Sealing of external seams. What should be considered when performing joint sealing work? The most common mistakes are made when ordering services for sealing interpanel seams.

Sealing 04.07.2019

Sealing

Sealing interpanel seams is one of the most important construction operations, because it is the joints that represent the weakest point. In addition, over time, defects may appear in them, and then, at the request of residents and the housing maintenance organization, re-processing is carried out.

1 Why process seams in a panel house?

Sealing of interpanel joints is the process of filling the voids formed between the slabs. If this procedure is ignored, then moisture, cold air will penetrate through the cracks, and condensation will form. By eliminating such defects, you will not only insulate the room, but also prevent dampness and mold from getting into the house. And the latter is very harmful to our health. In addition, wallpaper peeling, walls blackening and other troubles are possible, so the aesthetic side will also suffer.

Sealing is done not only at the construction stage, it is necessary to periodically restore the joints.

What are the causes of leakage? First of all, errors in design and construction itself. It is also very important to choose the right materials. For example, a combination of seals with different degrees of elasticity will not give the desired result. If you decide to use special self-adhesive tapes, then you should not give tension, it is better when they sag a little. Plus, an additional adhesive underlayer should be applied from below. This will keep the stress inside the sealing material to a minimum.

2 Foam, mastic, tape - exploring the variety of materials

Today there are many sealants for interpanel seams, and they have different kind... Special mastics, silicones, etc. are very popular. The choice of this or that material depends on the width of the cavity. If the seam is narrow, then silicones should be preferred, but wider and deeper grooves are treated with polyurethane foam. It is best to use non-flared, otherwise you will have to trim off the protruding parts. And this is already extra labor costs, and it is not always easy to make such a step, especially when it comes to outdoor work on the upper floors.

In addition, the foam is afraid of ultraviolet rays, so it must be closed, the finishing layer must be in the same plane with the plates, that is, the frozen composition will need to be cut out with a small depression. Expanding material should only be used when working with very large seams. In this case, it is applied in two layers.

Special sealing tapes have also found their application. It is advisable to use them even at the construction stage. The technology is simple - they lay a strip of sealant on the joint of concrete elements, and under the force of the pressure of the upper part, the material is pressed and the connection is reliable. Now you can not be afraid of drafts, precipitation, or other vagaries of the weather.

3 Features of sealing technology

B is divided into primary and secondary, that is, during the construction of a building and during repairs. When carrying out primary work, a sealant is first laid in the seams, or they are processed with special materials, and then a layer of waterproofing follows. It is very important that all components are resistant not only to precipitation, but also to temperature extremes. It is recommended to re-process the joints in the house no later than 7 years from the date of construction. The fact is that absolutely any mastic has a service life of no more than 15 years.

The secondary sealing technology differs depending on the condition of the joints. If they do not have significant defects and the mastic has retained its properties, then it is quite enough to simply replace the outer layer. But when the joint is severely destroyed, then all old materials should be completely removed and replaced with new ones.

Carrying out such work, you should adhere to some rules. In the event of defects in horizontal joints, seams of at least three vertical rows must be treated with a sealant. If the integrity of the vertical seam of the longitudinal facade in the house is violated, then all vertical cracks and adjacent horizontal ones will have to be repaired. And when it is necessary to carry out restoration work from the end side, do not forget about all the joints between the longitudinal walls and end panels, as well as the entire facade.

In addition, the mastic must be flexible enough, because interpanel seams in a house may change their size somewhat due to shrinkage, concrete creep, thermal expansion, or under the influence of various loads... If the material is too hard, then depressurization will occur and restoration work will have to be carried out again. Also, the mastic should fit into a layer at least 2 times thinner than the joint, at least for gaps with a mouth of more than 1 cm.

4 We close the seams in the house on our own

Now it's time to study the technology of sealing interpanel seams. Let's try to compose instructions that are understandable even for "dummies", although it should be noted that such work should be done by professionals. First, they have special equipment to work at height. Secondly, our comfort and economy depend on quality, since the room will release less heat in winter, and even health, because the negative effect of fungi and mold on the human body has long been proven.

