StormDry FAQ
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Stormdry waterproofs masonry by lining the pores of the treated masonry material rather than blocking them. For this reason water is still able to evaporate through the wall in the form of vapour – i.e. the masonry is able to breathe.
Applying Stormdry masonry water repellent cream to porous substrates (e.g. bricks, stone, paving slabs, roof tiles, etc…) will reduce the moisture content of the substrate. This will result in biological growth (moss, algae etc…) being inhibited as the moss or algae will no longer be able to draw moisture that it requires to grow from the substrate on which it is growing.
Some types of moss and algae are able to draw moisture from the air and are therefore able to continue growing even when the substrate on which they are growing has been waterproofed with Stormdry. For this reason we recommend that a suitable biocide is applied to the substrate before application of Stormdry –
Stormdry has been formulated to be a colourless water-repellent for brick, stone and concrete. It allows porous masonry to be waterproofed whilst allowing it to retain its natural appearance and allowing it to continue to "breathe."
Although some darkening of the masonry substrate may occur after Stormdry has been applied, this will fade over time and the masonry will revert to its original appearance.
Because Stormdry achieves its water repellency by lining the pores of the masonry rather than by coating the masonry surface it will not leave the glossy sheen associated with some "masonry sealant" products.
Paint forms a barrier preventing Stormdry from penetrating into the wall. Paint should therefore always be removed before the application of Stormdry.
Stormdry masonry water repellent cream provides an excellent breathable waterproofing solution for render, roughcast, or pebbledash. As with all masonry surfaces, it should be ensured that all cracks have been filled prior to the application of Stormdry.
Stormdry has been shown to be useful in improving the frost resistance of brickwork. This improvement results from the exclusion of water from the brickwork by the application of Stormdry.
The most common cause of spalling is frost damage caused by water in the pores of the bricks expanding when it freezes. Stormdry prevents this from occurring by preventing water from entering the pore structure of the brick whilst allowing any existing moisture to evaporate.
Stormdry masonry protection cream can be used to waterproof most types of stone used for construction with the exception of limestone.
Specific testing has been carried out to EN ISO15148:2002 (E) demonstrating a high degree of effectiveness on all stones tested (Blaxter Sandstone, Sheffield Sandstone, and York Stone) with the exception of limestone (Portland Stone).
Broadly speaking, Stormdry is effective when used on masonry substrates that contain a significant proportion of silicon dioxide (sand) – e.g. brick, mortar, sandstone, granite, etc…
This is because the active ingredients in Stormdry form an extremely strong covalent bond with silicon dioxide.
