Winter 2019

Industry Forecast
Tradeshow Preview
Carbon Fiber
Crawlspaces
Wind Uplift
SUPERIOR
PROTECTION.

COOL RUNNING.

CLASSIC CAST IRON.

With more models to choose from and quality

assembly right here in the U.S.A.*, Liberty is
supporting American workers - all while giving
you the highest level of basement protection.
Choose from the cool-running deep-finned
aluminum models or classic cast iron in 1/4
thru 3/4 hp performance.

*Quality Built American Manufacturing - Bergen, NY on

all 230, 240, 250, 280, 290, and 450-series sump pumps.
A Family and Employee Owned Company
Copyright © Liberty Pumps, Inc. 2017 All rights reserved.
Inside This Issue
Features Publisher
Summit Publishing, LLC
10 Trade Show Preview
By Vanessa Salvia
Here’s what to expect at the World of Concrete and Advertising Manager
International Roofing Expo, the waterproofing-related
exhibitors, and how to maximize the opportunities these
shows offer. 10 Craig Shorts
craig@waterproofmag.com

14 Drying Out a Waterfront Crawlspace

Editorial Director
By Vincent Boccia
Clark Ricks
A waterproofing expert seeks to transform a wet and
clark@waterproofmag.com

14
mold-ridden house into a beautiful waterfront home for a
friend.
Contributors
15 Waterproofing Industry Forecast Ashley Gee
A booming housing market, code changes, and demand for Todd Jackson
sustainable construction all have a significant effect on the Jarred Jones
waterproofing industry. This story examines what may be in
store for the next 12 months.
15 Vanessa Salvia
Joseph Boccia

18 Securing the Roof Membrane Perimeter

The roof perimeter or parapet edge is a most critical detail. Art Director
New standards provide better performance and protect
Brad Moulton

18
against wind uplift and fire danger.

22 Carbon Fiber for Structural Repair

By Vanessa Salvia
Stronger than steel and far less bulky, this space-age
material is making structural repair easier than ever before.
22
26 Waterproofing an Airplane Factory
By Ashley Gee
Summit Publishing
Contractors, distributors, and an innovative supplier team
884 East 700 North

26
up to waterproof an ambitious project in America’s rainiest
city. Mapleton, UT, 84664-3761
toll free: 877-229-9174
direct: 801-207-1971
editorial: 2

Departments advertising: ext. 1

subscriptions: ext. 3
fax: 801-207-1971
6 Comment: Relationships
www.waterproofmag.com

8 WATERPROOF! News Volume 13 Number 1

WATERPROOF! is published quarterly by Summit
Publishing, LLC, 884 East 700 North, Mapleton,
28 On the Market UT, 84664-3761. Subscription price: $20.00 per
year.
Copyright © 2019 by Summit Publishing. All
rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Waterproof!
Magazine is a trademark of Summit Publishing.

4 WATERPROOF!
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for your U.S.
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PAT. NO. 6,145,260
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 Editor’s Note
Comment: Relationships
The waterproofing industry faces an exciting future. As I their expectation, they will find
put together the industry forecast (p. 15) and reviewed the other someone else selling the same thing
content, it’s clear that major advances are taking place every year. or installing a similar product. It’s the
Technology now makes it possible to locate leaks in roof personal connection that makes—or
membranes with pinpoint accuracy. Carbon fiber makes breaks—the sale.
structural repair much faster and stronger, with less mess (see p. To dig deeper, good relationships
22). On the far horizon, inventors beckon are built on

“Business is nothing
with robots that can apply perfect, good people.
flawless coatings. A recent
And yet, there’s one aspect of more than human business guru
by Clark Ricks

business that I predict will never change:

the importance of relationships. Lee
relationships.
Iacocca, the legendary Chrysler executive, once said, “Business,
” claims that business is built at the “speed
of trust.” In other words, business will
grow no faster than trusting relationships are formed. Instead
after all, is nothing more than a bunch of human relationships.” of focusing on systems and products, focus on relationships and
The sentiment has been repeated by Bill Gates, Richard Branson, people. Grow your relationships, build up your customers and
and many other business billionaires. employees, and let them grow the business.
The point is that most people prefer to do business with There is no better plan for business success than motivated
friends. They do business with you because they choose to— employees and satisfied customers. 
not because they have to—and if the transaction doesn’t exceed

6 WATERPROOF!
 TM

*
E N TED
PAT I G N
DES

RHINO CARBON FIBER CONCRETE CRACK LOCK

®

A revolutionary carbon fiber product designed to make crack reinforcement

more efficient and less labor intensive.

Stronger Repairs Less Intrusive Cost Effective

Faster and cleaner installation Reduced Service Calls

Ultimate Versatility
The Concrete Crack Lock® is uniquely engineered to permanently reinforce cracks in:

• Concrete slabs • Columns • Foundations

• Poured walls • Industrial buildings • Swimming pools
• Masonry • Bridges • Floor coatings

Street Walls Pool Highway

Contact us today to review our extensive line of structural strengthening products!