How to seal the seams in the house on your own - step by step diagram

Step 1: preparation

In order for the sealing of interpanel seams to proceed as efficiently as possible, all the necessary equipment should be prepared. A metal brush, spatula, vacuum cleaner, sponge, spatula, broom will come in handy for us. From the material you need to purchase the sealant itself, insulation, foam, sand and cement. Next, it is very important to prepare the room. All furniture, if we are talking about a residential building, or other items are taken out so that the room is empty. Then the old covering should be removed from the walls, so we free up access to the seams.

After removing large elements, we clean the room from dust, in this case a vacuum cleaner will come in handy. We carefully go through all the joints. If we are talking about the secondary sealing of panel seams, then we also remove the old material from them. Do not forget to carry out wet cleaning after that, otherwise dust from the air will settle in the most inappropriate places and this will negatively affect the quality of work. Then we wait until the surface to be treated is dry, and then we degrease it with a special agent.

Step 2: Warming

The key to success is high-quality insulation of the cavity. If the seams are large enough, they are first filled with polyurethane foam. Until it has completely hardened, a layer of thermal insulation is laid, which most often looks like a very dense hollow tube. Thanks to its excellent elasticity, there will be no installation problems.

There is another sealing scheme, "warm seam". In this case, the insulation is laid first and only then it is foamed. Thanks to this combination, the cavities are reliably filled, and drafts, and even more so moisture, have no chance to penetrate the room. If suddenly you have acquired an unsuitable foam or applied too much, then the excess should be removed. In this case, the gap should be such that the mastic and the topcoat will fit into it.

Step 3: Apply Sealant

Now it's time for the mastic to seal the interpanel seams. Remember, the material must have good elasticity, so do not skimp and buy only quality goods. The mixture is applied gently, in a continuous line along the entire length of the seam. It is possible that you will need a special assembly gun... So, after inserting the cylinder into the body, slowly push the trigger. It is better to start treating the distant cavities in order to fill your hand. True, there will be a finishing layer on top, so more attention should be paid to reliability than to appearance. The sealant can be easily removed before it hardens, just wipe it off with a damp cloth.

Step 4: applying the topcoat

To protect the seam from negative influences the environment, if we are talking about outdoor work, it is necessary to process it additionally with a cement-sand mortar. But only after the mastic has completely solidified. Inside the room, the walls are usually plastered, and a special mesh is applied to the joints. Moreover, it is better not to save on the latter, otherwise cracks will form on the plaster. In principle, the sealing of interpanel seams is carried out in approximately the same way when using any of the materials. However, do not forget to read the instructions on the packaging, you can also find a lot of useful information in it.

One of the most important high-rise maintenance work for panel buildings is the sealing of seams. Many reasons can lead to depressurization of the seams: non-compliance with technologies during construction, thermal and sedimentary deformations, destruction and aging of materials previously used for sealing. First of all, this negatively affects the moisture and thermal insulation of apartments in such a panel building.

When sealing interpanel seams is necessary

First of all, pay attention to such disadvantages as:

the appearance of mold or mildew;
significant heat loss inside the building (up to 10-15%);
condensation on the wall and wetting of the walls;
freezing of walls and ceiling;
wet joint between the roof of the loggia and the wall of the house, especially on the last floors.

If you notice at least one of the above disadvantages, then in your house the tightness of the structure of the existing interpanel seams is broken, the seams may be loosely insulated, or completely destroyed by the time of operation and atmospheric phenomena. Often, depressurization of the seams occurs both outside and inside the building. In this case, sealing the joints between the panels will be the most reasonable solution.

Often, the sealing of interpanel joints can be carried out using such ineffective methods as:

A simple coating of the joints over the old sealant with a new layer of mastic is carried out. This is the most common method, but also the most ineffective and low-quality option.
A more costly option is a variation of the first method, which differs only in additional grease. cement mortar significant defects in the seams.

The use of polyurethane foam tubular insulation

Often, interpanel seams are sealed using Vilaterm, which has a number of advantages:

low cost;
durability;
ease of use;
not affected by ultraviolet radiation and decay.

