The Project
This home was originally constructed on a sloping block with fall to the back of
the property. The lower level of the home had been constructed with In-Situ
concrete with plastic formwork. The area was originally designed to be built
out as a high-end home theatre however the owner had concerns about the
possible ingress of water and moisture into the room long term, potentially
damaging the theatre fitout.
Inspection found signs of moisture ingress particularly at the wall\floor
junctions of the room in addition to some of the formwork joints. The risk of
damage from groundwater from the retained earth walls was high.
Design Considerations
Our design ensured the following elements were considered:
- No external access for waterproofing.
- In Situ concrete (plastic formwork) construction making internal liquid
membrane application difficult. - Internal walls were to be lined requiring a waterproofing membrane that
could also serve as a moisture and condensation barrier. - The brief required a system that could have fixings through the
membrane to accommodate the custom cabinetry that was to be
installed.
The Solution
A Type C Cavity Drain system was specified and installed to create a Grade 3 habitable space. A cavity drain system was the only option that would meet all of the requirements of the design brief for the client.
Preparation works included removal of the plastic formwork to allow clear access to the walls, and further preparation of the room perimeters to make ready for installation of the drainage conduit.
Newton System 500 was installed to all four walls of the room to ensure a completely dry, habitable space, free from moisture and other water
ingress.
The Result
The final result is outstanding!
Within a week of installation the home-owner could see condensation and moisture captured behind the wall membrane. This moisture would have otherwise been entering into his theatre room potentially destroying the equipment and fitout.