1-888-684-3889 www.rhinocarbonfiber.com info@rhinocarbonfiber.com

© 2018 Rhino Products USA, INC. | * Patent pending

Robots To Apply Coatings
Sprayworks Equipment Group has
developed a robotic coating applicator.
The wheeled machine, an improvement
over the existing “Spraybot,” is set to
launch in February of 2019. The machine
is designed to consistently apply coatings
with an even and accurate pass each
time. Called the Coaterbot, it promises
to increase the amount of product that
can be applied with a two-man working
crew.  and selected the four teams as finalists for
“This spray robot will be the only
precision coatings applicator in the
industry,” claims Jennifer Hristovski,
marketing director at Sprayworks. She
notes the machine has the ability to apply
both spray foam and coatings, all while
increasing yield and saving manpower,
and is ideal for roofing, highways,
bridges, parking decks, and more.
A sneak peak of the robot in action is
available online, through this magazine’s
website.
College Students
Compete in Roofing
The Roofing Alliance, part of
the National Roofing Contractors
Association (NRCA), will be hosting
a competition for college students in
February. Construction management
students from four universities will
compete in February at the 2019
International Roofing Expo (IRE) in
Nashville, Tennessee. Each school has
assembled a team of four students who
8 WATERPROOF!
WATERPROOF! News
will be tested on their roofing knowledge,
project management capabilities and
presentation skills.
The competition began earlier this
winter when a total of 12 universities
were tasked with submitting a qualified
bid package for installing a new roof
system for the Hilton Franklin Cool
Springs Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee.
Judges reviewed the written
proposals, submitted in mid-December,
the competition. The Roofing Alliance
will announce the finalists in January
2019, with oral presentations submitted
at the IRE show.
Kyle Thomas, co-chair of the
Alliance Construction Management
Schools Initiative Committee, sees this
event as an opportunity to introduce
roofing to a new generation. “We’ve
known for years that the students
graduating out of these construction
management programs often have very
limited exposure and education related
to roofing,” he explained. “We certainly
hope that some of the students become
interested enough to pursue a career in
the roofing industry.”
The first- and second-place teams
will be awarded $5,000 and $2,500 in
scholarship funds for their schools,
respectively.
To learn more about the
Construction Management Student
Competition and how to attend, visit
www.roofingindustryalliance.net.
Green Roof Installed in
Brooklyn
Recently, a 21,711-sq.-ft. green roof
was installed in Brooklyn, New York.
Tony and Gina Argento, owners of
Broadway Stages where the greenroof
is located, donating the roof space and
matching funds to make the space a
reality.
Officially named the “Kingsland
Wildflowers Green Roof & Community
Space,” it’s located in a highly industrial
area in north Brooklyn, and was partially
financed by the Greenpoint Community
Environmental Fund, a non-profit
committed to expanding natural habitat
and green corridors for bird and wildlife
populations.
Completed in August of 2017, the
green roof oasis acts as a natural habitat
for local birds. It’s also a focal point for
the neighborhood, with lectures, native
plant walk tours, bird surveys, wine and
beer tastings, and an outdoor classroom
for local schools and the general public.
Additional photos are available
through the online version of this story.
Air Barrier Conference Set
for Spring
The Air Barrier Association of
America (ABAA) has announced
that it will hold its annual conference
March 26-27, 2019 in Norfolk
Virginia. For additional information,
visit the conference website at www.
abaaconference.com.
New Home for Emecole
Metro
Emecole Metro, the Illinois-based
concrete repair and waterproofing
product company, is now fully up and
running in a brand-new building. The
new headquarters is just a few blocks
from its former location, but this new
property gives the company room to
grow, a dedicated training room for
contractor education, and larger research
and development facilities.
Additionally, Emecole Metro now
has a larger warehouse space that will
allow them to hold additional stock,
which translates to faster service when
customers are in a pinch. With Emecole
Metro being centrally located, product
can be delivered to most customers
anywhere in the U.S within two business
days.
to their other lines of waterpoofing
products.
“The Gaco facility has been a part of
the Waukesha community for more than
30 years, and we want to thank the more
than 100 team members for their hard
work and commitment to making this
facility one of the best manufacturing
facilities in the area,” said Taylor Cole,
president of Firestone Building Products.
The Gaco facility has more than
144,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing and
warehouse space, producing silicone
roofing systems, waterproofing and
spray foam insulation. It produced more
than 42 million pounds of product in the
past year. The facility also boasts a robust
research and development group. 

Tsurumi Opens
Warehouse in Northeast
Tsurumi Pump has a new warehouse
in Woburn, Massachusetts, 15 miles
outside of Boston. The new facility is due
to increased customer demand in the
region, as flooding in the northeastern
U.S. has worsened over the last decade,
with Boston in particular experiencing
historic floods this year.
Glenn Wieczorek, managing
director of Tsurumi, said the new
warehouse in Woburn will aid in future
remediation efforts.
“Tsurumi’s new warehouse
represents so much more than company
expansion or customer demand,” he
explained. “Customers in all industries
will certainly benefit from the new
warehouse, but now, when flooding
occurs in the northeastern U.S., we’ll
be able to respond to it faster than ever
before.”
Tsurumi also maintains six other
warehouses across the U.S., including
its corporate headquarters in Glendale
Heights, Illinois, and its western U.S.
branch in West Jordan, Utah.

Firestone Renames
Wisconsin Facility
Firestone Building Products has
renamed the former Gaco Western plant
in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Firestone
acquired Gaco in 2017 and added their
silicone and acrylic liquid coatings

Winter 2019 9
 At World of Concrete Booth# Trade Show Preview By Vanessa Salvia
A & A Melters S12750
Advanced Coatings Inc. S13911 This time of year, people’s thoughts registered professionals featuring 1,564
turn toward booth reps, banners, flyers leading-industry suppliers exhibiting
Aquafin S10555 and flash drives. That’s right. For many across more than 746,000 net square feet
Basement Health Association S11107 people, winter means booth swag and of space.
who is going to take what shift standing Most of the waterproofing-related
Damtite Waterproofing S12655
at the table. World of Concrete is right booths will be in the South Hall,
DMX Membranes S13107 around the corner in January, and that’s including this magazine, located at Booth
Dorken Systems C3028 followed closely by the International S10901. At left is a list of exhibitors in the
Roofing Expo and the International waterproofing space and where you can
EmecoleMetro S12506
Builders’ Show, both in February. Here’s find them.
GMX, Inc. S11013 a preview of some of the waterproofing- Mapei will be showcasing their
Koster American S11551 related things to look for at all of those latest product innovations at booths
shows. S11127 and S11326. Mapei has planned
Kryton International S12445
full days of in-booth product demos
Mapei Corp. S11127 and installation demonstrations
Mar-flex Waterproofing S12007 including coatings, corrosion protection,
waterproofing, horizontal resurfacing
NCFI Polyurethanes S13227
and more. Like last year, the company
Neptune Coatings S13631 has also partnered with Concrete Cares
Oak Ridge Foam and Coating C7659 and the Candlelighters Childhood
Cancer Foundation of Nevada to donate
Pacific Polymers / ITW Sealants S10152
World of Concrete (WOC) concrete installation materials to their
Pecora Corp. S11351 World of Concrete educational silent auction.
Polycoat Products S11439 events start on Monday, Jan. 21, while the Exhibits and product demos are a
exhibit hall opens Tuesday, Jan. 22 and big part of the event, but so is education.
Polyset S13530 runs through Friday, Jan. 25 at noon. (For WOC consistently offers nearly 200
Raven Engineered Films S13430 2020, plan for the event to be two weeks educational events and this year there
Reef Industries, Inc. S11954 later, from Feb. 3-7.) World of Concrete are 70 new sessions. Seminars of interest
has been the preeminent convention to readers of this magazine include The
Rhino Carbon Fiber S11250 and exhibition in the construction Love/Hate Relationship of Moisture in
SafeBasements, Inc. S14006 industry since 1975. Organizers are Concrete Floor Slabs (Tues. 8-11 a.m., new
anticipating significant growth over for 2019); Concrete Repair Fundamentals
Sika Corp. S10715
World of Concrete 2018, which was the II: Waterproofing, General Protection &
Soprema S11053 largest event in nine years, with 58,000 Corrosion Prevention (Tues. 8-11 a.m.);
Spray Equipment S13431
Stabl Wall S12250
Stego Industries S12913
Tamko Building Products S12851
Tremco Barrier Solutions S10838
Tsurumi Pump N2766
Waterproof! Magazine S10901
W.R. Meadows S11307
Xypex Chemical Corp. S12827
* Advertisers in this issue listed in bold

