FOOTBRIDGE WATERPROOFING

Polyurea and Polyurethane Coatings for Better Footbridges

OVER COATINGS FOR OVERPASSAGES

Throughout time bridges have been some of the most impressive feats of combined artistry and engineering, and can exist as monuments to human achievement. The Golden Gate Bridge, The Forth Bridge, Tower Bridge; the list goes on. But while there’s no doubt about the beauty or the utility of these urban arteries, they’re often not the bridges that impact us most on a daily basis. This honor goes to footbridges, the unsung hero of our community infrastructure enabling safe passage across roads, railways, and water sources. But for all their importance footbridges are often left unprotected and poorly maintained. Not only does this result in shorter lifetimes and more dangerous structures, but it also means that footbridges end up costing an arm and a leg while simultaneously becoming your city’s favorite new eyesore. The primary culprit for their premature end is water damage; water can corrode metal components and infiltrate concrete to compromise its structural integrity. And unfortunately, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So to protect footbridges and support our communities, footbridges can be coated with all-purpose waterproof coatings like polyurea and polyurethane.

WHY DO FOOTBRIDGES
NEED WATERPROOFING?

Footbridges are most commonly built of concrete and metal so they’re often thought of as inherently waterproof. However, this is only a common misconception; concrete is actually a porous material that can absorb and retain water much to the detriment of its structural integrity. Moreover, metals can be highly susceptible to corrosion, where oxidative chemicals react with surface materials to slowly but surely degrade them until the point of hazard or failure. Waterproofing eliminates these concerns while providing other benefits as well. Footbridge waterproofing can be used to apply a textured finish to pedestrian walkways that make them slip- and skid-resistant, making it easier to keep your feet on the ground even on a rainy day. At the same time, installing high-performance waterproofing like polyurea and polyurethane can make it easier to keep bridges clean, and affords greater design flexibility so that these essential structures can be as aesthetic as they are functional. So if footbridges are to last as long as possible, and perform their job safely, footbridge waterproofing is an essential step.

ARMORTHANE’S POLYUREA AND POLYURETHANE

So now that we understand why footbridges can benefit from waterproofing, what’s the best technology for the job? Well, we recommend turning to two of the paints and coatings industries’ most reliable and high-performing materials technologies to date: polyurea and polyurethane. Developed and refined over the last several decades, these protective coatings have seen mass adoption and implementation across wide ranging industries and applications. Bedliner paint jobs, industrial flooring, farm equipment, secondary containment, sets and props, military installations; these elastomers are found just about everywhere. The reason for this is simple: polyurea and polyurethane are two of the most versatile coating materials available on the market. They’re strong, flexible, compatible, cost-effective, safe, and sustainable, to name just a few of their many advantages. Composed of a simple two-component system that’s reacted on-site using high-pressure spray equipment, the result is an easy to apply, quick to cure, and long-lasting polymer with exceptional strength and a reliable watertight seal. So for footbridges, which bear the brunt of humans and mother nature both, our coatings can provide unmatched waterproofing combined with full-surface protection and an enhanced appearance.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How Long Until You Can Walk On Waterproofed Surfaces?

The time between application and return to service is known as the curing time, over which chemical reactions continue to occur until only the final polymer is present. The curing time depends on which type of coating is used and the local environmental conditions of the installation. With high-performance technologies like polyurea or polyurethane, the curing time is rapid, beginning almost immediately and finishing in as little as a few hours.

How To Waterproof A Footbridge?

If you want to waterproof a footbridge there’s few better technologies than polyurea and polyurethane. Footbridge waterproofing should help protect bridges from high-traffic and environmental exposures, while improving the visual appeal and functionality simultaneously. These two spray elastomers can do just that, without costing a fortune, needing frequent repairs, or risking the health and safety of people or the environment.

How Long Can Waterproofing Be Exposed?

If footbridge waterproofing is accomplished with a high-performance coating like polyurea or polyurethane, you can expect new systems to last for up to several decades. Ultimately, this will depend on the type and quality of the formulation, the quality of application, frequency of use, and environmental conditions.

BUILD SAFER AND L ONGER-LASTING BRIDGES WITH ARMORTHANE

Without robust waterproofing footbridges can be as costly and hazardous as they are necessary and convenient. So make footbridges cleaner, easier to walk, more appealing to view, and longer-lasting with the help of ArmorThane’s polyurea and polyurethane waterproof coatings. Footbridge waterproofing is one of our many specialties among the countless others we’ve developed over our more than 35 years in business. In that time, we’ve become the world’s one-stop shop for everything polyurea and polyurethane and are proud to see our technology used to protect and preserve community infrastructure. So if you’re looking for a partner to assist in your footbridge waterproofing project look no further; we’re here to protect our world! Contact us today and discover why we remain the best in the business after almost four decades.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TYLER GLECKLER

I am a chemist with a specialization in nanotechnology and applied materials chemistry. My work has focused on the characterization of optoelectronic materials, namely including semiconductor nanocrystals.

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