How to waterproof a balcony yourself. We protect the loggia from all winds by sealing Sealing the joints on the balcony ceiling between the slabs

Is an correct execution waterproofing works... Sealing balconies is another mandatory procedure in this case. In this article, we will talk in detail about what methods of waterproofing exist on this moment and what materials are most suitable for this purpose.

Waterproofing is performed by applying various kinds of protective materials to the surface in the event that a balcony is flowing or when performing various kinds of finishing work, for example, after glazing. When installing it on the balcony, a certain sequence must be followed.

Sequence of work

Performing a procedure such as waterproofing a balcony with your own hands is a process that includes several main stages:

• Sealing cracks;
• Protection against moisture for parapet and walls;
• Floor protection;
• Ceiling protection works;

Sealing balconies and loggias

So what if the balcony is leaking? To seal cracks, you can use different materials... It all depends on what kind of finish was used for or loggia, as well as on their design features.

Sealing small gaps

Very often, apartment owners who are faced with such a problem as a leak are interested in how to cover up small gaps. In this case, everything is very simple. For sealing, use polyurethane foam. All sealed areas are preliminarily cleaned of dirt. The cracks are foamed by about two-thirds of their volume.

Sealing is not large gaps on the loggia - a mandatory procedure

Small gaps can also be closed using a special self-adhesive butyl tape.

Sealing large gaps

Sealing large slots on the loggia can be done using tin. This material effectively protects the structure from leaks. Sealing is carried out in several steps:

• The hole is measured;
• The resulting dimensions are transferred to the sheet;
• The sheet is cut out and one side of it is bent at an angle of 90 degrees;
• The resulting part is attached to the parapet with self-tapping screws.

Eliminating gaps is a mandatory procedure when performing work such as sealing and waterproofing a balcony from the inside or outside.

Preparation for waterproofing works

Sealing a balcony if it flows is half the battle. We found out how to eliminate the main leaks. However, to prevent water from getting inside this room, it is also necessary to waterproof all structural elements. This may be necessary both for an open balcony and when carrying out, for example, insulation work.

Waterproofing materials

You can insulate the balcony and eliminate leaks using:

• Roll materials. These bituminous coatings are not bad performance characteristics... Very often used for insulation when insulating loggias and balconies;
• Polymer coatings. These are all sorts of mastics, which are also quite suitable for making do-it-yourself waterproofing of a loggia. Suitable for insulating open and glazed structures.

Bituminous mastics - perfect solution for waterproofing loggias

Cleaning surfaces

Before starting waterproofing, all surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt. It is also necessary to remove old plaster.

How to waterproof a balcony

You can take the necessary measures to eliminate leaks with your own hands using both mastics and roll materials.

Ceiling waterproofing

Especially often, leaks are formed precisely on the ceiling. Finding a leak is not difficult. Most often, water begins to penetrate into the room at the joints. Wet spots are formed at the place of its entry. Waterproofing the balcony ceiling from the inside to eliminate leaks is most often performed using penetrating mastics. This procedure includes the following steps:

• The surface of the ceiling is abundantly moistened;
• Next, the first layer of mastic is applied with a brush. She needs to move in the same direction. In this case, the sealing will be more complete.
• In order for leaks from above to be completely eliminated, a second layer of mastic must be applied. Do this after the first layer dries slightly (but does not dry out completely). This time the mastic is applied in a perpendicular direction;
• To ensure high-quality sealing and eliminate leaks, it is also necessary to coat the walls adjoining the ceiling with mastic (to a height of about 15 - 20 cm).

Waterproofing the balcony ceiling using bitumen mastic

If deep penetration mastic is used to waterproof the ceiling, moisture will be sufficient. In all other cases, it will also need to be pre-primed. This will provide additional protection against leaks.

Parapet waterproofing

Leaks on the loggias are also possible from the side of the parapet. Therefore, in addition to sealing the seams, it is also necessary to coat the vertical surfaces with mastic. This procedure is performed in the same way as when processing ceilings.