Depending on the thickness of the seam, the dimensions of such a heater are also selected. Vilatherm can be solid or hollow inside. Sealing of interpanel seams should be carried out using a hollow insulation material, because it has a denser structure, elasticity and is not so picky about matching in diameter. Hollow tubular insulation fits easily into the seam. In this case, the main thing is to dock it well along the length and not damage it during installation.

The thickness of such an insulating tube is selected a little more sizes seam (by 10-30%). This material must not be cut lengthwise, as in this case it will quickly lose its properties. Using a wooden spatula, Vilatherm is placed in the seam, leaving 1-3 mm. Then mastic is applied to seal the façade joints.

This method of sealing seams has its drawbacks. If such insulation was poorly sealed, then it can absorb moisture, begin to freeze and then collapse. In addition, the seam between the panels does not have a completely correct geometric shape, so it is almost impossible to lay Vilatherm ideally: in one place it is pinched, and in others it fits too loosely. Therefore, moisture continues to penetrate the seam and it is much more difficult to find the place of leakage after such sealing.

Sealing of interpanel seams with polyurethane foam

In some cases, the sealing of seams in a panel house is carried out using polyurethane foam. It is poured into the seam, where the foam expands and fills all voids, preventing leaks and drafts from entering the room. The polyurethane foam hardens within 24 hours.

Foam is also an excellent heat insulator. This method is perfect for sealing joints inside an apartment.

But there are also disadvantages to this method. Since part of the polyurethane foam protrudes outside the seam, it should be cut off. It is necessary to cut off the surface strong layer, leaving open the fragile and porous inner part, which is destroyed under the influence of the sun and precipitation.

Warm seam

Currently, the most effective sealing of interpanel seams in a combined way, the so-called warm seam. This method provides for:

jointing the seam and cleaning it from debris and old sealants;
pouring polyurethane foam;
immediately, until the foam has frozen, Vilatherm is placed in the seam;
as this layer hardens, a sealing mastic is applied.

This results in a dry and warm seam for many years.

Competent and correct sealing of interpanel seams allows you to increase the temperature by 3-4 degrees and get rid of the negative effect of moisture. Therefore, if your walls turn black, fungus and mold appear, wallpaper peels off, sealing the seams will be a rational solution.

Sealing of seams in a panel house can be carried out in several ways. The choice of a specific technology depends on the condition of the building and the goals set. Our company provides a full range of services related to the repair of interpanel seams, namely:

Primary sealing in new buildings, during the construction phase. The method involves laying insulation in an empty interpanel seam, then the insulated seam is covered with waterproofing mastic;
Secondary sealing of seams in a panel house. It is used when the old sealant between the plates is in an unsatisfactory state and has ceased to perform its function (it allows cold and moisture to pass through). Repair is carried out by applying a new layer of waterproofing mastic, often the old sealant must be removed completely.
Sealing " Warm seam with autopsy "is performed in several stages:
Opening and cleaning the seam;

Removing the remnants of old sealant from the facade;

Seam filling with polyurethane foam;

Insulation laying "Vilatherm";

Coating of the insulated seam with mastic.
"Warm seam without opening" - is used in cases when interpanel seams filled with concrete are subject to repair. The big advantage of this method is that the entire seam inside is filled with polyurethane foam. For insulation and sealing of concrete joints, work is performed using perforators. A concrete seam is drilled (at a distance of 30-50 cm), after which the seam is filled with foam through the holes. In the final part, the entire seam is covered with mastic. It is not recommended to insulate concrete interpanel seams using the "Warm seam with opening" method, as often concrete seams are part of the supporting structure of the building itself.

Technological regulations.

See the technology of the work:	Sealing of "closed" external joints wall panels curing sealants with or without polyurethane foam.
	Sealing of "closed" type joints with vulcanizing mastics / sealants is carried out on the basis of Vilatherm polyethylene foam gaskets installed in the joint "dry". If necessary, the voids can be foamed with Illbruck PRO 70 polyurethane foam. Filling the mouth of the joint with mastic is done with a spatula. With a large joint opening, the mastic is applied with an approach to the outer wall panel up to 3 cm.
	The temperature is not lower than -20 ° С in the absence of atmospheric precipitation. The thickness of the applied sealant layer is at least 3 mm.
	Vulcanizing mastic / sealant: Akatamast, Oxyplast, Elastosil, Sazilast.
	The spatula is universal.

