Bitumen, also known as asphalt, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. Thanks to its waterproofing qualities, it is widely used in construction. Bituminous membranes are perfect for waterproofing roofs, basements, below-ground structures, bridges and other structures.

 

Typical Application Fields for Bitumen

Roofing

Terraces

Below-Grade Structures

Basements

Podiums

Bridge Decks

Tank Lining

Green Roofs

Torch-applied Bituminous Membranes

Once applied, Sika’s bituminous membranes are a thin layer of watertight material fully-bonded to the surface. It is a flexible system, able to maintain its waterproof capacity without causing cracks.

See the general bituminous membrane build-up below.

Main Uses
  • Retaining walls, basements and below-ground structures
  • Flat roofs under protective layers of ballast 
  • Balconies and terraces under tiles
  • Wet areas
  • Underground car parks
  • Bridges
  • Raft slabs and foundations
  • Protection of various substrates in a wide range of applications
Advantages
  • Fully-bonded system
  • Resistant to the most extreme weather conditions
  • Ease of maintenance
  • Excellent mechanical properties
  • High resistance to mechanical damage and punctures

Self-adhesive Bituminous Membranes

Self-adhesive bituminous membranes are covered by a release liner, which is removed during application.

Main Uses
  • Wood substrates
  • Flammable areas
  • Small areas, vertical surfaces or those areas with difficult access
  • Retaining walls, basements and below-ground structures
Advantages
  • No torch needed
  • Safer, faster installation
  • No special equipment needed
  • Excellent adhesion, even at low temperatures

Self-adhesive Bituminous Tapes

Sika also has self-adhesive, polymer-modified bituminous sealing tapes which are laminated with aluminum foil on the upper side and contain no reinforcement.  

Main Uses
  • Sealing and repairing building cracks, roofs, sheet metal work, bituminous felts and other types of roofing sheet membranes
Advantages
  • No torch needed
  • UV-resistant
  • Excellent watertightness
  • Multi-purpose tape
  • Flexible and easy to apply
  • Safer, faster installation

Hot Melt Bitumen

Bitumen hot melt is a polymer-modified bitumen, either elastomeric or plastomeric, packed in a solid block state. For application, the block is heated and applied onto the substrate, forming a fully-bonded waterproofing layer.

Main Uses
  • Roofing, such as green roofs
  • Podium decks
  • Balconies and terraces
  • Car parking garages
  • Civil engineering projects, such as foundations, slabs and retaining walls
  • Bridges and access roads
  • As an adhesive to bituminous sheets or insulation boards, for example
Advantages
  • Solid-modified bitumen
  • Provides a strong, lasting bond
  • In situ waterproofing - local application exactly where it's needed
  • Excellent alternative for areas with many complex details

Bitumen LAM (Cold-applied, Liquid-applied Membrane)

Bitumen liquid-applied membranes are the perfect solution for seamless, fully-adhered and safe systems. They are polymer-modified bitumen emulsions which require no torch or flame to be applied. They are available as water-based or solvent-based coatings.

Main Uses
  • Below-ground areas facing ground moisture, such as foundations  
  • Wet areas  
  • Swimming pools  
  • Renovation projects
  • Detailing
  • Typically used for residential and industrial buildings
  • As an adhesive to bond lightweight thermal insulation boards
Advantages
  • No torch needed
  • Fully-bonded, seamless system
  • Crack-bridging capability
  • Safer, faster installation

General Bituminous Membrane Build-Up

The combination of raw materials can be built up in thousands of possibilities, but this is a typical composition example.

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