Solution: Joint Sealing
Architect: Weston Williamson
Contractor: Aquatech Contracts

For the new £5m retail and residential development at Gedling Mission Hall, Southwark, a waterproof and airtight seal for the building’s external facade was of paramount importance. To achieve an impenetrable seal around the many joints and junctions of the windows and facade, Sika Universal Membran from global building product manufacturer Sika, was specified by specialist contractors, Aquatech Contracts.

The Gedling Mission Hall project comprised of the design and build of ground floor commercial units and a total of 38 residential units across the six floors of the semi high rise development. Designed by architects Weston Williamson, the building’s external facade features alternating horizontal banding of brickwork, glazing and fixed panels – designed to complement existing local architecture.

Aquatech Contracts applied the Sika Universal Membran system to provide a weatherproof seal to the outer facade and windows. As well as creating a comfortable and weather tight living and working environment, the system aids in the energy efficiency of the building by minimising loss of heating and cooling by creating a thermally sealed building envelope.

Designed to provide an efficient method of sealing any construction gaps in building facades, the systems comprises of Universal Membran, a versatile EPDM synthetic rubber waterproofing membrane and Sikabond TF PlusN, an elastic adhesive. Durable, UV and ozone resistant, it can be bonded to almost any building substrate to provide an airtight, waterproof seal.

Sika Universal Membran offers a defined rate of vapour diffusion regulating the amount of moisture that escapes from the building thus allowing trapped moisture to escape from the building fabric without breaking the weatherproof seal.

Sika Universal Membran is easy to use and requires no pre-application treatment, other than cleaning all the surfaces. Once on site Aquatech Contracts cut the Sika Universal Membran to the required length and width before fixing it in place around the windows and various facade joints.

To provide a secure bond, the Sika Universal Membran system was sealed with Sika’s revolutionary elastic adhesive, Sikabond TF PlusN. Solvent free, the single part polyurethane based adhesive has been specially developed to bond to a range of building substrates. Eliminating the need for mechanical fixings, Sikabond TF PlusN gives a continuous seal and flawless finish, and can also be applied to uneven surfaces.

Now successfully installed, the Sika Universal Membran system restricts the loss of heated or cooled air from the residential and commercial units within the Gedling Mission Hall.

A combination of one, two and three bedroom properties and ground floor commercial space, the building’s occupants can now rest assure that it’s completely sealed - thanks to the Sika Universal Membran system.