Floor waterproofing

In this case, the waterproofing layer is applied over the already finished concrete screed, for the device of which it is necessary to provide for a slight reverse slope.

Waterproofing of parapet and floor with penetrating bitumen mastic

Vapor barrier for loggias and balconies

Protecting the balcony from moisture is not only about eliminating leaks, making reliable sealing and arranging effective ventilation. It is also necessary to perform a high-quality vapor barrier.

Balcony vapor barrier on top of insulation with foamed polystyrene foam

Balcony vapor barrier protects the body insulation layer from moisture accumulating inside the room. It is carried out using materials that have the ability to eliminate steam (parchment, foil polystyrene foam, etc.).

As you can see, the waterproofing of the loggia from the inside is the same as of the balcony - the procedure is not too complicated and, if desired, can be done independently. The most important thing in this business is to do everything carefully. Then all leaks will be eliminated. For clarity, we present to your attention a video on waterproofing a balcony.

From the author: I am glad to welcome you again, my dear readers. I hasten to tell you that sealing a loggia is a process that you can do on your own, without the help of professionals. All that will be required is to use our advice and flawlessly fulfill all the requirements that I will now set.

For many, it remains a secret how important it is to seal the balcony before carrying out any work. Many people think that insulation by itself will do a great job, and do not think that cold air that gets into the cavities between it and the wall will not play a big role.

I have to upset you by saying that it is not. Styrofoam, expanded polystyrene and protect your living space from negative temperatures, but not from the air currents, which can easily break through this fragile fortress wall.

Some visitors to our site miss this moment while working and send us letters stating that our methods do not work, although I have spoken in every article devoted to such processes about the importance of this step.

Now I will tell you in more detail how to seal the balcony, protecting it from unwanted cold penetration. Let's start!

How to find cracks and crevices

The first thing you need to do is locate all the points where air enters. Now you can say that they will be visible anyway, but, alas, no. In addition to visible gaps and cracks, flaws can be in the floor or wall seams, at the joints ceiling tiles and in other invisible places. Now I will tell you a few life hacks that will solve this problem.

Many years of experience have shown that there are a huge number of ways to help find places that need to be repaired. There are special devices that determine them, but I recommend using the old one. grandfather's method, which has never let me down.

This secret was told to me by my father when we first worked with him at a facility that needed to be protected from air ingress. To do this, you will need an ordinary sheet of paper and a ladder. I think that your actions are predicted independently, and it makes no sense to describe them once again. The only thing I want to suggest is that you should not check only the angles and interpanel seams... You need to walk with a leaf over the entire area of ​​the balcony or loggia to make sure of the quality of the check.

There is one more way, but it is expensive - checking with light. To do this, you need opaque curtains or black film, which needs to cover all sources of external light, creating absolute darkness on the tested area. In sunny weather, cracks and crevices will show themselves.

The second method may seem a little crazy, but believe me - it is effective and has been repeatedly done in practice.

What materials to use

The second step is choosing a sealant. For this, two materials are often used:

• construction foam;
• silicone sealant.

You'll need both for a job well done, so take your time choosing. Why both? Each of them will perform work with certain openings, since these tools have different technical properties.

Construction foam tends to expand, so it is used when filling larger holes. These can be formed due to two factors:

• mechanical impact. Your balcony can be damaged by worsening weather conditions such as hail or strong winds. The wind itself will not affect the surface in any way, but the nearby trees can very much;
• destructive processes. In this paragraph, I mean all kinds of corrosive processes, which are predetermined by the fact that nothing lasts forever, and each product has its own shelf life and operation.

Silicone mixtures should be used when working with joints of ceiling tiles, seams on and butt openings. Simply put, anything less than three centimeters wide lends itself to this material. You can also turn to thiokol or acrylic analogs, but I do not advise, because the material I have chosen has the most best indicator"price quality".

If you want to waterproof a balcony or loggia from the outside of the building facade, then you will need polymer-based substances. It can be mastic or other penetrating compounds.

