Beauty comes from the outside
Appearances are everything. SILRES® BS makes lasting improvements to the appearance of external walls.
360° Protection
Under attack: buildings are exposed to moisture from every direction. From above by the elements and from below by groundwater. High-performance SILRES® BS from WACKER makes facades water-repellent and dries out damp walls. Providing effective, all-round moisture protection for all types of masonry work. This means that it is possible to give buildings long-lasting protection against moisture at any time – and to reduce their energy demand by as much as 30 percent.
Buildings act as a store of value. Not just financially, but often culturally as well. It’s never too early to preserve both. And it’s certainly never too late. The premium products in the SILRES® BS range effectively protect buildings old and new, whether preventively in the form of impregnation or retroactively in the form of dampproofing wet wells. This means that it is possible to give buildings long-lasting protection against moisture at any time – and to preserve their value too.
Water-repellent impregnation with SILRES® BS
It’s only natural to waterproof shoes before wearing them outdoors in the wind and rain. But what about facades? From the outset, they have to contend with weather extremes day and night. Water and moisture will penetrate unchecked into the mineral building materials, causing substantial damage to the structure and playing havoc with its appearance, energy consumption and durability.
Outside: SILRES® BS
Inside: HAPPINESS
Capillary water absorption: water is absorbed by an untreated surface but forms a bead on the impregnated one.
Whether it be sandstone, brick, marble, granite or other mineral building material, SILRES® BS products from WACKER are highly effective at protecting masonry work against moisture and its consequences. Unlike their film-forming peers, they penetrate deep into the pores of the substrate without blocking them. The siliconized pores absorb less water but are still able to breathe. The outcome: much less capillary water absorption on the outside and a comfortable climate on the inside.
The Highest Level of Protection – SILRES® BS On Roof Tiles
Everything good comes from above. Except in the case of roof tiles. Rain, salts and dirt can cause untold damage to them in exposed settings. The solution is simple: in-plant impregnation with SILRES® BS. This involves treating fired building materials during production by spraying them with, or dipping them into, ready-to-use water-repellent. Consequently, when they are installed on the roof, the tiles are already protected against efflorescence but will continue to breathe. This highly effective process is used for upgrading not only roof tiles, but also other ceramics, such as floor tiles and plant pots.
Would You Like To Find Out More About Preventive Moisture Protection?
Discover our high-performance products for water-repellent impregnation.
Water-repellent impregnation
Dampproofing Walls With SILRES®BS
High ceilings, elegantly curved stairwells, moldy basements. Old buildings usually start to lose their charm at ground floor level. Below the ground floor, they can be simply unusable. The reason is often the absence of a moisture barrier. Not only will moisture have taken firm control of the basement, but it will also be slowly creeping up the different floors year after year. However, new buildings that are constructed not far above the ground-water level or are in direct contact with the ground or otherwise with water, are also engaged in a perpetual struggle to ward off rising damp and its consequences.
Built Close To Water
A tragedy for landlords and tenants alike: buildings erected close to ground water are especially vulnerable to mold formation. That has long-term implications for both the indoor climate and the residents’ health. As a result, precious rooms become uninhabitable and ultimately rental income may be lost. And then, as damp levels rise in the building, its insulating power decreases and this in turn causes the energy consumption to rise. There is a simple, effective way to break this chain of negative events.
SILRES® BS Puts A Stop To Damp
WACKER has developed a product that can both treat existing moisture damage and keep rising damp at bay. SILRES® BS is injected straight into the masonry via boreholes, where it forms permanent bonds that yield a highly waterproof horizontal barrier. This puts a stop to rising damp and the transport of harmful substances, and gives the wall breathing space to dry out. Longitudinal studies and numerous reference projects conducted around the world bear testament to the enduring effect of SILRES® BS.
Interested in learning more about treatments for damp walls?
Discover the SILRES® BS range of high-performance dampproofing products.
Masonry dampproofing
Tangible Benefits All-Round Thanks To Impregnation And Dampproofing
Structures and values
Buildings are stores of both financial and cultural value. Impregnating the walls keeps them in good repair and even increases their value.
Take the “oof” out of roof
Roof tiles impregnated with SILRES® BS remain attractive and durable over the long term. Water simply runs off them in droplets, salt efflorescence is eliminated and water vapor can escape unchecked.
Living space is money
Thanks to SILRES® BS, rooms that were previously uninhabitable can be made habitable again – for renting.
Less often and affordable
Water-repellent impregnation and/or dampproofing reduces the need for building renovations and keeps maintenance costs down.
Protected against moisture, with huge energy savings
SILRES® BS takes away worries about paying the heating bills. Impregnation and/or dampproofing cuts down on heating and generates considerable cost savings.
Clean air
Water-repellent treatment of masonry boosts indoor air quality and ambience – and makes the building more comfortable.
Clean
Open-pored mineral building materials, such as sandstone and natural stone, pick up dirt readily. SILRES® BS decreases susceptibility to dirt pick-up and makes cleaning easier.
Powerful treatment for ceramics
Efflorescence is a common phenomenon in unfired, unglazed floor tiles and plant pots. Water-repellent treatment with SILRES® BS prevents it and makes cleaning easier.
In Use All Over The World
Sweeping renovations at Budapest’s Western train station restored the terrazzo floor to its former splendor and made it look like new. The floor of this architectural jewel from the era of The Dual Monarchy was treated with SILRES® BS. In this treatment, the binder penetrates deep into the cementitious floor, filling the pores and curing to a hard material that has both water-repellent and oil-resistant properties. Thanks to its enhanced abrasion and scratch resistance, the floor is fully protected against the scurrying footsteps of 18 million travelers each year.
Read more about the project here:
Monument to the Discoveries, Lisbon
Thirty-two figures celebrating the history of Portuguese discoveries and looking out to sea – but never safe from it. Located on the Tagus river, the monumental sculpture with its heroic limestone statues stands right at the water’s edge and is thus exposed to the ravages of salt water day after day. It has been provided with lasting protection against damage by treatment with SILRES® BS.
Alte Pinakothek, Munich
The Alte Pinakothek is one of the world’s leading art galleries. More than 700 paintings dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries, many of them famous works by the masters, are on permanent display there. When it was time to repair damage done to the building down the years, SILRES® BS was the product chosen to prevent water ingress in the years ahead.
Christ The Redeemer, Rio De Janeiro
Towering some thirty meters into the air, this monumental statue is one of Brazil’s most famous landmarks. Made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, the 1145-ton figure stands unprotected and exposed to harmful environmental influences. This was remedied in 2010 by a coating of SILRES® BS. Enabling hordes of Brazilians and tourists to keep feasting their eyes on it.
Town Hall, Bruges
The Stadhuis in Bruges is one of the oldest town halls in Belgium and the blueprint for many others constructed in magnificent gothic style. Construction began in 1376 and lasted until 1421. Water-repellent treatment of the building went a lot faster. To protect it against the elements, the history-laden edifice was coated with SILRES® BS and stone strengthener.
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Berlin
The “hollow tooth” – as Berliners have nicknamed the porous old sandstone spire of the memorial church – no longer lives up to its name. When the time came to renovate the present church and spire on the Kurfürstendamm, the experts chose SILRES® BS to strengthen the masonry and make its surface water-repellent.
Bode Museum, Berlin
Built in baroque revival style, this building on the museum island in Berlin is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a label that brings with it huge responsibility. The site was extensively renovated in 2001. This involved injecting the relief arches and basement foundations with SILRES® BS.
