How long does waterproofing last?

Waterproofing is meant to outlast everything you put on top of it. Done properly, it does. The failures we get called to are almost never a worn-out product. They are a shortcut taken on the day, hidden the moment the tiles went down. Here is what decides whether yours lasts ten years or two.

What a good membrane should last

A membrane installed to AS 3740 inside or AS 4654 outside, detailed and flood-tested, should last 10 years or more. In a wet area it often lasts the life of the tiling above it, which is the whole point: you should never have to think about it again. The exposure outside is harsher, so an external membrane is chosen and detailed for sun, rain and movement, but the principle is the same.

Why some fail in a year or two

• One coat instead of two. The most common shortcut, and the most invisible. The Standard sets the coats for a reason.
• No bond breaker at the junctions. The wall-to-floor corners move. Without a bond breaker the membrane tears there, and that is exactly where it leaks.
• The wrong fall. A floor or a deck that ponds holds water against the membrane until it finds a way through.
• No flood test. The test is the only proof the membrane holds water before it is covered. Skip it and the first proof is the leak.

The lifespan question is really a question about the install. The same membrane lasts a decade when it is done to the Standard and fails in a season when it is not.

What our warranty actually covers

We warrant the membrane workmanship for 10 years in writing, alongside the manufacturer system warranty on the membrane itself. We can stand behind it because we install it to the Standard, flood-test it, and issue the certificate. Ask any waterproofer to show you the warranty before you commit. The ones who install it to last are happy to put it in writing.