Our prices:

The final price for the execution of the work will depend on the number of running meters on which the sealing is to be performed. You can find out the exact cost of work thanks to the free service of calling the measurer, using a telephone consultation or calculating yourself using this price list:

Name of works	Unit measurements	Price, rub.)
1. Primary sealing of the seam with insulation
2. Secondary sealing
3. "Warm seam" (opening or drilling holes in the concrete seam, foaming, sealing)
4. Sealing of stained-glass windows, skylights
5. Sealing of window joints
6. Sealing folds of metal roofs
7. Sealing canopies
8. Sealing the slabs of the technical floor (without replacing the roof deck)
9. Sealing the slabs of the technical floor (with the replacement of the roof deck)

Our work:

1. ZhKK "Serpukhov". Sealing of seams 3 200 linear meters

2. Sealing 5,050 running meters - "Warm seam"

3. Sealing "Warm seam without opening" - 7 750 m.

How we are working:

You leave a request
Is free

In 15 minutes

We contact you
Is free

On the day when
appointed
a meeting

We inspect the work site, take measurements
Is free

In 2 hours
after meeting

We provide you with an estimate for high-rise work
Is free

The next
day

We conclude an agreement
Prepayment

In the agreed
timing

We carry out all the work on a turnkey basis
Final calculation

You receive fully completed high-rise works on time and according to
the price specified in the contract.

Normative acts:

Our company guarantees the repair of panel joints in accordance with all technical instructions adopted in the Russian Federation. In their repair and construction activities, specialists are guided by the main regulatory documents, such as:

SN 420-71 "Building codes and regulations for sealing interpanel seams";

VSN 19-95 "Instruction on the technology of sealing butt joints of panels of external walls of residential buildings";

VSN 40-96 "Instruction when performing work on sealing the joints of external walls and window blocks";

TR 94.10-99 "Technical regulations for sealing the joints of external enclosing structures";

TR 94.07-99 "Technical regulations for sealing the joints of external enclosing structures";

44-03 TC ( routing) "Sealing joints of external enclosing structures";

VSN-119-75 "Instructions for sealing joints during the repair of prefabricated buildings";

TR 95.07-99 "Technological regulations for sealing joints of external enclosing structures";

VSN 170-80 "Instruction for Sealing vertical and horizontal joints of panels of external walls of the series"; P44 / 16

VSN 17-94 "Instructions on the mechanized technology of thermal insulation of joints of external wall panels of residential buildings with phenol-formaldehyde foam".

Why do clients choose us?

Following these standards, the company has developed its own methods for performing external sealing of joints, thanks to which our customers have been receiving a high-quality and fast solution for warming expansion joints for more than 10 years. Experienced industrial climbers who work in the state, using the latest equipment and construction means - those advantages that make it possible to call the group of companies "Diamand" a leader in its industry. Make sure of this too!

Over the years panel construction buildings, many series of projects of residential buildings and non-residential buildings were created, which differ structurally. But technologically, they all have common pros and cons in the course of their operation. The most significant link in the chain of works on the maintenance of the panel structure is the seam connection at the joints of structural elements. The fact is that when the building settles, a slight, but change in geometry inevitably occurs, which manifests itself in the form of cracks along the seams, sealed with plaster.

The house "breathes", and this is a completely natural and normal state, but it creates a lot of unpleasant problems to eliminate cracks. It is clear that the panels can slightly move relative to each other, and all displacements inevitably accumulate in the seams, as the most weakened place. In this case, the sealing of the seams is disturbed, the essence of which is to putty the empty spaces between the panels.

Reinforcement with reinforcement in the practice of repairing the first series of panel five-story buildings was experimentally carried out, but this led to the appearance of two new factors: cracks on the panel itself, and through freezing of the walls. The seams must have a sufficiently flexible seal. Until the seventies of the 20th century, tow was used in the body of a concrete structure, with external protection from precipitation in the form of a solution and bitumen varnish. Later, this filler was abandoned in favor of a material such as Vilatherm.