10 WATERPROOF!
Completing Residential Foundation
Systems for Ensuring Performance (Tues.
1-3:30 p.m.) and Extended Joint Systems
for Slabs-on-Ground (Thurs. 8-11 a.m.).
For more information about
World of Concrete 2019, visit www.
worldofconcrete.com.
The Basement Health Association
is a co-sponsor of World of Concrete,
and is hosting receptions open to both
members and non-members on Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday from 6-9 p.m.
at Bally’s.
BHA’s winter meeting will be held
Tuesday Jan. 22 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
in the South Hall, suite 211 (upstairs).
George Hedley, a business building
expert, will speak on how contractors
can make a profit Numbers Contractors
Must Know & Track to Make a Profit
3:30-5 p.m.
Join BHA on Wednesday Jan. 23
from 9-11 a.m. for certification testing
at Bally’s and a membership luncheon at
Lawry’s Steak House from noon-2 p.m.
Register for these events at
www.basementhealth.org. For more
information, stop by the BHA booth in
the South Hall Booth S11107.
International Builders’ Show
(IBS)
The National Association of Home
Builders’ International Builders’ Show
takes place in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas
Convention Center. Running Feb. 19-
21, the show is co-located with Design
& Construction Week and National
Kitchen & Bath Association’s Kitchen &
Bath Industry Show, which will bring
together more than 80,000 builders,
general contractors, remodelers,
designers, flooring professionals and
product specifiers from around the
globe.
An educational workshop to take
note of is Slabs, Crawlspaces & Basements:
How to Waterproof, Air Seal & Insulate
When Working with Concrete. This live
demo takes place Feb. 20 from 1-1:30
p.m. in the LVCC - High Performance
Building Zone - N135, N145.
IBS 2019 stands to top 2018, which
welcomed nearly 70,000 participants—
the highest number in almost a decade.
Comedian Dana Harvey will open
the event on Tuesday. On Thursday, a
concert by the Goo Goo Dolls will close
out the show. For more information on
this show, visit http://buildersshow.com.
IBS will stay in Las Vegas next year
for the 2020 show, which will run Jan 20-
23.
Winter 2019 11
 At International Roofing Expo Booth#

A & A Melters 2906

American Standard Coatings 306

Amsi Supply 2253

Apoc Roofing & Waterproofing sS1601

Bitec, Inc. 2323

Erbatech GmbH 1749

FT Synthetics 2917

GAF 1401

Garland Industries 2807

Garlock Equipment Company 901 International Roofing Expo

After all that fun, many builders,
International Leak Detection 835 manufacturers, and distributors will head
across the country for the International
IR Analyzers 2430
Roofing Expo in Nashville, Tennessee,
Kemper Systems 615 from Feb. 11-13. The exhibit hall and
conference center open Monday at 11
MFM Building Products 2233 a.m.
IRE covers all segments of the
National Coatings Corp. 2837
roofing industry, and is billed as “the
NeoGard Construction Coatings 3108 must-attend event for commercial and
residential roofing professionals.” On
Neptune Coatings 1460 the show floor, you’ll find more than
1,100 manufacturers and suppliers. The
Polyglass U.S.A., 1735
keynote address at IRE 2019 will be more at booth #2233.
Resisto a division of Soprema 1026 delivered by Jesse Itzler, who is “the real Check out Reinforced Cold Liquid-
life Dos Equis guy,” says IRE. He will talk Applied, Waterproofing Membrane
Sika Sarnafil 1329 about being uncomfortable, fighting off (Tues. 2:15-3 p.m.) This hands-on
complacency and stepping out of your demonstration will include substrate
Situra Inc. 2500
comfort zone. prep, primer and membrane application.
Soprema 1123 IRE is a prime place for companies Understanding Metal Roofing: Part II
to debut new products, such as MFM (Tues. 9:30-11 a.m.) evaluates joint
Tamko Building Products 2645 Building Products’ new high temperature design, waterproofing and construction
roofing underlayment. Premium HT Tile detailing for both hydrostatic and
Thermotek 3037 & Metal self-adhering underlayment hydrokinetic joint types, among other
is intended to be used as a whole-roof things. Kinsey Robinson, international
Titanium/RhinoRoof 2215
underlayment. Its high-grade, reinforced president of the International Union
Tremco Roofing 1723 polyester fabric is laminated to a high- of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied
temperature asphalt adhesive system Workers, will give a State of the
Triton Inc. 517 which is also fiberglass-reinforced for International Union speech on Tuesday
* Advertisers in this issue listed in bold extreme durability. It will withstand the from 9:30-11 a.m. For information about
high temperatures created by metal and IRE, visit www.theroofingexpo.com. 
tile roofing up to 250°F (121°C). Learn

12 WATERPROOF!
Winter 2019 13
Drying Out a Waterfront Crawlspace
T
his was not just any crawlspace – it was a crawlspace
located within 30 feet of the Great Peconic Bay, on
Long Island, New York. The north fork of the bay is
home to the island’s well-known wineries, and its south fork is
where New York City dwellers flock during the summer, home
of the “happening Hamptons.” The Great Peconic Bay, which
divides the North and South, provides a beautiful vista to many
luxurious waterfront homes on both forks.
And this was not just any client. He was a close friend who
was considering purchasing the one-story waterfront home. But
there was a snag; the crawlspace was wet. During my inspection
of the crawlspace, I saw standing puddles on the dirt floor
everywhere I pointed my flashlight.
The walls were wet to the touch.
Mold-ridden insulation dangled
down from the joists, which
explained why the first floor had a
musty smell.
The dilemma: this wet and
mold-ridden house was situated
on a picturesque parcel of land,
complete with white sand and a
brilliant blue waterfront. My friend
sought me out in hopes that I could
make the home livable.
After inspecting the crawlspace, I emerged with a solution
my friend wanted to hear. I then laid out the steps required to
make this crawlspace dry and eliminate the musty odor of the
first floor. My general recommendations were as follows:
• Clean out the crawlspace of all old materials—
including insulation—and disinfect.
• Install four-inch-diameter polyethylene drainage
tubing around the perimeter of the crawlspace, tied into four
separate sumps, each with a 1/2 horsepower sump pump.
• Encapsulate the crawlspace by installing a vapor barrier
over the foundation wall and over the existing crawlspace
floor.
• Install new fiber reinforced concrete floor over the
vapor barrier.
My long-time friend and now client went on to purchase
the home and promptly hired me to execute all the work I
recommended. His investment in the home – and his family’s
enjoyment of it – depended on my waterproofing solution.
After an hour-long trip to eastern Long Island, our
14 WATERPROOF!
By 7JODFOU Boccia
supervisor opened the Bilco crawlspace entrance door and
reported back that the planned work for that day could not be
performed. More than two feet of water had filled the three-
foot-tall crawlspace!
Having only observed puddles of water during my
inspection, this development laid even more pressure on me.
I realized, though, that this water was tidal, and tides go out.
I instructed the crew to install pumps and wait for the tide to
recede.
Then we reverted to the original plan. All traces of organic
building material were removed; drainage tubing was installed
and connected to four pumps discharging water into shallow
drywells (as the groundwater was
Photo courtesy Stacy Moskowitz/Boccia Bros.
too high to install deep drywells);
a vapor barrier was installed; and
a monolithic concrete slab was
poured above. At the same time,
my friend had contractors working
upstairs removing damp building
materials and moving forward with
mold-resistant construction as I also
advised.
Work was completed just in
time for the summer vacation
season. It’s been ten years now, and
the home has seen daily high tides, frequent heavy rainfalls,
and even hurricanes, yet the crawlspace has remained dry.
The combination of pumps and water-resistant vapor barriers
mitigated Mother Nature’s threat to the home and kept the first
floor dry and clear of any musty smells.
Some may think it is inevitable that a cottage on the water
would have a damp smell to it. That is not the case. Water does
not smell. Mold smells. So when we separated the water from
the house materials, we were able to prevent the typical musty-
smelling house common in waterfront homes.
The house and our friendship have each withstood time,
thankfully, as both have been enjoyed in the piece of paradise
on the water.
Vincent Boccia has devoted his 40 year career to keeping homes
and buildings dry. He is currently vice president at Boccia Inc., a
waterproofing company based in Long Island, New York, and can
be reached through the company website, www.bocciabros.com.

