GCP Advanced Technologies’ Silcor® liquid waterproofing was used for a challenging project at a UK pharmaceutical facility.

Due to market demand the client needed to expand their production capacity and as such invested in an extension to their site in Ware.

The extension included new air conditioning and electrical and mechanical plant installation. New steel gantries were constructed around 50cm above the existing building to make space for the new plant rooms.

These gantries would be supported by 18 steel columns through penetrations cut through the existing roof.

As access to the existing roof would be restricted would be restricted following the extension engineers decided to re-waterproof the entire roof before the new gantries were installed.

The waterproofing system needed to be applied over the existing mastic asphalt roof covering and once specified by SDC Special Projects, GCP Applied Technologies proposed the penetrations be waterproofed too.

They recommended their Silcor® liquid waterproofing system as it adheres to both steel and mastic asphalt, it can resist water penetration within two hours of application and is easily applied by spraying or by trowel.

Silcor® 900HA was applied by Capel Waterproofing Limited to the column penetrations and SIlcor® 900MP was used to re-waterproof the roof.

Silcor® Primer P20 was mixed with dried silica quartz to form a scratch coat which will reduce surface irregularities.

A key requirement of the project was to complete the work with minimal disruption to the working plant. Silcor® was able to achieve this by sealing the penetrations quickly.