A barrier against radon gas: the proposal from the Mapei range

Radon is an element that should always be taken into consideration during the design stage, whether it is for renovation work on an existing structure or a new build.

A number of products from the Mapei waterproofing line can act as an effective barrier against ingress of water and radon gas.

Of particular interest are products from the PLASTIMUL RANGE (PLASTIMUL 1K SUPER PLUS, PLASTIMUL 2K SUPER, PLASTIMUL 2K PLUS and PLASTIMUL 2K REACTIVE). These products are used to waterproof the horizontal and vertical foundations structures in concrete and brickwork, such as basements, underground garages, water tanks, load-bearing walls, and reinforced concrete structures underneath isolating screeds.

All these products are certified by the German testing center Sachverständiger für Radon for their capacity to protect buildings against rising radon by creating a barrier impermeable to the gas.

Apart from the PLASTIMUL range, there is also the range of MAPETHENE waterproofing membranes for underground structures. This is a complete range of self-adhesive bitumen membranes made up of a film of cross-laminated, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sandwiched to a mixture of bitumen and special SBS polymers.

Designed for waterproofing underground masonry and reinforced concrete structures externally, MAPETHENE membranes are a versatile range of products suitable for use both by waterproofing companies that normally use traditional bitumen membranes, and by companies that normally use other types of product.

Besides, Mapei also offers MAPEPROOF FBT, MAPEPROOF AL AP and MAPEPROOF SA fully-bonded membranes. These membranes are applied fully-bonded to poured concrete in order to prevent any lateral migration of water between the foundation structure and the membrane, thereby guaranteeing total impermeability.

Made from synthetic material, these membranes are also a valid barrier system to mitigate the passage of radon gas from the ground into indoor rooms and may be used for both new builds and during renovation projects on existing structures.

• MAPEPROOF FBT: waterproofing membrane made from a synthetic FPO membrane firmly sandwiched to a layer of non-woven fabric which, upon contact with poured concrete, guarantees a tough bond to the concrete.
• MAPEPROOF AL AP: is a waterproofing membrane made up of a synthetic HDPE sheet with an adhesive side covered with a pressure sensitive protective coating which, upon contact with poured concrete, forms a perfect bond.
• MAPEPROOF SA: waterproofing membrane made from a robust layer of high-density, cross-laminated polyethylene (HDPE) coated with a layer of tough, synthetic adhesive that forms a monolithic bond with concrete substrates.