Worn Tiled Terrace Waterproofed by Spraying

1. Loose tiles

Many tiles had come loose and were taken up, leaving patches of old adhesiveTile adhesiveA ready-mixed cement-based mortar, sold as a powder and mixed with water, used to stick tiles to walls and floors. It is spread with a notched trowel. underneath. Water easily finds its way in through spots like these.

2. Peeling old coatings

Elsewhere an old white coatingElastomeric waterproof coatingA thick, rubbery waterproof paint for flat roofs, parapets and roofs. It stretches without cracking as the building expands and bridges hairline cracks. had lifted and was only holding in places. Anything loose comes off.

3. Washing and sealing the joints

The terraceFlat roof (roof terrace)The flat concrete roof on top of a building. It is the most common kind of roof in Greece and the part that takes the most sun and rain. is washed and the open joints and cracksCrackA split or gap in render, concrete, a wall, a coating or wood. Fine cracks are usually only on the surface; ones that grow, keep reopening or run diagonally need attention. are sealed, which is what the white lines are.

4. Filling the holes

Small holes and broken spots are filled one by one before the waterproofingWaterproofingThe work and materials that stop water getting through on flat roofs, balconies, bathrooms, basements, planters and tanks. goes on.

5. Spraying

The waterproofing is sprayed on with a hose. It gets into every joint and pore and goes up the foot of the walls.

6. Another coat

An extra coat builds up the thickness and covers anything that was missed.

7. The edges

The corners and the edges along the walls are done with a roller, since that's usually where the first cracks open.

8. The result

One continuous surface with no open joints, protecting the flats below.