T
he waterproofing industry looks
to be heading into another solid
year of growth. All three of the
major sectors—residential, commercial,
and low-slope roofing—are set for
another banner year.
A booming housing market,
the rise of air barriers and single ply
membranes in above-grade commercial
construction, and changes in below-
grade commercial applications all signal
plenty of opportunity.
There are challenges, too. Financing
costs are rising, skilled labor is in short
supply across the U.S, and rising raw
material prices threaten profit margins.
Still, well managed companies
should be optimistic. Here’s a more
detailed outlook.
Residential Outlook
Installing basement waterproofing
and drainage on new homes makes
up a significant share of a residential
waterproofing contractor’s portfolio.
Fortunately, the economy seems to be
settling into a period of solid, steady
growth. New home construction in
2018 was a solid 1.2 million units, and
economists predict a similar rate next
year.
However, rising mortgage rates may
be dampening the U.S. housing market.
Mortgage interest rates hit five percent
earlier this fall. Over the past year, the
mortgage on a typically priced home
of $295,000 has increased by $120 per
month. Rates are expected to rise still
Waterproofing
Industry Forecast
further, as the Fed has signaled it is
planning on raising rates at least twice
more in the coming months.
“It is increasingly apparent that
homes are getting too expensive
to afford,” says Chris Rupkey, chief
economist at MUFG in New York.
As a result, new home sales have
fallen for five months straight. The
U.S. Census department reported in
November that new home construction
hit a two-year low, and housing permits,
which indicate future construction, are
The U.S. overall
unemployment rate of 3.7%
is at a nearly 50-year low.
The largest population
centers in the country with
the tightest jobless rates are:
Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2.2%;
San Francisco and San Jose,
2.5%; and Orlando and
Raleigh, 2.7%.
also falling.
Still, the long-term outlook is
fantastic. David Blitzer, managing
director of the Dow Jones stock index,
states that even though there is a
pullback in the housing market, there is
no indication that the current weakness
will become a repeat of the 2008 housing
crisis, as mortgage default rates are still
low.
Hurricanes in the south and
wildfires in the west have created strong
regional demand for new construction as
well.
For contractors who specialize
in remedial waterproofing, structural
repair, basement finishing, and
renovation, 2019 should see continued
growth. Employment figures are strong,
wages are growing, and homeowners and
building managers finally have the means
to tackle years of deferred maintenance.
Customers are showing strong
preference for contractors who
understand the latest technology and
trends. Encapsulated crawlspaces,
internet-connected sump pumps, carbon
fiber repair, and modern egress windows
are a few examples of rapidly growing
opportunities in the residential sector.
Commercial Vertical
Applications
President Trump’s infrastructure
plan, which many industry executives
have looked forward to, has stalled, with
no foreseeable plans to launch a massive,
government-funded infrastructure re-
development plan.
Still, demand for commercial
waterproofing is forecast to remain
strong. A new research report by Global
Market Insights predicts that the size of
the waterproofing membrane market
will grown by 10% annually over the next
three years, and top $9.5 billion by 2022.
The report notes that, globally,
Winter 2019 15
 demand for waterproofing membranes is
especially high in southeast Asia and the
Middle East.
The product is available in two
forms: liquid and sheet. Liquid applied
membranes are currently the most
common, due to their low cost and
effectiveness in dealing with complicated
details and flashings.
Currently, liquid-applied mem-
branes account for 67.2% of total
vertically-applied product last year,
and are the fastest growing segment.
Advances in material chemistry,
including polyurethanes, spray-applied
air barriers, and rubber polymers ensure
liquid-applied coatings will continue to
be the fastest-growing segment of the
commercial waterproofing market.
Sheet membrane applications
will see less growth. Global Marketing
Insights estimates they will average 6.2%
growth annually through 2022. 

Green Building
Enthusiasm for green building
certification has declined significantly in
the past few years. When the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC) unveiled
LEEDv4, many saw the requirement to
report energy and water usage for years
after the fact to be too burdensome.
Instead, designers and building owners
are opting to forgo formal certification
and instead brand their building as
“equivalent to” the various green rating
systems.
So while formal certification
statistics may indicate a decline, there is
still significant demand for sustainable
construction. Low-VOC formulations
continue to attract sales.

Commercial Roofing
The commercial roofing sector is
being revolutionized by spray-applied
coatings. These materials dramatically
extend the life of the roof, at a cost that
is minimal compared to a complete
membrane removal and re-roof.
Liquid coatings are usually bitumen,

16 WATERPROOF!
polyurethane, rubber polymer, or acrylic.
Polyurethanes and other advanced
formulations are seeing the fastest
growth.
Self-adhered materials made up 45%
of the total material installed in 2014,
a figure that includes TPO, bitumen,
EPDM, and PVC sheet products. TPO
roofing systems are growing especially
fast, owing to their low cost, ease of
installation, and flexibility.
Nearly all commercial roofers should
see solid profits next year. Demand is so
strong that even century-old bitumen-
based roofing systems, such as BUR, are
still predicted to see a healthy growth
rate estimated at 6.7% through 2022. 

Long Term Outlook

The long-term waterproofing
outlook is difficult to predict. Alex
Carrick at the Daily Commercial News
states, “Old-style attempts at deductive
reasoning to sort out what the future
may hold are proving inadequate.
For example, in Washington, efforts
to set policy through negotiation by
lawmakers are being superseded by
hard-to-anticipate executive orders and
ubiquitous court challenges.”
He also points out that while
job creation rates, historically low
unemployment, and consumer
confidence would point to solid growth
for the foreseeable future, “there are also
shadows at the edges that are unsettling.”
The Chairman of the Federal Reserve
has stated an intention to increase the
central bank’s policy-setting interest rate
to 3.00%, a full percentage point higher
than it sits today.
More stringent building codes will
also have a major impact. The use of
artificial intelligence (AI) will become
more pronounced. Drones can be used
to survey roof damage. Robots are being
developed to apply coatings far more
precisely than humans.
For the next 12 months, though,
expect strong demand and continued
success. 

