Infiltration of water or moisture into buildings over time due to seasonal changes (rainfall) or leakages in the plumbing system can cause short-term and long-term damage to the structure. Buildings and structures need waterproofing as concrete by itself is not watertight and loses its strength with the increase of moisture content. We at BUILDTECH^® INDIA offer various methods of waterproofing solutions depending on the situation and the structure concerned. We aim to provide the most suitable and efficient method as required by the consumer amongst the following:

1. Brick-Bat Coba waterproofing: Brick-Bat Coba method of waterproofing is an effective and efficient method of waterproofing suitable for roofs, terraces, and basements. In this method, all the existing treatment is removed and the surface is made free of oil, grease, dust or any other foreign particles. All the non-structural cracks are then filled with polymer modified cement or mortar. Above the mortar, a layer of brickbats, soaked overnight, is laid. The gaps between the bricks are further filled with cement and mortar. The surface should be covered with wet gunny bags immediately after finishing. Curing is then done for 7 days.
2. Cementitious Waterproofing: This is probably one of the cheapest and easiest forms of waterproofing. The materials needed for this process are easily available with any suppliers of masonry and are easy to use and apply. This method is a rigid or semi-flexible type of waterproofing and is suitable for internal areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. There is also a variant of Box-type waterproofing method which is best suited for basements.
3. Liquid waterproofing membrane method: In this method, a liquid membrane, which is a thin coating of usually a primer coat with two top coats is used. These layers are applied using either a spray, a roller or a trowel. It offers more flexibility than the cementitious type of waterproofing. The durability of this method depends on the choice of the polymer by the contractor.
4. Bituminous coating waterproofing method: This is also known as asphalt coating. The most common application is in areas that are beneath screed wet. It is an excellent protective coating and waterproofing agent, especially on concrete foundations. One major disadvantage when using this method is that the coating becomes brittle and fragile when exposed to sunlight for long durations. It is usually further reinforced using more flexible materials such as polyurethane or acrylic based polymers
5. Polyurethane liquid membrane method: This is one of the strongest and most expensive waterproofing methods. It offers higher flexibility and is suitable for surfaces exposed to greater wear and tear such as flat roofs. Polyurethane is highly sensitive to moisture content present before application hence before applying the contractor has to be very careful in evaluating the moisture content of the surface.

It is important to take into consideration all these waterproofing techniques during the construction of any structure as with time a tiny leak can lead to major structural damage over time. It is also important to keep in mind that preventive measures are always more cost effective and time efficient than curative, so don’t wait to get your building inspected. Summer is here now, monsoons, however, might be less forgiving.

Guniting is a process used in construction for slope stabilization and various other rehabilitation purposes in the construction of retaining walls, water retaining structures and concrete repair works.
This process was developed in the US and the term “Guniting” was coined owing to the fact that a spray gun was used to apply the mortar or concrete mix to the surface. Gunite is a mixture of cement and sand usually in a proportion of 1:3. This method hence is also called dry mix shotcrete process. The dry material is then conveyed from the machine to surface of application through a nozzle by means of compressed pressure and high velocity. The application of the mixture is further facilitated by the addition of water at the nozzle area. The mix that finally comes out is a combination of dry material and water. The operator decides the ratio of water to the dry mix depending on the needs of the structure.
Over the past decade BUILDTECH® INDIA has mastered this process so integral towards the repair and rehabilitation of structures. We have learnt the ability of rapidly adapting our mix as well as application process to suit the unique needs of various structures, ensuring superior quality of work done.
There are a few general requirements for undergoing a good quality guniting process, these are listed as follows:

1. A high quality finished work through guniting is obtained by having careful and skilful operation and control of the nozzle
2. The surface of application should be thoroughly cleaned and must be free from dirt, grease or any other defective material. This can be achieved by cleaning the surfaces by a high-pressure water jet or by air blast
3. Sand blasting can be carried out on the surface of application before carrying out the guniting process this helps in the removal of rust on the reinforcement.
4. If the surface of treatment has high adsorption, then it must be kept wet for a suitable period of time depending on the structure, before undergoing guniting.
5. In order to reduce permeability and increase the resistance to weather and chemical attack, it is imperative to use high quality mortar in the guniting process.

The process of guniting is highly versatile in nature hence can be applied for structures to occupy any shape say undulating, spherical or curves. This is one of the major reasons for it being so popular in the construction of dams, reservoirs bridges, pipelines and canals.
This process also makes it easier to control the addition of water to the mixture as it is carried out at the nozzle. This also makes it possible to make the mixture wet or dry based on the demand. One of the major advantages of the gunite mixture is that is can be prepared quickly and on short notice hence leading to lesser wastage making it more economical. It has hence become one of the favoured process in the field of restoration and repairs and quite rightly so.