Fit for fun

The slogan “Celebrate yourself” of body + soul says it all. The service provider operates state-of-the-art fitness and wellness centres that promote a holistic concept for body and soul at several locations in Munich.
The fitness courses and training equipment of the latest generation on offer as well as professional training support are rounded off by a wellness oasis with variously themed saunas. Everything in an exclusive setting that body + soul attaches great importance to. As part of an extensive refurbishment project in 2009, roughly 1,500 m² of space in the wellness area was waterproofed under tiles using KEMPEROL – including wet rooms, showers and the edges of the swimming pool.

Complete refurbishment due to incorrect waterproofing

The fitness centre in Munich’s Sendling district is located on the ground floor of a property owned by GEDO Grundstücksentwicklungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Grünwald. A few years ago, GEDO developed and built an attractive office and research centre with approx. 25,000 m² of usable space in the immediate vicinity of the research institutes in the south of Munich.
This technology centre is tailored to the needs of its users and offers biotech, pharmaceutical and high-tech companies the ideal conditions for research, production and administrative activities.
One of the first leaseholders in this environment was body + soul AG.

Poorly executed and incorrect waterproofing led to the involuntary refurbishment in 2009. Within a short period of time, moisture seeping into the basic structure of the building had caused serious damage so that only complete demolition with subsequent rebuilding from the ground up provided a remedy. The original waterproofing had failed in the very important connection area. In wet rooms, especially in areas exposed to splash water in showers, waterproofing under tiles is necessary, otherwise water damage will occur through leaking joints, drains and ducts.

Permanent elasticity is a must

A second important reason for durable waterproofing that must meet the specific requirements of the building is the use of modern building materials. Today, interior walls consist mainly of gypsum plasterboards and aquapanel boards. These materials expand differently depending on the actual material and the temperature. The result: Small cracks appear between the tiles and the supporting building material. In order to seal these cracks, only a tried-and-tested, permanently elastic material can be considered as a real problem solver.

Solvent-free KEMPEROL alternative

As the work in the interior required special measures, the client opted for the solvent-free variant of the liquid applied waterproofing KEMPEROL 2K-PUR. The odourless material can be applied on site without the need for additional measures. Extensive air exchange systems do not have to be installed. The advantage of KEMPEROL® Waterproofing is that it is applied as a liquid. Precise, homogeneous and seamless incorporation of connections and penetrations in the surface waterproofing is guaranteed. When it comes down to the finer details, liquid applied waterproofing systems benefit from their ease of handling compared to conventional materials.
Since KEMPEROL® Waterproofing achieves a full-surface bond with the substrate, there is no risk of moisture penetrating and spreading through the concrete substrate. The permanently elastic KEMPEROL® absorbs building movements and can be easily combined with other materials. The layer thickness is just approx. 2 mm. The low construction height corresponds to a low surface load. The reinforcement is of particular importance for the longevity of the waterproofing. KEMPEROL® is reinforced with a polyester fleece that performs several roles:

  • Easy achievement of uniform layer thickness
  • Increased tear strength
  • Guaranteed crack bridging
  • Limited elongation.

Application was carried out by an established KEMPER SYSTEM partner, the Maisach branch office of Holl Flachdachbau GmbH & Co. KG Isolierungen. Among the sections that received new and extensive protection were the edges of the swimming pool and the floors and walls in the wet rooms. First of all, the contractors removed the existing finishes down to the concrete floor and the supporting walls. The substrates – concrete, screed, plasterboards, aquapanel boards – were then pretreated with KEMPERTEC EP Primer and scattered with natural quartz to ensure an optimum bond.

Invisible protection

KEMPEROL Waterproofing was applied in the traditional manner – first layer applied, fleece embedded, second layer applied. The reinforcing fleece was laid butt jointed and the resulting joint was subsequently covered with the reinforcement strip to achieve an even and flat surface for the final tiling. But before the tiles could be laid, the waterproofing required protection against alkalinity. This involved resurfacing the cured KEMPEROL surface with KEMPERTEC EP Primer and scattering it with natural quartz. In addition to protection against alkalinity, the rough surface also ensures the best possible adhesion for the tiles. The tiles were then fixed into place using the buttering-floating method. By applying the adhesive to both sides, there are fewer cavities underneath the surfacing in which water could collect.