So the sealing of panel seams is carried out using a new technology.

Foamed polyethylene perfectly retains heat. But in terms of plasticity, such material is much more advantageous. Over time, the technology of using new materials has improved, and now, when repairing to seal the joints of panel seams, there is a choice, depending on what dimensions the distance between the plates has, how much the interface should be protected from weather factors and the availability of the work site itself.

Since the filling and sealing of joints in a panel house is important for increasing thermal insulation and waterproofing, then during work the main materials are: Vilatherm and polyurethane foam. Such materials can be combined quite well when sealing spacious cavities, where the filler is Vilatherm, and the sealing material is polyurethane foam. If the location of the cavity is not directly accessible, it is usually filled with polyurethane foam or foam through holes in the vilaterm.

In the event that the repair work was carried out earlier with a sufficiently high-quality external protection, but in this process, the inter-seam cavities remained, for which it is necessary to insulate the inter-panel seams in panel houses, technological holes are made, 3 - 4 per meter of seam.

Sealing of seams in a panel house, the technology of sealing seams is not particularly difficult now.

Through special holes, the cavities are filled without opening the old seal, followed by the application of a protective layer of mastic. Similarly, using technological windows and openings, work is also carried out to seal the floors inside the building.

Without going into technological subtleties, we can say that depending on specific condition of panel interfacing, a technologist of our company chooses the most economical and high-quality way to eliminate voids, based on fifteen years of experience of the enterprise in this area, and the experience of applying new technologies in housing construction.

The owner of a building or apartment is always interested in maintaining the high-quality condition of the building, and therefore seeks to protect it from the effects of water, sun, temperature changes and other climatic factors. There are several technologies for sealing interpanel seams in panel houses and insulating panel seams.

The most suitable in this regard will be the work carried out by our company warm seam technology.

Tight seam technology

This method is a more progressive version of the methodology for sealing the joints of panel structures. This technology assumes, in addition to moisture protection, filling the seams with a full-bodied cord made of foamed polymer of the Vilatherm range.

High-quality sealing of interpanel seams in panel houses is carried out using material from Macroflex, Penoflex, etc. Such elimination of voids in the seams is possible if the cavity at a long distance has the same width, and there are no deep chips. If you do not comply with this requirement, then the tube will not close the cleavage deepening or significant expansion of the cavity at the junction of the structures, as a result, gaps will appear, and the repair of interpanel seams in panel houses in this case will not bring the desired result.

Since the change in the geometry of the seams is usually associated with the shrinkage of the newly built building, the density of filling the seam using the "tight seam" technology is usually provided during scheduled repairs, or, at the request of the customer, on structures with many years of service life.

If the vilaterm tube is not flattened strongly enough to adhere to the seam, it is filled with polyurethane foam.

The width of the cushioning materials is selected with an allowance of 10 - 15% of the seam size at the widest possible point of the seam, followed by moisture sealing.

Warm seam technology

"Warm seam" in its classic version is performed by performing works in the following sequence:

Preparatory cleaning of the surfaces of the future seam;

Treatment of joint surfaces by applying moisture and polyurethane foam as an adhesive material;

Laying the Vilatherm seal on non-frozen foam;

Cord or tube insertion made of polyethylene foam;

Filling the laid tube with polyurethane foam;

Foam sealing all prepared joints, including intersecting ones, from voids and crevices;

Removal of excess macroflex after foam polymerization;

Final sealing with hydrophobic mastic.

This technology most fully and qualitatively meets the requirements for insulation with simultaneous waterproofing of construction interpanel seams.

A comparative analysis of two technologies: "Warm" and "Tight seam" shows that the material base in both cases is the same, and the difference is only in the volumes of building materials used, and in the cost of the complex of works performed.

Sealing interpanel seams in panel houses

from - Assol is a 15-year guarantee for materials, a fixed price: from 350 rubles / meter, permanent specialists.
As a result:

we eliminate the ingress of moisture from the street, heat loss through cracks and cold spaces;
eliminate the causes of condensation on the walls;
we treat problem areas with mold and mildew;
we improve the indoor climate;

If the house has damp cold walls and mold has appeared on them, smudges in the corners on the wallpaper and walls, drafts walk, the walls freeze and heat is lost - it's time to insulate the house!

