When it comes to high-profile waterproofing projects, Newton Waterproofing is the name that stands out. With the company’s extensive range of products as well as a long history and expertise, they have become the go-to company for waterproofing solutions in both commercial and domestic properties across the UK.
Whether it’s a new-build project or an existing structure, Newton has the perfect solution to tackle any size of project, with the ability and know-how to meet the complexity of listed building requirements, making them the ideal choice for preserving historical structures while providing effective waterproofing solutions.
Newton can provide waterproofing systems and solutions that are ideally suited for meeting listed building requirements and have been used to treat properties such as the British Museum, the Royal Courts of Justice, and the Houses of Parliament.
Fire Resistant Tunnel Waterproofing at the British Museum
Earlier this year, Newton worked on a project to address water ingress in the tunnels beneath the Grade 1 listed King Edward VII Galleries, part of the British Museum complex in London.
The water ingress was causing concern about the quality of air supplied to the gallery, so Newton collaborated with Arti Structural Waterproofing and Oldroyd to develop a unique membrane system that would protect against both water ingress and fire. This allowed the tunnels to be reinstated as the primary air supply to the galleries, with the team proposing a system that met all requirements for waterproofing and fireproofing a Grade 1 listed building.
The solution involved cleaning and repairing the tunnel walls and floors before installing the flexible, cement-based HydroCoat 107 Elastic 2K as a primary Type A barrier, sealing any existing leaks where a Type C system was not feasible. Following this, the unique Oldroyd Xtf membrane provided a full Type C cavity drain membrane system to the walls and floors – cavity drain membrane systems are widely accepted in listed structures due to their maintainability and reversibility.
The Oldroyd Xtf membrane used in this project is exclusive to Newton and produced by specialist manufacturer Oldroyd in Norway using environmentally friendly raw materials. It is also tested according to the EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009 standard for fire classification of construction products and building elements, achieving a B-s2.d0 fire rating.
Additionally, CDM 520 eco Floor was used beneath the floor build-up, providing maximum drainage capacity to the pumping system for any ingressing water.
The project faced challenges such as high humidity levels and the prospect of fitting fire-rated membranes in extremely constrained spaces, all while ensuring effective installation around existing services which could not be removed.
Despite these challenges, Newton and Arti completed the project successfully over ten weeks, delivering a waterproof, fireproof, and maintainable solution. The client now has a system that meets their requirements and will be regularly serviced by Arti Structural Waterproofing.
Waterproofing the Royal Courts of Justice
Newton Specialist Basement Contractor Stonehouse were tasked with waterproofing the Judges’ Robe Rooms in the below-ground vaults at the Grade 1 listed Royal Courts of Justice to create a Grade 3 habitable space. This project followed their successful waterproofing of the vaulted bird beak Victorian arches in the same building.
To waterproof the intricate vaulted areas, Stonehouse installed a full Type C waterproofing system utilising Newton CDM 508 Mesh membrane, which required careful detailing and expertise to ensure proper installation. The membrane was carefully lapped, sealed and fixed using different specialist plugs depending on whether the membrane was applied to the vault spring and above, or on the vertical plane.
The Newton CDM System is a Type C water management system that captures and diverts any water ingress down to the BaseDrain drainage channels for safe removal away from the property. For this project, a direct plaster finish was applied onto the meshed membrane for a high-quality finish in keeping with the structure’s listed status.
The result of Stonehouse’s installation was the creation of a Grade 3, completely dry and habitable internal environment, ensuring that it would be suitable for its intended purpose.
The installation also conformed to Listed Building requirements by designing a maintainable and reversible system that also retained the building’s unique design characteristics.
Waterproofing the Houses of Parliament
Newton Waterproofing was chosen to provide a waterproofing solution for the Houses of Parliament in London. The project required both external and internal waterproofing systems, as well as a polyurea roofing system.
A self-healing HydroBond 403 Plus membrane was used externally to provide a waterproof barrier around the new-build basement extension to the iconic Grade 1 listed London landmark. Internally, CDM 508 and CDM 520 membranes were applied from floor to ceiling as part of the Newton CDM System for providing a full cavity drainage solution.
The finished structure also received a polyurea coating and additional drainage membrane on the roof deck of the basement.
The result is a fully compliant and guaranteed waterproof basement that provides durable protection against water ingress through the combination of multiple types of waterproofing.
The Leading Experts in Waterproofing Solutions
Newton Waterproofing Managing Director Warren Muschialli comments: “The Newton team has proven time and again that we are the leading experts in waterproofing solutions for high-profile projects.
“Our extensive range of products and expertise make us the go-to company for both commercial and domestic properties across the UK, and with our ability to meet the complexity of listed building requirements, we have successfully preserved historical structures while providing effective waterproofing solutions.”