News / salinity
-
Jul 02, 2015
Elastomeric paints are a wise choice for efflorescence prevention
Read more →Without damp or water penetration, efflorescence cannot occur. Efflorescence is caused by a concentration of salts that have been dissolved by moisture and transported by capillary action to a point of discharge where the moisture evaporates, and leaves the salts behind. Water is the most destructive compound that works against the health and longevity of any building, in so many different ways other than just efflorescence. Therefore, a quality building specification must always pay careful attention to preventing the ingress of water and damp in every situation. For over a decade, a cement rendered and painted finish has been very popular in Australia. Render has often been applied...
-
Jan 20, 2014
Rising Damp and Salt Attack - free PDF
Read more →We have recommended this publication on our blog previously: Salt Attack and Rising Damp - A Guide to Salt Damp in Historic and Older Buildings. Salt attack is as destructive to masonry as termites are to timber, and is prone to occur on any building site in Australia due to our soils and extreme weather patterns. As salt is dissolved by water and absorbed by masonry, the water evaporates, leaving behind more and more salt with each wet cycle. Salt crystallises to expand at extraordinary pressure (> 200MPa) to easily turn stone, bricks and mortar to dust. As outlined...