How to seal seams

You need to start, as always, with a general cleaning. Debris, dust, pieces of concrete that have broken off can affect the result. Do not be lazy and notice the entire area several times, and vacuum the seams on the balcony. It won't take you more than two hours, so do it carefully.

Let's move on to the sealing process itself. It is not difficult and does not require special knowledge and skills. If you think that this is not necessary, I can assure you that he will not live even five years. The ingress of moisture will lead to its complete destruction.

If you only want to insulate outside, it must be remembered that working at height requires a completely different approach, and it is quite possible that it is better to seek the help of professionals. Understand that no amount of money is worth your health, and the lack of proper equipment can lead to dire consequences. The services of a person who will do everything in one day will not ruin you, and you will be calm knowing that everything will be done efficiently and without threats to human life.

All you need for work is a special pistol. If you have never used it, you can see how to do it correctly in the video below:

Little secret: in addition, you can use rubber seals... They are sold in any hardware store, and they are very often used for soundproofing entrance and interior doors, as well as for noise insulation of domestically produced cars.

If you are the lucky owner wooden structures- do not try to use polyurethane foam! Wood is a material that lends itself to deformation an order of magnitude easier than concrete plates... If you overdo it with foam, you can damage the entire balcony, and you will have to dismantle the coating, which will take away valuable time and hard-earned money from you.

How to be with a visor

If the roof of your balcony is made of metal, slate or other sheet cover, but nevertheless allows moisture and air to pass through, then the problem is definitely in the correct installation. Most likely, improper flooring has led to the formation of gaps between the sheets, which can be filled with sealant. This will fix the problem.

Provided that the roof is flat, you will have to try. The cheapest method is roofing felt, but you should not do everything yourself if you do not know the basic principles and have never worked with gas burners or other heating devices.

Let's take it step by step:

1. Remove all debris that might interfere with the proper procedure, and do not bring unnecessary items with you. Everything is only the most necessary.
2. Clean problem areas so that the surface is as flat as possible. In the event that you want to make a slope or achieve a filigree plane, you can make an installation OSB boards... Roofing material will perfectly take on them.
3. Seal all visible cracks with construction foam... This will increase the coefficient useful action your work.
4. Dry the surface of the visor, carefully checking every inch for moisture. Agree that there is no point in sealing a roof that already has water in it.
5. The next step is to apply the mastic. I do not recommend smearing the entire roof area at once. Better to do it gradually.
6. Installation of the roofing material itself will not do without a heating mechanism. Most often used gas-burners... I do not welcome this, but, alas, there will be no other unit at hand. The entire roofing material should be heated evenly, and pressed with a wet cloth, because the dry one will stick to the hot surface.

I would like to pay special attention to safety precautions when working with fire. Be sure to take a fire extinguisher with you, and preferably two, as one, believe my experience, may not work. Check it for filler and air and make sure the mechanism is working properly. And also - do not forget that you are far not at a height of two meters from the ground, so be careful when approaching the edge. Secure the work area under the balcony with a signal tape, if possible, put a person underneath.

I do not advise doing all of the above on your own, because you will spend a lot of energy, and it will be very unlikely to be convenient. It is best to ask for help from a person who has previously done this. This will make sure you don't make mistakes.

The soonest completion of the repair to you, friends!

The weak point of any balcony or loggia is the impact external factors... Heavy rain, sleet, or even fog - and spots of dampness appear on the surface of the walls of the balcony, the parapet becomes wet, and drops of water constantly dripping from above from the balcony visor will completely discourage the desire to inhale Fresh air while on the balcony in the rain. Sealing balconies is a cardinal way to solve these inconveniences.

Leaks are mainly determined by the quality of the waterproofing works of the roof that were carried out (or not carried out) at one time. As a result:

• There is a partial or complete depressurization of joints and seams in the places where the balcony adjoins the wall of the building, the same applies to the roof of the balcony;
• On the balcony or loggia of the last floor, the visor cover is destroyed;
• Near the balcony or loggia, drainpipes become unusable or there are no drain pipes at all;
• Ebb tides are deformed near a balcony or loggia.