Winter 2019 17
 This flat roof at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, was
damaged due to high winds from Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The corner
and perimeter edge were most severely impacted, as is typical.

Securing the Roof

Membrane Perimeter

Photo courtesy IHBS

M
ost commercial buildings are
designed to withstand high
winds, but one of the most
vulnerable areas is the roof. When the
roof membrane does fail, it’s often due
to improper detailing at the edge, which
allows water or wind to get underneath
the membrane. Unfortunately, once the
roof of the building is compromised, the
entire contents of the building become
susceptible to water and wind. This is
why the roof perimeter or parapet edge
is a most critical detail. Drew Ballensky,
general manager of Duro-Last Roofing’s
Iowa facility, calls the roof perimeter “the
roof system’s first line of defense in a wind
event,” and adds, “Aside from the roof
membrane itself, it is the most critical
component of the roofing system.”
Fortunately, building standards
provide protection against wind uplift,
moisture and other dangers.
To help their clients better protect
against this type of loss, the company
publishes a number of reports on
preventing roof edge damage. FM
states, “protecting commercial roofing
systems is the single-most effective
way to reduce windstorm loss.” Noting
that most damage begins at the roof
perimeter, it continues, “One of the most
cost-effective ways to upgrade a roofing
system is to attach additional fasteners to
the small edge areas of the roof.”
Why The Perimeter
Matters
Next to the membrane itself, roof
edges and corners are the most critical
factor in performing as designed. It’s not
simply because the edge of the membrane
is most exposed. When strong winds
blow over a rooftop, the entire building
functions like an airplane wing, and the
“suck” the roof upwards. Because of the
way the roof is shaped, wind uplift forces
at the corners of the building can be
more than two-and-a-half times stronger
than in the main interior field of the roof.
Along the edges, uplift forces are one-
and-a-half times stronger compared to
the center of the roof.
The Roofing Industry Committee on
Weather Issues (RICOWI) is a nonprofit
organization that promotes education
and research on wind and hail issues.
They publish detailed and comprehensive
reports on proper design practices that
Photo courtesy Green Roofs for Healthy Cities

The insurance company FM decreased air pressure acts to try and

Global developed the most widely used
standard. The company reports that they
cover, in total, about $400 million a year
in wind damage, and that commercial
roof damage makes up more than 80% of
that figure.
Ballasted roof systems, including green
roofs, require extra weight at the roof
perimeter. Here, the outermost three
feet of the roof are covered with a
larger, heavier rock to provide this
safety.

18 WATERPROOF!
can withstand harsh wind conditions. or when roof top traffic requires a more systems are currently in service.”
RICOWI’s findings reinforce the fact durable and walkable surface. Vegetated green roofs are the most
that the edge and the corners are a roof ’s Jim Hoff, research director for the recent iteration of the ballasted roof, and
most vulnerable areas and that current Center for Environmental Innovation as green roofs increased in popularity, it
practices don’t take this into account, in Roofing, adds, “Hundreds of millions became clear that RP-4 was inadequate.
leaving the roof open to wind damage. of square feet of ballasted roof systems The growing medium—engineered
They conclude that proper design and have been installed throughout North lightweight soil, could be blown off
installation are key to guarding against America for nearly three decades. It’s the roof far more easily than the large
such damage. reasonable to project that nearly 10 stones or pavers used in ballasted roof
For example, in many cases, the billion square feet of ballasted roof assemblies.
system used to secure the membrane to
the roof deck is applied uniformly. But
whether the system uses mechanical
fasteners or ballast, the corners and edges
of a roof require more—and stronger—
fasteners than other areas. Often, this is
a simple and relatively inexpensive fix,
costing less than $5,000.

Ballasted Roof Basics

Ballasted roofs, sometimes called
“protected membrane roofs,” need
particular attention on the perimeter.
Stone-ballasted roof systems began
appearing sometime in the early 1970s.
In this system, a loose-laid membrane
and rigid insulation is held in place by
nothing more than the weight of stones,
pavers or other ballast installed above
them.
In 1988, the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) and the
Single Ply Roofing Institute (SPRI)
jointly published standard RP-4, Wind
Design Standard for Ballasted Single-
Ply Roofing Systems. It contains tables
and guidelines for how much ballast is
required for roof applications, taking
building height, wind speeds, and other
factors into consideration. It has been
used in all regions of the country and
has been proven reliable over the last 30
years.
In the field of the roof, a minimum
of 10 lbs. per sq. ft. of ballast is required,
with 20 lbs. per sq. ft. needed at
perimeters and at large penetrations
to protect against wind uplift. Pavers
are ideal for these areas where greater
wind resistance is required (at building
corners, perimeters or the whole roof)

Winter 2019 19
 Wind Uplift Standards
A number of roof standards have been developed by SPRI,
approved by ANSI, and incorporated into the IBC.
As of 2018, these include:
• Section 1504.4-Ballasted Low-slope Roof Systems. This
references ANSI/SPRI RP-4, “Wind Design Standard For
Ballasted Single-ply Roofing Systems,” (2013)
• Section 1504.8-Surfacing and Ballast Materials in
Hurricane-prone Regions. This limit aggregate usage
based on a building ’s roof height, wind speed and
exposure category.
• Section 1504.5-Edge Securement for Low-slope Roofs.
Based on ANSI/SPRI ES-1, “Wind Design Standard for
Edge Systems Used with Low Slope Roofing Systems”
(2011). This determines how to test the wind resistances
of metal edge flashings
• Section 1505.10-Roof Gardens and Landscaped Roofs.
Based on the fire-resistance standards developed in ANSI/
SPRI VF-1, “External Fire Design Standard for Vegetative
Roofs,” (2010)
In addition to the SPRI standards referenced in the code,
other SPRI standards are used as design references,
including
• ANSI/SPRI FX “Standard Field Test Procedure for
Determining the Withdrawal Resistance of Roofing
Fasteners”(2016)
• ANSI/SPRI IA, “Standard Field Test Procedure for
Determining the Uplift Resistance of Insulation and
Insulation Adhesives over Various Substrates” (2015)
• ANSI/SPRI WD -1, “Wind Design Standard Practice for
Roofing Assemblies” (2014)
• ANSI/SPRI RP-14, “Wind Design Standard for Vegetative
Roofing Systems” (2016)
SPRI’s standards are available at no cost and are
accessible online at www.spri.org/standards.
20 WATERPROOF!
Photo courtesy Duro-Last Roofing
Roof edges and fascia represents about 1% of the total cost of
most low-slope projects, but account for more than half of all
roof failures.
To address this, two organizations—Green Roofs for
Healthy Cities under the leadership of Kelly Luckett and SPRI
under the leadership of Mike Ennis—came together about 10
years ago to provide answers. The result was that the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) updated their guidelines
on wind uplift prevention. Published in 2010, and titled Wind
Design Standards, RP-14, it provides design and installation
guidelines on how to eliminate the risk of wind uplift on
vegetative /green roofs in high wind areas, and sets minimum
wind uplift requirements for vegetative roofing systems. A copy
of the document can be downloaded from the magazine website
www.waterproofmag.com.
“This standard… will provide the U.S. market with the
guidance that it needs to safely install vegetative or green
roofing systems, which are an expanding segment of the roofing
industry in the U.S.,” said Mike Ennis, technical director for
SPRI.
Kelly Luckett, Chair of GRHC’s technical committee, adds,
“The standard provides clear design criteria that will help pave
the way for growth of the green roof industry in even the most
challenging wind zones of North America.”
Luckett, writing for this magazine in 2013, explained,
“When it comes to wind, the two biggest safety considerations
for green roofs are wind uplift and wind scour. These are affected
by a combination of factors including roof height, parapet
height, ballast weight, amount of vegetative coverage, growth
media granule size, total green roof area, and other criteria.
“The standard also takes into consideration the building’s
importance, geographic location, and the surrounding
topography.
“In the past, given the lack of hard data, many engineers
treated green roofs as if they were pavers of similar mass. The
new standard gives designers the data they need to calculate how

