Protection against waterlogging: drainage mats as a solution
What is meant by drainage mats?
Drainage mats are especially useful outdoors, where water can often accumulate on surfaces. When rainwater can't drain properly, it can create slippery and dangerous conditions, especially on walkways, patios or balconies. Outdoor drainage mats help minimize these hazards by allowing surfaces to drain quickly.
In addition, outdoor drainage mats can help extend the life of surfaces by preventing water from stagnating beneath the surface, causing damage such as cracking and chipping. Drainage mats are special mats, usually made of plastic or rubber, used to drain surfaces and reduce moisture. They have a special perforated structure that allows water and moisture to drain through the mat. Using a drainage mat minimizes the risk of water pooling on the surface to prevent damage.
When is a drainage mat used?
Waterlogging: Defects in the waterproofing slope, such as elevations in the overlap area or unevenness, can cause waterlogging under tile coverings. Drainage mats do not have the function of sealing a floor, but are intended to drain off water that builds up. They are easy to install and drain water better than pure drainage pipes ever could.
Frost and heat: When ceramic floors are installed outdoors, for example on balconies or patios, tile coverings are subject to high thermal stresses that can cause long-term damage to the covering structure.
If moisture penetrates the floor without a functioning water drainage system and freezes in winter, it can lead to cracks in the flooring. This can happen with tile just as it can with flagstone or concrete. To prevent this, a functioning water drainage system is necessary. When a floor heats up a lot in the summer, it can cause moisture to rise from the floor. Water from this source can also be successfully drained by using a drainage mat, as there are drainage channels on the top and bottom of a drainage mat.
Cracks in the pavement structure: These lead to severe pavement moisture penetration, associated with tile delamination, hollow layers, efflorescence and structural disturbances.
Our drainage mats in the assortment
We offer a small but high-quality selection of drainage mats:
DURAL drainage mat DD80++
DURABASE DD 80++ is a very dimensionally stable and pressure-resistant, closed polyethylen with a dimpled structure, which is equipped with a laminated mesh fabric. The dimpled side with the lattice fabric, on which the covering structure lies, acts as drainage with very high water drainage capacity. The truncated cone-shaped studs allow for a sufficiently large drainage capacity. The material does not rot and is resistant to aging; leftovers can be disposed of with normal household waste. Covering constructions with DURABASE DD 80++ can be chosen very flexibly and thus offer a maximum of adaptability to the respective object.
DURABASE DD 80++ is particularly suitable for use in combination with tile, natural and concrete slabs to create large surface drainage systems. It can be laid in a bed of gravel or chippings or directly on the sheeting. The 8 mm high studs ensure a sufficiently large drainage space in the long term, even with large loads. There are also drainage channels on the underside of the DURAL drainage mat DD80++ that can also drain water from below without any problems. The free space between the dimpled membrane and the scrim allows the decking to dry through quickly. Furthermore, the waterproofing is largely protected from thermal and mechanical stress.
drainage mat plus
This drainage mat is a very dimensionally stable and pressure-resistant, closed drainage mat made of polypropylene film with a dimpled structure, which is equipped with a laminated fleece. The dimpled side with the fleece, on which the covering structure lies, acts as a drainage with very high water drainage.
The free space between the dimpled sheet and the nonwoven fabric provides a footfall-, sound- and heat-insulating air cushion that protects the waterproofing from thermal stress and also ensures even load distribution on the waterproofing.
The covering construction on the mat can be composed in very different ways. Thus, constructions with drainage screed in combination with tiles or slabs as a top covering, as well as under gravel fill and chippings fill or cement screed are possible. This drainage mat is particularly suitable in combination with tiling to realize large area drainage as required on balconies and terraces. It forms an effective drainage and additional waterproofing between the structural waterproofing and the covering construction above.
Installation
The drainage mat is laid loosely with the mesh fabric on the structural waterproofing. Prerequisites are a building waterproofing adapted to the requirements of the object, e.g. with our waterproofing mat with decoupling effect and a slope of approx. 2% for drainage of the waterproofing level.
- The properly prepared substrate must be load-bearing, level and free of components that could damage the structural waterproofing. Any compensatory measures to achieve a sufficient slope must be taken before laying the drainage mat and must be arranged below the structural waterproofing. If necessary, waterproofing is required to protect the compensation level, e.g. with our waterproofing tape.
- Lay the cut-to-size sheets loosely on the building waterproofing with the mesh facing upwards.
- The mats can be laid overlapping or, depending on the application, butt-jointed with the sealing tape and bonded with tile adhesive.
- If necessary, seal wall connections with sealing tape. In this case, the sealing tape is partially bonded to the drainage mat as well as to the adjacent wall surface using flexible mortar. For most substrates, a hydraulic-setting flexible mortar or fast-setting flexible adhesive conforming to DIN EN 12004 / C2 can be used. Inside and outside corners must be formed with the appropriate corner pieces.
- Then apply the selected covering construction taking into account the respective specific specifications and in accordance with the generally recognized rules of technology.