When it comes to protecting a structure from water infiltration, the foundation is, well…the foundation of everything. Get it wrong and it’s difficult, if not impossible, to remediate. Get it right and the building is protected for decades. For waterproofing professionals, choosing the right coating system and understanding what makes a product high-performance is one of the most important decisions they can make.

What Does High-Performance Actually Mean?
For professionals in the field, “high-performance” has a precise meaning. A coating that works in a controlled environment but fails in the real world is not high-performance, regardless of how it’s marketed.

High-performance coating being applied to a carrier sheet.

According to Justin Pollock, president of SuperSeal Construction Products Ltd., “A high-performance foundation coating must deliver a waterproofing product that moisture simply cannot get through and has a strong adhesion to concrete, ICFs, or any other substrate it’s applied to.”

Foundations can shift, settle, and crack. A high-performance waterproof coating bridges cracks to maintain the waterproofing barrier even as settling occurs. “A high-performance waterproof coating “ isn’t going to peel off, and it bonds over the crack, creating a bridge,” he says.

Spray-Applied Coatings
Climate poses one of the most significant practical challenges for waterproofing applicators. Sheet membranes and self-adhered products can be temperature-sensitive, requiring substrates that are dry, within a specific temperature range, and free of surface moisture. That means wet coastal climates or cold northern regions have a much smaller installation window.

Properly formulated spray-applied coatings have an advantage because they can be applied across a wider range of conditions. “We have installers spraying SuperSeal’s waterproof foundation coating in near-freezing conditions all year round where you couldn’t use self-adhesive products,” he says.

When a sheet membrane is exposed to intense heat, wet conditions, or cold temperatures, it becomes difficult to work with. This makes it harder to adhere in the right position and adhesion can become inconsistent. High-performance coatings eliminate this problem.

Approvals and Specifications
High-performance coatings for waterproofing projects must comply with all local and state building codes. SuperSeal waterproofing meets all CCRR and CCMC requirements for residential and commercial construction. On occasion, engineers may require additional thickness and strength when dealing with such projects as retention tanks or foundations with a high-water content.

High-Performance Coatings in a Blind Wall Application
In blind wall applications, an exothermic reaction occurs between the high-performance coating and
the concrete substrate, creating a chemical bond.

“This occurs between the coating and the concrete substrate during the pour or spray application,” he says. “In a blind wall application, the coating is applied to a carrier sheet or the geo fabric on a drainage mat. When concrete is subsequently poured or sprayed against it, the chemical reaction takes place. The coating permanently bonds to the concrete rather than sitting against it.”

This is important in commercial construction where access is restricted due to neighboring structures.

Drainage Layers and Geo Membrane
Drainage is an important aspect of high-performance foundation waterproofing. Water that reaches the foundation must be directed away; this is where drainage mats come in. The conventional drainage mat has been a standard in the industry for years, providing a single drainage channel that directs water downward toward the footing drain.

But if a single-layer drain becomes clogged with fine particles of dirt, water has nowhere to go. SuperSeal Double Drain with Geo has a drainage path on both sides of the dimpled sheet and a geo fabric heat fused to one side. The two separate drainage paths significantly improve the entire system.

“SuperSeal Double Drain has been increasingly replacing single drainage mats in applications such as concrete foundations, blind walls, ICFs, green roofs, plaza decks, and paver applications, to provide a constant drainage path around the structural slab,” he says.

Specifying the Right System
For waterproofing professionals, the takeaway from all of this is that high-performance foundation waterproofing is a system, not a product. The coating, the drainage mat, the geotextile filter, and the footing drain must work together as a coordinated system. Each component should be selected with an understanding of what the others require and in a way that they are all compatible.

Products that offer bonding, dual-layer drainage redundancy, and spray-applied versatility represent the current leading edge of foundation waterproofing technology. Ultimately, the best foundation coating is one that matches the demands of the specific project. And it should be one that is installed by a contractor who understands the product and the system.