In view of this, mold will form on the walls intensively, the balcony steel parapet will intensively corrode. Thus, sealing a balcony or loggia with your own hands is necessary not only from the point of view of ease of use, but also to extend their service life.

Works on sealing balconies and loggias

What and where flows, it will be clear already by the appearance of the roof or the roof of the balcony - the characteristic flows noticeably worsen the appearance of the surfaces. At the same time, glazing of a balcony or loggia does not solve the problem, since the processing of external seams is usually not part of the task of the company that installs double-glazed windows and frames, in order to solve the problems, the balcony must be sealed. On the contrary, before deciding on glazing, it is necessary to put in full order the waterproofing of the roof, visor and all adjacent external seams. In many cases, especially for balconies and loggias of the first floors, such work can be done with your own hands. Only for the last floors of multi-storey buildings, such work is entrusted to specialists in industrial mountaineering, since without the necessary skills for carrying out high-rise work, everything can end tragically.

Important! Do-it-yourself balcony sealing can be performed in any dry weather, since most brands of modern sealants are efficient even at negative external temperatures.

All of the above concerns the external sealing of the visors, seams and roof. But it is possible to carry out similar procedures from inside the balcony. The general sequence of DIY work is as follows:

1. 1 The surface to be prepared for sealing must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt.
2. 2 If during the audit of the seams it turned out that they are deep enough, then they should be additionally strengthened thermal insulation material, for example, basalt or mineral wool.
3. 3 On finished surface sealant is applied.

Advice! For improvement appearance on a sealed surface, the inner surface of a roof or visor should be painted with weather-resistant paint.

Types of sealants and technology for their application

For internal sealing of balconies, the following are most often used:

• Silicone sealants based on silicon-polymer compositions. Their advantages are high elasticity, the ability to effectively withstand significant temperature changes, as well as high adhesion (adhesion) to any original dry and cleaned surface;
• Thiokol sealants are made from polysulfides and are a three-component mastic. The product is prepared just before application. The mixture loses its properties within 2 hours, which somewhat complicates the work on internal sealing, but the composition is suitable for application to wet surfaces;
• Acrylic sealants are formulated on water based, and therefore are suitable for sealing cracks only in brick and wooden walls... Surfaces sealed with such sealants should be immediately painted with weather-resistant paints when ready. A positive feature of acrylic sealants is their environmental safety;
• Siliconized sealants, containing silicone and acrylic, combine positive traits of both types of sealant.

The technology for working with sealing compositions, except for thiokol, is as follows: with large volumes of sealing, the sealant is squeezed out of the container into a special bucket, and from there it is applied with a spatula or a pressure gun into the slot or gap. For small amounts of work, direct application to the joints is possible.

An effective way to seal the roof of balconies or loggias

At internal waterproofing sealants do not exclude moisture leakage from the ends and side surfaces that remained unsealed. Therefore, with precipitation accompanied by strong wind, it is impossible to assert about one hundred percent sealing. In a cardinal way the solution to the problem is the arrangement of a pitched roof. At the same time, not only the flowing of the balcony or loggia is eliminated, but also their thermal insulation increases.

Sealing balconies in this way is carried out by specialized companies licensed to perform such work. Their sequence is as follows:

1. 1 The frame is mounted under the roof using a galvanized steel profile;
2. 2 A layer of external weather-resistant insulation is laid;
3. 3 The soft roof is being laid;
4. 4 Galvanized steel slopes are installed along the entire outer perimeter to protect the external seams from moisture infiltration.

For external sealing of the roof of a balcony or loggia using the specified method, quality materials... It is advisable to use penoizol or foam glass as a weather-resistant insulation. Soft roof formed using any bitumen-based roll material.

If you have a strong concrete canopy, you can also use metal tiles or profiled flooring. The use of traditional coatings, for example, ondulin or polycarbonate, is ineffective in this case, since they do not have high impact resistance (they will collapse when massive icicles fall from the upper floors of the building).