Photo courtesy Green Roof Blocks
Green roof assemblies were tested in wind tunnels to ensure
the standards developed would perform in the real world.
growing media weight and depth relates to traditional ballast.”
Knowing local wind speeds, topography, building height,
and parapets, engineers can use a series of tables to determine
which green roof configuration meets the minimum acceptable
design standard.
The document was to be incorporated into the 2015 update
to the International Building Code, but was not. It does not
appear to be adopted into the 2018 version either. The biggest
change from current IBC code is that RP-14 requires that areas
where the growth media is more than four inches deep must
have a system in place to prevent the media from blowing away.
Mechanically Fastened Systems
For roofs with mechanically-fastened membranes, the
perimeter also requires extra attention. Ballensky, the Duro-
Last manager, says, “When you consider how small the cost
of the roof edge system is compared to the overall cost of the
building itself (typically about 1%), it is interesting that the
perimeter roof edge is one of the first components of the roof
system targeted for value engineering.”
SPRI has developed a number of standards to ensure roof
membranes perform as designed, and their website provides a
vast amount of information on this topic, ranging from technical
guidelines for design and applications to general information
about roof maintenance and emergency repairs.
They developed the ES-1 standard that has since been
incorporated into the International Building Code. It states that
roof edge uplift requirements is based on five key factors: 1) the
building’s height; 2) wind speed, using the ASCE 2-07 wind speed
map; 3) building location characteristics; 4) building occupancy
characteristics; and 5) any special terrain characteristics. A set
formula is then used to determine pressures. Several roofing
manufacturers have free software on their website to perform
these calculations. 
Winter 2019 21

Carbon Fiber for Structural Repair
Carbon fiber is the strongest man-
made material in the world. That fact
alone is remarkable. But the fact that it
can be manipulated in so many ways—
including for use on space shuttles,
airplanes, high-end automobiles and
various sports equipment such as golf
clubs—as well as to repair and reinforce
concrete and masonry, is equally
remarkable.
Along with carbon fiber’s great
strength comes an amazing lightness.
The individual tows that are typically
woven together to form fabric are made
up of carbon fiber filaments. The tows
commonly contain 12,000 or sometimes
even 24,000 individual filaments of
carbon fiber. The filaments are fibers
about 5–10 micrometers (a unit also
known as a micron—one millionth of a
meter or one thousandth of a millimeter)
in diameter and composed mostly
of carbon atoms, one of the lightest
elements known. Carbon fibers date back
to 1860, when they were first produced
for light bulbs by baking cotton threads
in a process known as carbonization,
22 WATERPROOF!
Carbon fiber is being used around the world to repair and
strengthen concrete. Here, a roof deck on the island of
Mauritius is being repaired after a catastrophic fire.
a process in which heat is applied in
an oxygen-starved environment so the
material does not combust.
Carbon fiber is often made
from a polymer precursor known as
polyacrylonitrile, rayon or petroleum
pitch. For construction applications, that
precursor is turned into rebar, fabric and
plates or sheets. Plates are generally four
inches wide and 0.04 inches thick (less
than the thickness of a dime) and can
have a strength approaching 10 times the
tensile strength of 60,000 psi steel.
Needless to say, as production costs
have decreased, a product with this
amount of strength and such a low profile
is now being used to resolve a number
of issues in the residential construction
arena. Bowed walls, cracked walls and
slabs and broken corners can all be
repaired with carbon fiber.
New Research And
Guidelines
The use of fiber-reinforced polymer
(FRP) composites to reinforce and repair
concrete structures has been growing
Photo courtesy Rhino Carbon Fiber
By Vanessa Salvia
rapidly over the past decade or so. For
the past 20 or 25 years, most carbon fiber
has been surface mounted. When the
material is surface mounted, the straps
or sheets are applied as necessary to the
surface in a manner similar to wallpaper,
and are then bonded to the substrate.
The American Concrete Institute’s
Committee 440 on Fiber Reinforced
Polymers is studying the issue of
anchoring carbon fiber. Todd Jackson,
cofounder of Fortress Stabilization
Systems in Holland, Michigan, is on
Committee 440 and is observing a change
in the industry regarding guidelines for
surface mounted carbon fiber. “I believe
that within the next five years all carbon
fiber will be anchored,” Jackson says.
When carbon fiber is surface
mounted, ACI knocks down most of the
strength of the carbon fiber by 70 percent
due to long-term creep or unzipping. If
the carbon fiber is used on an exterior
application, such as something like a
bridge, the carbon is further degraded
over time by humidity, UV damage, etc.
However, studies are showing that if the
Photo courtesy Fortress Stabilization Systems

Unidirectional carbon fiber straps are used to strengthen and stiffen

this bridge deck.
carbon fiber is mechanically anchored
(there are a variety of ways being studied
to accomplish this), you can utilize 100%
of its strength. A website that Jackson
developed, www.carbonanchor.com,
outlines the testing that’s been done at the much quicker and much easier to install.
University of Miami on how anchoring
increases the carbon fiber’s strength.
The entire industry is also moving
toward getting ICC-ES approval for all
of their products. In the commercial
world, most building officials want ICC
approval for any product that’s used,
but that has been lagging behind in the
residential world.
“They’re trying to regulate that a
bit more so people know the material
is doing what it was designed to do,”
Jackson says. “As the popularity of
FRP reinforcement continues, many
distributors of these systems can be
found on the [internet] and the reported
values could be unknown. There has
been a push in the residential world
for suppliers to have ICC approval
on products. This gives code officials
and homeowners a confidence that
Photo courtesy Fortress Stabilization Systems
starting to use more carbon fiber fabrics
in addition to crack sealing injection
work. Compared to steel beams, wall
anchors and other traditional wall
stabilization methods, carbon fiber is
“In terms of crack repairs, A lot
of guys now are not doing an injection
without installing a carbon fiber crack
repair on top of it,” says Jones. “It’s an
additional layer of protection and adds
strength to the repair.” It’s also a good
method to use if a contractor encounters
a problem with an injection or they’re
repairing someone else’s injection where
they’re still having an issue with a leak.
Like most other repair methods though,
any water coming through the wall must
Carbon fiber fabric is a better choice
when strain will come from multiple
directions, such as this wrapped
support column.

these products are approved and tested

systems.”

