Bitumen, also known as asphalt, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. Thanks to its waterproofing qualities, it is widely used in construction. Bituminous membranes are perfect for waterproofing roofs, basements, below-ground structures, bridges and other structures.

 

Typical Application Fields for Bitumen

Comet hangar roof after renovation of bitumen roof

Roofing

Bitumen Terrace of Residence building in Muehlau Kirchgasse

Terraces

Man applying bituminous membrane on a building basement

Below-Grade Structures

Bituminous Membrane Basement from Outside

Basements

Application of bituminous membrane on a podium

Podiums

Bridge in Klosters Switzerland

Bridge Decks

Waste water treatment plant in Wroclaw in Poland

Tank Lining

Builiding with green roof in the mountains

Green Roofs

Torch-applied Bituminous Membranes

Bituminous waterproofing membrane

Once applied, Sika’s bituminous membranes are a thin layer of watertight material fully-bonded to the surface. It is a flexible system, able to maintain its waterproof capacity without causing cracks.

See the general bituminous membrane build-up below.

Main Uses
    • Retaining walls, basements and below-ground structures
    • Flat roofs under protective layers of ballast 
    • Balconies and terraces under tiles
    • Wet areas
    • Underground car parks
    • Bridges
    • Raft slabs and foundations
    • Protection of various substrates in a wide range of applications
    Advantages
    • Fully-bonded system
    • Resistant to the most extreme weather conditions
    • Ease of maintenance
    • Excellent mechanical properties
    • High resistance to mechanical damage and punctures

    Self-adhesive Bituminous Membranes

    Bituminous Membrane Basement from Outside

    Self-adhesive bituminous membranes are covered by a release liner, which is removed during application.

    Main Uses
    • Wood substrates
    • Flammable areas
    • Small areas, vertical surfaces or those areas with difficult access
    • Retaining walls, basements and below-ground structures
    Advantages
    • No torch needed
    • Safer, faster installation
    • No special equipment needed
    • Excellent adhesion, even at low temperatures

    Self-adhesive Bituminous Tapes

    Application of self-adhesive bituminous tape

    Sika also has self-adhesive, polymer-modified bituminous sealing tapes which are laminated with aluminum foil on the upper side and contain no reinforcement.  

    Main Uses
      • Sealing and repairing building cracks, roofs, sheet metal work, bituminous felts and other types of roofing sheet membranes
      Advantages
      • No torch needed
      • UV-resistant
      • Excellent watertightness
      • Multi-purpose tape
      • Flexible and easy to apply
      • Safer, faster installation

      Hot Melt Bitumen

      Two workers applying hot melted bitumen membrane

      Bitumen hot melt is a polymer-modified bitumen, either elastomeric or plastomeric, packed in a solid block state. For application, the block is heated and applied onto the substrate, forming a fully-bonded waterproofing layer.

      Main Uses
        • Roofing, such as green roofs
        • Podium decks
        • Balconies and terraces
        • Car parking garages
        • Civil engineering projects, such as foundations, slabs and retaining walls
        • Bridges and access roads
        • As an adhesive to bituminous sheets or insulation boards, for example
        Advantages
        • Solid-modified bitumen
        • Provides a strong, lasting bond
        • In situ waterproofing - local application exactly where it's needed
        • Excellent alternative for areas with many complex details

        Bitumen LAM (Cold-applied, Liquid-applied Membrane)

        Application of cold-applied bitumen membrane with a hand trowel

        Bitumen liquid-applied membranes are the perfect solution for seamless, fully-adhered and safe systems. They are polymer-modified bitumen emulsions which require no torch or flame to be applied. They are available as water-based or solvent-based coatings.

        Main Uses
          • Below-ground areas facing ground moisture, such as foundations  
          • Wet areas  
          • Swimming pools  
          • Renovation projects
          • Detailing
          • Typically used for residential and industrial buildings
          • As an adhesive to bond lightweight thermal insulation boards
          Advantages
          • No torch needed
          • Fully-bonded, seamless system
          • Crack-bridging capability
          • Safer, faster installation

          General Bituminous Membrane Build-Up

          The combination of raw materials can be built up in thousands of possibilities, but this is a typical composition example.