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Moisture protection for frames made from cross-laminated timber (CLT).
At the recent Timber Offsite Construction conference held in Melbourne, several builders lamented the difficulty of moisture protection for CLT during the construction process.
A Swedish company now offers its clients new moisture protection for frames made from cross-laminated timber. The product is called Wetguard 200 SA and protects mass timber elements (CLT) from moisture damage during construction.
Its water-repellent carrier is further lined with an anti-slip coating to keep workers safe while walking across wet surfaces. The self-adhered membrane can either be applied at the CLT manufacturing plant or installed on-site.
“Having to take into account the weather and humidity is a constant issue in the construction industry, regardless of the material being used. We are very pleased to be able to offer an effective solution that makes work easier at construction sites and makes it even easier to build with wooden frames,” says Theres Jansson, CLT salesperson at Setra.
The Wetguard200SA moisture protection is manufactured by the Swiss company Siga Cover AG. It consists of an advanced membrane that allows the wooden frame to breathe and releases moisture in the vapor phase, while at the same time protecting against the penetration of water and other dirt. The protection is applied to surfaces such as floor structures and end-grain wood when the frames are being manufactured in Setra’s cross-laminated timber production facility.
“Wetguard (CLT moisture protection) allows construction to continue regardless of the weather, and construction companies do not have to think about using traditional weather protection such as tents, which cost both time and money to install,” says Theres Jansson.
The method has been tested by Setra, ByggPartner and Siga on a large scale during different seasons. All the measurements show that the protected CLT complies with the limit values for moisture by a large margin, even when the frames have been exposed to severe weather.
See: www.siga.swiss/global_en/products/
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