Planiseal CR1 Prevents Parking Woes

The Arbordeau condominium complex features 120 townhouses and apartment flats that are situated on 15 acres (6.07 hectares) in the heart of Devon, a quiet suburb that is outside of historic Philadelphia, PA.

As the name “Arbordeau” suggests, the architecture of the complex is European style, meaning that the townhouses and flats are grouped in clusters around circles. This design creates a sense of community, of space and of privacy, as each cluster has its own village feel. All parking is underground, and residents have direct access from their parking spots to their homes.

It was the underground parking that brought MAPEI to Arbordeau. Given that the complex was originally built in 1974, by 2020 the waterproofing membranes over the parking garages needed repairs. Although the garages had been previously patched through the years, the owners were looking for a long-lasting solution.

A design specification was written, and contractor Hudak Infrastructure was hired. However, the originally specified waterproofing product was expensive. Familiar with MAPEI, Hudak reached out to the company for an alternative that would have the same warranty but be less expensive. MAPEI had just the right product: Planiseal CR1.

After meeting with MAPEI’s technical service and sales representatives, the owners agreed to the cost-saving solution. MAPEI’s warranted waterproofing system solution featuring Planiseal CR1 provided a much more efficient and effective solution to the parking garages’ waterproofing needs. The switch was made, and MAPEI was officially “on the job.”

MAPEI on the job

Both the contractor and the owners requested on-site training and supervision from MAPEI throughout the course of the installation. It was not because the products are difficult to install, but rather because the advice was so helpful that the install went quickly and smoothly. In addition, MAPEI’s Technical Services team was able to train the installing crew on the appropriate way to apply Planiseal CR1.

Unlike other waterproofing membranes, Planiseal CR1 is a single-component, 100%-solids, cold-fluid-applied, fast-setting structural membrane with low VOCs, and it can be applied in exterior and interior settings. While most waterproofing crews are used to mopping hot tar, MAPEI’s Planiseal CR1 applies like a coating with little to no VOCs, meaning that crews can use it indoors, on walls and in occupied spaces with little to no smell.

The application steps of the project were simple. First, the Hudak crew removed all debris from the substrate (including asphalt, soil, concrete curbs and vegetation), clearing the deck down to the structural slab. Any previous waterproofing membrane was removed via scarification and shotblasting.

Once the substrate was cleaned, the crew performed concrete repairs, sloping as needed to create drainage. Next, using rollers, crew members installed two coats of Planiseal CR1 – with MAPEI LMR Fabric embedded between the coats – on top of the properly prepared cracks and control joints. Then, on top of the waterproofing membrane, the crew installed Mapedrain 30 drainage composite and new drains as needed.

“The entire project has been accomplished in three phases so far,” explained David Marofsky, MAPEI’s Concrete Restoration and Waterproofing Specialist, who was involved in the project.

Marofsky added, “Phase 1, known as ‘ILE D’Huyere,’ was August 2020 and encompassed 10,000 square feet [929 m²]. Phase 2, known as ‘Dezac,’ was in June of 2021 and was 11,000 square feet [1 022 m²] of waterproofing. Phase 3, known as ‘Gevrey,’ took place in June of 2022 and totaled 14,000 square feet [1 301 m²] for a grand total of approximately 35,000 square feet [3 252 m²] over two years.” If there is a Phase Four, by all accounts it will be just as successful as the first three. And another parking garage will be watertight thanks to Planiseal CR1.