Is it possible to seal joints in winter?

Yes, you can. The main thing is that at the time of work there is no wet snow ❅ or rain ☂ and precipitation ﻩ * ﻩ *

The cost of repairing joints for private customers

In order to avoid difficulties with recalculations, our company made a decision and "froze" the prices for the services provided, and as of May 2016 the prices remained the same as they were in 2015.

The price for the repair of interpanel seams depends on the type of house and the characteristics of the building, on average, is from 350 rub. per r. m. with all the costs (material, work, coordination) No additional costs for the customer and an increase in cost, we do not provide! The minimum amount of work is at least 30 meters). The number of storeys does not affect the cost of work.

Approximate scope of work for panel buildings:

- 1-room apartment - minimum order - 30 linear meters,
- 2-room apartment - 30 linear meters,
- 2-room apartment located at the end of the house (corner) - 45 running meters,
- 3-room usual - 45 running meters,
- 3 rooms end - 60 running meters

Sealing of interpanel seams is carried out along the perimeter of the panel (top, bottom and side seams of the panel). For the last floor, another technical floor is added (since through the voids in the joints of the technical floor, water flows into the interpanel seams of your apartment). For block buildings, the amount of work is about 30% more.

If you know the type of house, then using the calculator, if you select the proposed parameters, you can accurately calculate the amount of work:

Permission and approval of work at height

Management company

Warming of seams and anti-mold treatment

"Anti-mold"

The technology of works on sealing and insulation in detail:

"Warm seam" is a modern, reliable and durable technology, therefore this method of repair (or initial sealing) of joints between slabs is one of the most relevant services of our company. The entire list of works is carried out mainly at height and in any weather, therefore, it requires not only special equipment and unprecedented safety measures, but also remarkable qualifications from the working personnel.
Our company employs industrial climbers with extensive experience, and the main component of the selection criterion for our personnel is (among other things) a high level of personal responsibility.
The specialists of our company guarantee a full range of construction works for the implementation of the "Warm seam" technology. This complex of works includes the following stages.
1. Pre-insulating the joints between the slabs to protect them from external precipitation. This stage applies to new buildings and houses that are just being commissioned. The distance between the interpanel space is filled with foam under pressure and insulated with a special tube, which is "recessed" into the foam. Then everything is leveled with a solution and additionally opened with a special sealant. This sequence of actions guarantees the achievement of maximum results in terms of waterproofing, thermal insulation and resistance to UV radiation.
2. The second option concerns the reconstruction of joints in panel houses within the framework of overhaul facade. This service is a set of measures to restore the sealing and thermal insulation properties of the joints in accordance with the requirements for new buildings. Moreover, if the insulation is in a satisfactory condition, our masters will carry out the insulation with a sealant from the outside, without violating the integrity of the old insulation.
The specialists of our company offer a full range of repair and restoration work for the waterproofing of interpanel joints. Such a complex provides for certain technological stages, namely:
 cleaning the seam from the old insulation material (if any), removing the leaky solution or sealant;
 maximum possible degreasing of the seam;
 treatment of the seam with antifungal impregnation;
 flushing the seam against mold;
 arrangement of the seam using the "Warm seam" technology.
Based on the experience of our specialists, we strongly recommend not to resort to the help of masters with a dubious reputation, as well as to those specialists who offer prices below market prices. As a rule, the results of their work appear in the first season. The seam allows moisture to pass through, dampness and fungus appear in the room, and the warranty obligations are not fulfilled by such craftsmen (and they are not always provided for).

To services of clients - an integrated approach to objects

and sealing of windows from outside, in places inaccessible from the room and during or after installation by window installers.
repair of the loggia and bay windows, window cleaning
repair and manufacture of roof balconies for the last floors (waterproofing of the balcony roof),

Warranty for work

The main thing is not the chosen technology of work on sealing joints, but the quality of materials and the experience of specialists.