More Than Just Injections

Jarred Jones, director of engineering
and product development at Rhino
Carbon Fiber, says repair contractors are

Winter 2019 23
 be stopped in order to ensure an adequate
bond with the epoxy. This can typically
be achieved by doing the work during
a dry period, or by the use of hydraulic
cement or some other waterproofing
method.

Staples and Stitches

For crack repair, Rhino has three

Photos courtesy Rhino Carbon Fiber

options: epoxy injections, fabric that
can be overlaid on the crack itself and
their carbon fiber Concrete Crack Lock,
which Jones describes as a “stitch” to give
additional strength across the repair and
to lock the crack in place and keep it New products have been developed
from moving. to mechanically fasten carbon fiber to
To install the Crack Lock, installers concrete, allowing crack repair to be
saw cut a thin slit in the concrete stronger than ever before.
perpendicular to the crack and drill two
small holes at each end. Then they fill
the cut with Rhino’s epoxy and insert the
Crack Lock into the cut.
“We’ve been preaching for a

Photo courtesy Fortress Stabilization Systems

while that for a repair you should do
something more than just an injection,”
he says. “Typically if an injection fails, it’s
not the injection that’s the problem, it’s
the concrete adjacent to it. So if you can
bridge that and hold everything together
your success rate will dramatically
increase.”
Jackson, at Fortress, has also been
investigating carbon fiber staples. His
company has developed a carbon fiber
“staple” anchor as a means of anchoring
externally bonded FRP sheets into
concrete. Called Fortec, they’re available
in two different types: flat and round.
Both have been rigorously tested at the
University of Miami and Polytechnic
University of Milan in a wide range of
circumstance and conditions. (Full test
reports can be accessed through the
online version of this story.)
Both types of anchors are provided
as prefabricated elements that are
inserted into epoxy filled holes in the
concrete. Both products share the same
aim: enhancing the bond of externally
bonded FRP laminates to the concrete
substrate.
The flat staple is less obtrusive, and
requires less grinding to sit flush with the
concrete. Like all types of carbon fiber,
once it has cured it can be finished with
parge coats, brick overlays or painting to
improve aesthetics. It installs in the same
fashion as straight carbon plates or grids.
The typical anchor is six inches long
by two inches wide with one-inch legs.
The anchors are comprised of high tensile
strength carbon fiber encapsulated in
a thermal set resin. A peel-ply fabric is
adhered to the strap, and when removed,
it leaves a prepared bonding surface
for adhesion to a prepared substrate.
Anchors can be used where columns
meet walls, joints at ceilings and where
added bond strength is required in
overhead applications.

24 WATERPROOF!

Photo courtesy Rhino Carbon Fiber
A CASE STUDY
Carbon fiber has been used
worldwide to repair all types of buildings
and structures, including residential
basements, bridges and overpasses, high-
rises, and parking garages. It was recently
used to repair a retail facility on the
island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean.
Jarred Jones states, “Rhino Carbon
Fiber was contacted by PND Contracting
regarding a beam reinforcement project
on Mauritius Island, a small African
country in the Indian Ocean. The Shop
Rite facility at the Trianon Shopping
Park had experienced a catastrophic fire
which damaged the concrete structure.”
When PND, the restoration
contractor, began work to repair
the structure, the owner’s engineer
discovered damage to the primary and
secondary beams that supported the
roof, which significantly reduced their
strength.
The owner’s engineer determined
that Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Polymer
(CFRP) could be applied to make up for
this strength reduction. PND contacted
Rhino for assistance.
Jones says, “Working with the
contractor and the owner’s engineer,
the Rhino team was able to provide
PND with a U.S.-stamped structural
design that satisfied all of the project
requirements.” The owner’s engineer
reviewed and accepted the design, and
the work was able to begin.
The owners, understandably, wanted
the project completed as soon as possible,
and due to the logistics of getting the
More than 500 square
meters of carbon fiber
was used to repair this
retail facility. Completed
in 11 days, the three-man
crew used scaffolding
more than 20 feet high to
reach the repair area.
material to the isolated island nation,
the materials needed to be shipped out
to Mauritius prior to completing the
final design. This shipment was based
on the preliminary design work, and
had to be broken down and packaged
very precisely in order to meet air freight
guidelines.
A Rhino representative also traveled
to the island to make sure the installation
went smoothly, answer questions, and
ensure that the structural design and
application process was followed exactly.
The project—which included
over 500 square meters of CFRP—was
completed in 11 days using a three-man
crew working off of scaffolding that was
more than 20 feet high.
Upon completion of the carbon
fiber installation, the owner’s engineer
performed load testing on the roof and
observed only a fraction of the deflection
that was expected.
Jones concludes, “Due to the
immediate availability of the material,
quick turn around on the structural
design, and Rhino’s willingness to be
available to oversee the installation, this
was a very successful project for not only
Rhino, but for PND Contracting and the
property owner.” 
Vanessa Salvia is a freelance writer
specializing in the construction industry.
Based in Eugene, Oregon, her work has
appeared in numerous national and
regional publications.
Winter 2019 25

