News / building advice

• Mar 05, 2014

  Salinity in Australia - a big problem that builders need to consider.

  The Master Builders Association meeting held in Maitland last week had a very entertaining and informative guest speaker from the NSW Department of Primary Industries. The topic was urban salinity. Salt from the soil can have a very destructive and catastrophic effect on masonry in buildings. Salt is drawn up into masonry with rising damp, and over many years with wet and dry cycles, more and more salt is deposited into the point of evaporation, typically in brickwork or stonework below damp proof course [DPC] level. The pressure exerted by crystallising salt can exceed 200MPa, whilst the tensile resistant strength...

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• Apr 14, 2013

  Australian Master Tilers Association

   Efflock is proud to be a member of the newly established, Australian Master Tilers Association. The Association was created last year to benefit the tiling and waterproofing industries and their customers (see their 'About Us' page). The AMTA Forum is an excellent platform for exchanging problems, ideas and advice, and is open for participation both from trade professionals and the general public. 

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• Apr 08, 2013

  Master Builders Association Presentation

  Efflock will be hosting a presentation at the July meeting of the NSW Master Builders Association, Northern Suburbs Division.       Date: 18th July 2013 Venue: Roseville Golf Club, 4 Links Road, Roseville. RSVP: Melissa Stevens - 0419 144 495. Please book at least 1 week prior for catering purposes. The presentation will explain the behaviour of salt and efflorescence in buildings and how it can be managed, as well as other common building problems that can be managed easily using Efflock. We look forward to hearing specific questions and experiences!

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• Mar 06, 2013

  Frustration of rain on tile screed with exposed balconies.

  By using Efflock, a secondary membrane to control efflorescence is not required. There are however, builders, architects and engineers who insist on including a secondary membrane as they like to 'cover all bases'. I can understand that; as builder myself, I like to include a few insurances in my work to avoid getting that phone call nobody wants. A secondary membrane remains good building practice, so long as excessive moisture is not sandwiched and trapped in between layers in the process. I've also had situations myself in remedial work, where we opted to screed first, then apply a membrane and...

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• Mar 04, 2013

  Efflock is a sustainable product choice

      Efflock is 100% VOC free. Being water based and solvent free, also means Efflock is not flammable and has no offensive or dangerous odour. Efflock's maximum concentrate formula also means minimal plastic packaging waste and minimal fossil fuel consumption through transport. Sustainability Through Longevity: Production of masonry products like tiles, bricks and cement by nature, demand a carbon hungry manufacturing process. Each of these materials however, are some of the most versatile and useful building materials we have, and can be very long lasting when installed with diligence. Increasing the 'service life' of each of these building materials...

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• Mar 01, 2013

  Efflock to prevent rising damp and salt attack in buildings

  Photograph showing rising damp and subsequent salt attack below DPC level. Rising damp is destructive for buildings. It is well understood that damp very quickly will create rot in structural timbers such as bearers and joists, and therefore a DPC (damp proof course) is provided to prevent rising damp. A modern DPC is typically a black embossed polythene roll that is laid out directly beneath ant-capping, or just below finished ground floor level. Polyethelene underlay (black or orange plastic) serves the same purpose for slab on ground construction. What is not usually considered, is that rising damp can also have destructive consequences...

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• Feb 22, 2013

  Some basic facts about everyday building materials you may not know.

  It was pointed out to me yesterday, that to date, my blogs are written in a way that assumes some prior technical knowledge about building. Considerable interest about Efflock is coming from home owners, 'Do-It-Yourselfers', or from people who are interested in including Efflock in their building project, but aren't quite sure how to recommend its use or exactly what it does to the tradesmen they are engaging. So here goes.... Firstly, many people may assume that concrete is waterproof: It makes sense right? You see concrete on bridges, footpaths, driveways and balconies everywhere, so surely water doesn't affect it?? ...

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