Concrete Monthly Magazine – April, 2005
A patent-pending concrete waterstop application is changing the way concrete construction joints are waterproofed.
Known as the “Krystol Waterstop System,” the application replaces conventional waterstop barriers, saving construction time and costs while providing two lines of defense to protect construction joints
Leo Connell, marketing director for Kryton International, said that when it comes to waterproofing, the joints between concrete pours are particularly vulnerable.
“Traditionally, construction joints are sealed using PVC waterstops, bentonite strips or swellable urethane,” Connell said.
“However, these systems are difficult to install and can easily become dislodged or damaged during concrete pours, leaving joints susceptible to leakage. More than just a physical barrier, the Krystol Waterstop System is based on Kryton’s proprietary Krystol technology, which eliminates many of the challenges associated with joint design and waterproofing.”
The Krystol Waterstop System uses two cementitious, Krystol-based products: Krystol Waterstop Grout and Krystol Waterstop Treatment. A triangle-shaped strip of Krystol Waterstop Grout is created along the edge of a concrete slab or wall at the site where a new wall is to be poured. Once the grout has cured, Krystol Waterstop Treatment is applied and the concrete wall can be poured as normal.
Both products contain Krystol, an integral crystalline waterproofing compound that is proven to waterproof concrete from the inside out, replacing conventional external membranes and waterstop systems. When mixed with or applied to concrete, Krystol chemicals react with water and unhydrated cement to form microscopic crystals that seal the spaces between concrete particles and permanently block water penetration from all directions. In addition, a second line of defense is created when the Krystol Waterstop Grout hardens to achieve a high-strength physical barrier.
Because the Krystol Waterstop System provides a chemical barrier in addition to a physical barrier, waterproofing is not compromised even if the application is chipped or damaged.
The Krystol Waterstop System was recently used in the construction of a high-end home in Georgia.
“The basement of this hillside home is 10 feet below grade,” said Jeff Taylor, president of Aquablock Inc. a Kryton distributor. “The previous property owners had experienced challenges with hydrostatic pressure and the new owners needed a joint design system that would guarantee permanent waterproofing protection for the basement-level living space and wine cellar.”
The project’s architect specified the Krystol Waterstop System,” said Taylor, “and although the concrete contractor hadn’t used the application before, we showed their employees how to apply the system and provided them with the necessary tools. They grasped the concept right away and within a couple of hours, two employees had prepared more than 260 feet using the Krystol Waterstop System. That’s a fraction of the time required to prepare construction joints using a traditional physical barrier.”
Taylor says that this time savings, as well as the fact that specialized labor was not required, translated into cost savings for the homeowners, who also had the peace of mind of knowing that the Krystol Waterstop System would not be damaged during subsequent pours and will last the lifetime of their home.