C
ontrary to popular belief, Seattle
is not the soggiest city in the
United States. That honor goes
to Mobile, Alabama with 67 inches
of annual rainfall. So when Airbus—
the massive European aeronautics
company— decided to build its first U.S.
manufacturing facility near Mobile Bay,
it created an ironic set of circumstances
for the contractors: how to contend with
the problems of excessive ground water
when building a factory designed to put
jetliners in the air.
The Airbus plant employs 300 local
workers to build A319, A320 and A321
model jetliners. When construction
got underway, it proved challenging
to find the right waterproofing
solutions. Waterproofing specialist Ram
Construction Services and the general
contracting firm of Brasfield & Gorrie
worked with Service Construction
Supply to locate suitable waterproofing
and moisture control products. The
distributor pointed the contractors
towards W.R. Meadows products.
A Mile Long Tunnel
Jeremy Dunaway, Ram
Construction’s regional manager, says,
“There were significant challenges related
26 WATERPROOF!
All photos courtesy W.R. Meadows
Waterproofing an
Airplane Factory
Built in America’s wettest city, this new aircraft factory
required extensive, innovative waterproofing to ensure the
foundation and tunnels stayed dry.
By Ashley Gee
to groundwater every time it rained.” the tunnel floors. Before the concrete
One major concern was waterproofing a trucks would arrive, we needed to first
series of tunnels stretching a mile long, treat around those pilings and then lay
15 feet below the main production floor down the [blindside membrane] and
where commercial jet liners would be then roll it out onto the edge forms for
assembled. the tunnel foundations.”
“Despite working under a roof, the To relieve hydrostatic pressure
groundwater we had to contend with was buildup, the Ram team also installed
substantial,” said Dunaway. “The facility Mel-Drain, a dimple-drain sheet bonded
sits very close to Mobile Bay, so every to a geotextile to allow the passage
time we had rain, the water table would of moisture through the fabric while
rise significantly.” preventing fine soils from entering the
Even small amounts of precipitation drainage channel.
required pumping out the tunnels under
construction and laboriously drying
them before waterproofing work could
resume.
The tunnels are used for utility
piping, and to provide a safe walking area
around and the 700,000-sq.-ft. building.
For this main assembly building,
the general contractor began by laying
out a puncture resistant underslab
barrier called Perminator. It’s ideal for
heavy traffic construction areas. With
the mud slab in place, work began on
waterproofing the floor of the tunnels,
A puncture-resistant underslab
which was applied blindside. vapor barrier was installed prior
Detailing was a challenge. Dunaway to pouring the floor of the main
says, “There were hundreds and assembly building.
hundreds of piles driven in to support
 The massive plant has capacity to build up to 50 jetliners a year. It opened for
operation in September 2015.
“After the concrete was poured on
the slab and the walls went up,” continued
Dunaway, “we treated the walls. We just
kind of paced ourselves all the way down
the tunnel.”
In the five months it took to complete
the job, Ram used 40,000 sq. ft. of Precon
blindside membrane and 65,000 sq. ft. of
wall waterproofing.
Moving Upward
General contractor Brasfield &
Gorrie is based in Birmingham, Alabama.
Keith Underwood was superintendent
of their 65-man crew. “We spent nearly
two years working on that job,” recalled
Underwood. “We did the foundation
piling, then the foundation and when
that was done, we worked on the build
out.” Like the Ram crew, Underwood’s
team employed pumps “pretty much 24/7
to keep things dry so we could work.”
Local Distributor Was Key
A common denominator for
both contracting firms was Service
Construction Supply, conveniently
located across the road from the Airbus
construction site in Mobile.
“Gil Roberts [president of Service
Construction Supply] and his company
played an integral role for us on the
Airbus project,” said Ram’s Jeremy
Dunaway. “We were not allowed to store
material in bulk on the site, and through
a pretty good working relationship with
them (Service Construction Supply),
they were able to provide us with a steady
stream of the materials we needed. They
really helped us in other ways, too.”
“I knew the general contractor Ram
was working with,” said Roberts, “so I
was able to feed back information to
Jeremy about scheduling and other job
issues that were going to cause problems.
It helped Ram get off to a good start.
The concrete pours were coming in so
fast that we had to make sure Ram was
getting the materials needed to keep up
with the fast-paced scheduling.”
Another important key to the
successful operation was W.R. Meadows’s
sales manager Michael Cripps. From the
initial planning, Cripps worked with Ram
engineers in Michigan on specifying the
right waterproofing products for the job.
And once the job began, sales personnel
made periodic site visits to ensure work
went smoothly.
The massive assembly building gives
Airbus the capacity to build and rollout
up to 50 jetliners a year. It opened for
operation in September 2015. 
Ashley Gee is marketing com-
munications coordinator at W. R.
Meadows, Inc. She can be reached at the
company website www.wrmeadows.com.
Winter 2019 27
 On the Market
Self-Adhered Roofing Products
In March, Soprema launched Sure-Stick, a line of self-
adhered roofing membranes. Designed to provide ease of use,
odorless application, and time, labor and material savings, Sure-
Stick products are ideal for use in a broad range of commercial
roofing applications.

The product line consists of four new products: Sure-Stick

Nail Base is a SBS-modified anchor sheet for use over nailable
substrates, such as wood decking. Elastophene Sure-Stick is a
glass-fiber-reinforced product with a film surface that allows
installers to eliminate priming when installing the cap sheet.
Sopralene Sure-Stick is a similar, polyester-reinforced product
with a film surface that also allows installers to eliminate
priming. Elastophene Sure-Stick FR GR is a fire-retardant cap
sheet product with a granulated surface that features a side
lap film and a split-back release film underneath that makes
application easier.
“As self-adhered products that do not require priming,
Sure-Stick membranes can be used even in sensitive applications
like schools, hospitals and other occupied structures without
disruption,” explained Matt Davis, product manager for
Soprema. “We designed these products to be as user- and
bystander-friendly as possible while saving our customers
money in the process.”
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.
soprema.us.

Membrane For Decorative Overlays

PerfectMembrane is a new waterproofing and surface
preparation membrane specifically for decorative epoxies and
cements.
The product is fluid applied, and specified to bond most
decorative epoxies and cements to any surface, eliminating
most grinding or messy surface prep.
It eliminates the need for rigid sheet membranes, wire

28 WATERPROOF!
mesh, tar paper, EPDM and epoxy flood coats at a fraction of
the cost. It provides waterproofing, substrate reinforcement
and crack isolation, all
in one.
PerfectMembrane
can be used to
waterproof virtually
any substrate, turning a
roof, bathroom, balcony
etc. into the perfect
waterproof deck. It can
also be used to reinforce
weak or cracked
surfaces or over existing
coating systems. It can
also be used to prime surfaces such as wood, concrete, tile for
decorative coatings, or to encapsulate asbestos, lead and PCB’s.
PerfectMembrane is flexible, safe and easy to install. It
requires no special equipment or experience, and can be applied
using a brush or roller. It requires no mixing, and features easy
water cleanup.
For more information, visit the company’s website at www.
PerfectPrimer.com.

Concrete Sealant from Meadows

Pentreat 244-40 water repellant penetrating sealer offers
40% active content silane to help reduce scaling, spalling, and
freeze-thaw damage on concrete and masonry structures due to
water and salt penetration.
This high performance, breathable, penetrating sealer is
designed for use on
horizontal and vertical,
new and existing,
concrete and masonry
above-grade surfaces.
It is ideal for use on
parking structures,
driveways, plazas,
stadiums, bridge
decks, piers, ramps and
many other residential,
commercial, industrial,
and municipal project
locations.
“Pentreat 244-40 is
a new addition to our line of penetrating concrete and masonry
sealers,” says Anita Vuchkovska, a chemist, W. R. Meadows. “The
product is an excellent choice for hydrophobizating surfaces to
reduce water and chloride ion ingress, and improve freeze-thaw
damage.”
For additional information, visit www.wrmeadows.com.

Winter 2019 29
 Come visit us... Ad Index
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30 WATERPROOF!