The visor is the most unprotected part of the balcony. Rain and snow fall on it, and moisture seeps into all the small crevices. It appears in the cracks, the wind blows in them, the reinforcement is damaged by corrosion, and the holes gradually become larger. After a while, wet spots appear on the ceiling, with each heavy rain they become more and more, and this is a signal that repairs need to be done.

Troubles that may arise from a balcony leak

When a leak develops on the balcony, it becomes almost unusable. If in dry weather a leak reminds of itself only by traces left by water, then during rain or melting snow it is impossible to dry the laundry on it, the things stored on it get wet and become unusable. In addition, the finish suffers: first, yellow smudges appear on the ceiling and walls, then the surfaces are covered with dark mold, which is difficult to remove.

If you do not take any measures to eliminate the leak for some time, water through the joint between the slab and the wall will begin to flow into living room... On the ceiling and wall adjacent to the balcony, wet spots form during the rain, and after they dry, yellowness appears. In this case, repairs will have to be done not only on the balcony, but also in the apartment.

Why does the balcony flow

Usually, when building a house, balcony slabs (or rather, the joint between the wall of the house and the slab) are closed with waterproofing, therefore, in principle, there should be no leakage. It occurs if technological deviations are allowed in the waterproofing device, or the house old building and service life waterproofing materials came to an end.

A leak on the balcony can occur in three cases:

1. The apartment is on the top floor, and the roof over the balcony does not fit snugly against the wall. As a result, rain and melt water is poured into the balcony through the cracks;
2. The balcony on the floor above is not glazed, and the balcony slab on it needs repair;
3. The top plate is installed with a slope towards the wall of the house, which is why water accumulates on the balcony, leaks under waterproofing coating, and penetrates down through the concrete. This situation is rare, but when analyzing the cause of the course, you need to take it into account.

Another reason for the flooding of the balcony is the lack of drainage and insufficient sealing of the gaps between the glazing and the visor. Flowing down the visor, part of the water gets inside the balcony, and it floods the glass. This can happen when the length of the visor is insufficient, and its edge is located almost close to the glazing windows.

Whatever the cause of the leak, in order to solve the problem, you should first inspect the roof of the balcony, assess the extent of the malfunction, and then take measures to eliminate it.

What to do if the joint between the slab and the wall of the house leaks

It will not work to correct the situation by simply covering up the cracks in the ceiling, since it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the leak. Getting into the cracks from above, moisture will turn into ice, after several cycles of freezing and melting, the cracks will expand, and the water flow will again fall into the balcony. What action to take depends on which floor the apartment is on. If water comes from neighbors from above, the issue will have to be resolved with them, since renovation work should be carried out on their balcony.

When the apartment is on the top floor and water flows through the visor from reinforced concrete slab, the issue is resolved either on its own, or with the participation of a responsible organization (housing department, housing department and others).

In the houses of the old buildings, the so-called Khrushchevs, reinforced concrete canopies were not installed above the balconies of the upper floors. The owners of the apartments made them on their own from scrap materials along with the glazing of the balcony. Wobbly homemade construction It is the most common reason leaks, and to solve the problem it is necessary, and if it cannot be repaired, build a new one.

Repair of the balcony slab from the neighbors above

Since repairs are being made at the neighbors on the floor above, according to the logic of things, the owners of the balcony should deal with it. But if you are unlucky with your neighbors and they refuse to cover the costs, there are two ways out: contact the utilities or make repairs yourself. Consider the procedure for how to repair a balcony slab from above on your own.

Preparing the slab for repair

First of all, the old coating and the cracked screed are removed. All loose mortar is removed, and unstable pieces of concrete are knocked out. The joint between the slab and the wall of the house is well cleared, and sealed cement mortar detected defects. If potholes and cracks remain on the surface, they should also be repaired and leveled. The surface of the slab should be flat, without sharp drops, so that the waterproofing layer placed on it does not deform and break.

