GAERWEN, Wales—A rubber membrane just 1.2 millimeter thick has waterproofed an egg-shaped primary school in Birmingham, England.
AAC Waterproofing LTD installed a roof on the 10,800 sq.-ft. timber-framed Four Dwellings Primary School, a project in the Birmingham Building Schools for the Future program, according to the company. The firm used its Prelasti prefabricated EPDM material.
AAC supplied a prefabricated single-ply EPDM solution consisting of a vapor control sheet, 150 millimeter flat board insulation and Prelasti cover. The stepped-length EPDM sheets were bonded off-site using vulcanizing technology, with a view to making the roof more durable than adhered strips.
"We are finding that timber-frame structures are being used more widely as an alternative to steel because of their environmental properties," said Mike Grant, the company's project manager.
"EPDM is the ideal waterproofing membrane for timber structures such as Four Dwellings, as it is lightweight, environmentally sound and involves no hot works or fires, as asphalt does."
Typical AAC projects include commercial and residential roofing, including school refurbishments, new builds and government building projects across England and Wales.