Waterproofing Australian Standards

Standards compliant check, Quality assurance and control.

To consistently deliver expert waterproofing solutions, the Danrae Group team relies on decades of experience and a thorough knowledge of waterproofing Australian standards.

Australian standards set out specifications and design procedures to ensure businesses deliver safe, effective and reliable products and services. There are two types of standards – mandatory and voluntary.

Voluntary standards are developed by non-government bodies such as Standards Australia and the international body ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and represent best practice.

Mandatory standards are law, and all service providers must comply with them. They are developed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and consist of safety standards (including performance, design and construction) and information standards.

Adhering to waterproofing Australian standards is essential for every stage of a project including diagnostic, solution design, waterproofing, remediation and preventative maintenance.

Man working at the roof doing a waterproofing

Waterproofing Australian standards

The Australian Standards applicable to waterproofing are:

AS 3740-2021 Waterproofing of domestic wet areas
AS/NZS 4858-2004 Wet area membranes
AS 4654.1-2012 Waterproofing membranes for external above-ground use – Materials
AS 4654.2-2012 Waterproofing membranes for external above-ground use – Design and installation

There is no standard for below ground waterproofing.

The standards above cover materials, solution design and membrane installation, and it is essential that waterproofing contractors follow every applicable standard to deliver a consistent, reliable and permanent waterproofing solution.

The critical areas of the Australian standards

We have, of course, reported several times on waterproofing failures across strata properties in particular and new government legislation to tighten up industry standards. Commercial waterproofing statistics consistently indicate that damage from ineffective and neglected waterproofing is the primary culprit of defects.

According to the standard, the primary causes of waterproofing defects are:

Poor workmanship
A lack of understanding of material technology/properties by waterproofing contractors
Problems with applicator skill and competence
A poor understanding of product application to a variety of use situations
Changes in design trends
Issues with quality control, including supervision, inspection and testing
A lack of waterproofing maintenance of waterproofing medium when disturbed.

It is vital therefore that in addition to adhering to the standards, contractors also have a thorough and detailed understanding of them in order to avoid future waterproofing failure.

Materials review and issues with the wrong selection

One issue that often impacts the delivery of a quality, compliant waterproofing repair or installation is misinterpretation of clauses in the standards. The following terms for instance are often misunderstood:

1.4.24 Waterproof (WP) – The property of the material does NOT allow moisture to penetrate.
1.4.25 Waterproofing System – It is the COMBINATION of elements to provide a waterproof barrier.
1.4.26 Water resistant (WR) – The property of a system that restricts water movement; will not degrade under conditions of moisture (MAY NOT BE WATERPROOF).
1.4.29 Wicking – The action of water rising by a capillary path.

A simple misinterpretation of a clause can have ongoing and serious consequences. The use of the wrong membrane will lead to premature failure and water ingress, and if left untreated it will eventually result in issues such as concrete spalling and concrete cancer.

Expertise for first-class waterproofing

At Danrae Group, we focus on high-quality and compliant waterproofing solutions for our clients across the strata, construction, civil, commercial and government sectors.

We’re able to deliver, thanks to a thorough knowledge of waterproofing Australian standards and the expertise to provide tailored, safe and compliant waterproofing solutions. With an in-house team of waterproofers and trades professionals, we can also oversee every stage of a project to guarantee our quality.

Contact us for a first-class solution from the waterproofing experts.

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Danrae Group overview of waterproofing Australian standards