Waterproofing device

About 20 years ago, roofing material was used to waterproof the balconies, which was glued to the melted resin. In a residential apartment, it is difficult to perform such manipulations with resin and roofing felt, therefore more modern methods can be applied.

Materials for waterproofing the balcony:

• Bituminous-polymer coating (painting) mastic with rubber and rubber additives;
• Polymer waterproofing based on synthetic rubber;
• Plaster insulation;

Waterproofing is installed with a wall entry to a height of 15 cm and is distributed over the balcony at a minimum width of 50 cm from the wall. Any kind of material is applied in several layers, each 1 cm thick. Layers are applied alternately after the previous one has dried.

Screed on the balcony

When the waterproofing is in place, a cement screed is poured on top. Near the wall, a smooth rounding is made of mortar, which closes the waterproofing, and along the edge of the balcony slab, the screed layer is laid thinner. Thanks to this, a bevel is created from the wall of the house, and the water flows down freely without lingering on the stove.

If the balcony is on top floor, waterproofing is arranged on a reinforced concrete canopy. It is laid in the same order as on the balcony of the neighbors above.

Important. Since there is no fence on the visor, all work is carried out with insurance. You may need to hire industrial mountaineering builders.

Balcony sealing

In addition to external work, it is important to carry out internal sealing of the balcony. Unlike waterproofing, this is an operation to seal the seams and joints between the glazing and the wall of the house, balcony slab and a visor. The easiest way to seal up the joints is to cover them with polyurethane foam. After swelling and hardening, excess foam is cut off with a construction knife and putty. Puttying is a must, as the foam darkens and decomposes under the influence of air and sunlight. The joint of a home-made visor over the balcony near the wall of the house is subjected to a particularly thorough sealing.

If water flows in from the side of the glazing frames, a system of gutters is arranged that will drain water from the frames. First, ebb tides are installed along the perimeter of the upper balcony slab or visor, and round gutters are mounted under them. Ebb tides are also installed with outside under window frames and along the edge of the balcony slab of your balcony.

A small video on the sealing and installation of the balcony ebb from the outside:

The need for waterproofing arises when rainwater and snow freely penetrate on open balcony or a loggia or numb from above from the neighbors. The lack of waterproofing can lead to destruction, erosion of the base of the floor or ceiling, strong leaks lead to the formation of cracks in the ceilings, not to mention the fact that the property located on the balcony or loggia suffers. If you are faced with similar problems, this article will help you understand why the balcony is leaking, tell you what to do if a leak appears and teach you how to waterproof the balcony yourself.

Waterproofing, where to start?

The first step is to choose a waterproofing option and prepare the surface accordingly.

Waterproofing options

Depending on the material used, there are two main options for carrying out waterproofing of the balcony with your own hands - painting (mastic) and roll (pasting).

Painting waterproofing means protecting the surface from water by applying special moisture-repellent mastics to it. It is distinguished by its simplicity.

For waterproofing loggias from the inside, penetrating and coating mastics are used. Penetrating formulations are usually produced in powder form, which consists of quartz sand, cement and chemically active additives. The mixture is diluted with water and applied with a painting tool or spray. Such mastics are used for loggias and balconies with concrete bases.

Lubricating waterproofing is used when working with brick, polyurethane or stone surfaces. According to the composition, the coating mastics can be bitumen-rubber, bitumen-cement or polymer-cement.

Application of bitumen-rubber mastic

Talking about roll waterproofing , it is worth noting that technologically it is more complex and difficult to implement without certain skills and tools. This option for waterproofing a balcony from the inside involves the use of roll materials that are laid on the surface and glued to it by fusing or applying adhesives to the surface.

Rolled waterproofing surfacing

Roll materials are also produced that already have an adhesive base. Such, for example, as penofol. It will provide not only waterproofing, but also an excellent vapor barrier for the balcony due to the double-sided metallized coating. Among the materials to be welded, applicable as waterproofing on loggias and balconies, one can distinguish hydroisol, hydrostekloizol, armobitel and filisol.

