A water repellent or waterproofing agent is used to protect the substrate to which it is applied from humidity and stagnant water. The water-repellent product impregnates the porous support and no longer allows water to pass through, while allowing it to breathe, whether it is wood, concrete, brick or stone. It regulates the humidity and prevents the material from deformation such as swelling, shrinkage and cracking.
As it does not form a surface film, the water-repellent treatment is invisible and colourless. Wood, concrete and stone retain their original appearance. Thanks to its "pearl effect", the water repellent allows water to run off the surface and prevents stains from adhering to the substrate. Surfaces treated in this way are easier to maintain since stains and other traces of pollution are easily removed.
Different types of water-repellents, water-repellents or water-repellent-oil-repellents exist depending on whether they are intended to be applied to a wooden terrace, a wooden facade, limestone, a wall, a concrete slab, or even on composite wood.
In this category you will find all the information and products you need to waterproof, water-proof and oil-proof your interior and exterior supports made of wood, concrete, stone, terracotta or wood composites.
These products will soon be available on our website:
As previously written, a water repellent is a product designed to preserve the material to which it is applied from water and humidity. However, several types of water repellents can be distinguished. There are surface water repellents and mass water repellents .
Surface water repellents are very fluid and are applied for convenience by spraying or brushing or roller brushing on vertical or horizontal surfaces to be waterproofed. Formulated in an aqueous phase, they contain different resins or oils suitable for waterproofing. Their mode of action, once they have impregnated the support, is due to the reduction of the surface tension of the material, giving it increased resistance to the penetration of water and grease. Thus an initially porous material becomes impermeable to water, this is the famous "pearl effect", without creating a film and without blocking the gas exchanges that allow it to breathe.
Surface water repellents are compatible with damp and alkaline substrates such as concrete, Viroc, tile joints, etc.... They do not contain solvents and therefore do not give off any odours, are not flammable and are not harmful to the applicator or to the people occupying the premises where they have been applied.
Unlike surface water repellents, so-called "mass" water repellents are products that are injected into cracks or incorporated into concrete and mortars to improve moisture resistance performance.
Moisture is a problem for exterior and interior surfaces such as terraces, siding, roofs and walls, as it can become invasive, cause extensive damage to materials and lead to premature deterioration.
Below we have summarised the main interests in carrying out a water-repellent treatment :
- Fight against the development of mould :Waterproofing a material with a water-repellent product makes it possible to reduce surface humidity and thus prevent the development of moss, mould, algae or fungi which eventually blacken the substrate. This blackening can be observed, for example, on a wooden terrace or a wooden facade. In addition, this means that no fungicide treatment is required. This is doubly advantageous because it represents a significant financial saving but also because it avoids the use of products that are harmful to the environment.
- Dimensional stabilisation of the material : Preventing the penetration of water and regulating the hygrometry will prevent the substrate from swelling/shrinking, which causes deformation of the material and, in the long run, premature degradation. For example, a water-repellent treatment of the wood will prevent splitting and cracking of the terrace or cladding boards and thus slow down their structural ageing.
- Facilitate cleaning and limit maintenance : The waterproofing is water and oil repellent. This means that the substrate is protected against the penetration of water (water-repellent) but also against grease (oil-repellent). As water and grease no longer penetrate, the substrate becomes much easier to clean and maintain. Water-repellent products have a real resistance to stains and dirt, and as these do not penetrate, they are easy to remove.
- Maintain the original appearance of the material for a long time : The waterproofing treatment does not form a film on the surface. It is invisible, colourless and non-yellowing, so that the natural appearance of the material is completely preserved. Ideal for protecting wall coverings such as plaster in a kitchen or shower room, plaster, stone worktops or stone furniture.
- Improving the performance of finishing products : Applied over a finish, it increases its durability. For example, applied afterwards in the last coat of woodstain, oil or saturator, the waterproofing agent will reinforce the water and grease bead effect and thus make the protection of the previously treated material more durable.
For a wooden support such as terrace boards, wooden cladding or garden furniture, we recommend the use of a highly penetrating water-repellent that is specially adapted to wood. For example HYB600 Wood Repellent or HYT600 Terrace Repellent.
For concrete, terracotta, natural stone and other porous mineral substrates, the waterproofing product must retain the original appearance as well as possible. The Water Repellent Concrete Mortar HYB600 and Water Repellent Stone and Terracotta HYT600 products have been specially designed with this in mind.
For the water-repellent treatment of composite wood, we recommend Wood Composite Protector PBC600, which is highly penetrating and resists well to the high temperatures to which composite wood decks are subjected during the summer outdoors.
Nothing could be simpler. A water repellent is a very fluid product, so it can be applied with a sprayer. Application with a roller or brush is also possible.
It should be noted that depending on the surface condition of the substrate, and more particularly if it is not very porous or already covered with a finish, application with a roller or a brush will be preferable to ensure good penetration of the product.
A few precautions will have to be taken depending on the weather. Indeed, it is necessary to avoid applying the product in rainy weather. Heavy rain in the hour following the application could dilute the product and thus reduce the quality of the water-repellent treatment. On each product page you will find detailed instructions for use and the precautions to be taken according to the nature of the product and the surface to which it is to be applied.
