishing paint, the finishing product of the material or the final flooring.

If you follow this simple process, you will keep your façades, floors, roof and terraces free of humidity for a long time and with an impeccable appearance.
 
Your investment will have been worth it.