Preparatory work

In order for the waterproofing of the loggia with your own hands to become as effective as possible, it is necessary to thoroughly clean its surfaces. And as for the floor of the loggia itself, it is advisable to perform leveling on it cement screed... This work should be done after cleaning the substrate, but before waterproofing.

When cleaning the floor of the loggia, the casing is initially dismantled. Then the base is inspected for the presence of bare reinforcement, cracks and rotten, worn out areas. Found metal parts are thoroughly cleaned from rust and processed protective compounds... Cracks and weak areas of the base are sewn up for subsequent filling with a screed. At the last stage, dust and debris from the floor surface and from all its recesses are swept out with a stiff brush. Next, a leveling cement screed is performed.

Such an operation will do both roll and paint waterproofing the floor on the balcony or loggia is more effective. Roll materials will adhere more tightly to the surface, and the mastic will provide excellent adhesion to the base.

Ceiling waterproofing

The public service will undertake the restoration of its integrity only if it recognizes structural element emergency, and the neighbors are unlikely to be imbued with the seriousness of the problem and will take up the waterproofing of the floor of their balcony or loggia. So the best way out from the situation will carry out waterproofing of the balcony ceiling from the inside. This procedure is also relevant when insulating a loggia or balcony, and it is carried out before sheathing the ceiling with an insulating material.

Ceiling in need of waterproofing

The instructions below describe the sequence of actions for waterproofing the ceiling of a balcony or loggia from the inside using penetrating mastic:

1. Removing the ceiling cladding and cleaning the slab from residues finishing materials, paint, glue, cement.
2. Thorough moistening of the balcony or loggia ceiling with water. The most convenient way to do this is with a spray gun and a paint roller.
3. Application of the first layer of mastic. To do this, use a brush with synthetic bristles or a spray bottle. If a brush is used, then its movements are directed along the balcony slab.
4. Application of the second layer of mastic with brush movements directed across the balcony slab. Typically, when waterproofing with penetrating compounds, the second layer is applied after 2-3 hours after covering with the first layer. It is enough for the mastic to set slightly. Before applying the second layer of waterproofing, the ceiling of the loggia or balcony must also be moistened abundantly.
5. Keeping the ceiling moist for 1-3 days after waterproofing.

This theoretical knowledge will help you independently waterproof the ceiling of a balcony or loggia, but it will not hurt to watch a video showing an example of using penetrating waterproofing.

A little about sealing balconies and loggias

As a rule, the need to seal balconies or loggias appears due to the occurrence of various kinds of leaks. The reasons why the balcony is flowing can be very different. Here are the most common ones:

• the leak was formed due to the cracks in the glazing;
• water flows through the gap between the balcony slab and the wall;
• the leak is the result of poor adhesion of the glazing of the loggia to the wall;
• water flows from neighbors at the end of the floor slab through the gap between the visor and the ceiling of the balcony.

For the first case, when the leak occurs due to poor quality or aged plastic glazing, there is a tried and tested way to fix the leak. It is necessary to use seals, popularly called flashing strips. They are mounted on the frame from the windward side, are widespread and are available in various modifications.

Cover strip for plastic glazing

How to cover up the cracks on the balcony or loggia in other cases? For sealing wide recesses, it is best to use polyurethane foam... And to eliminate small gaps, silicone sealant is suitable.

The gap between the glazing and the wall, requiring sealing

Sealing a balcony or loggia using sealant is carried out as follows:

1. First of all, the surface is cleaned of glue, old paint and other contaminants. Then it is wiped off with a damp cloth. It is important not to apply detergents, since the sealant does not adhere to them.
2. The next step is to ensure that the cavity to be sealed is dry to ensure good anchorage sealant.
3. The next step is to make a sealing seam. After applying the sealant, the seam is smoothed out with a wooden or plastic spatula soaked in soapy water. To prevent excess sealant from sticking to the surface, the walls along the joint can be sprayed with the same soapy water and removed after drying.

So simple affordable way sealing will eliminate small leaks easily and without the help of specialists.