DPM/Visqueen

09/26/2009 - 04:13

DPM means Damp Proof Membrane & Visqueen is the name of a UK company that produces them whose name for many years has been a synonym for DPM's. It's notable use in the UK is to lay prior to casting concrete foundations or floors in order to exclude ingress of ground water or damp. It is normally 4metres in width & available in various lengths or off the roll. It can be jointed to form an impervious seal with a specially made two part jointing tape system. Most often it is recognisable on building sites as blue in colour, but can be black; it is extremely tough & it will stretch 6 times it's size before tearing.Iv'e been trying to find it here in Italy without any success at all, time is now running short & I'm getting desperate. Wish I'd had some shipped over from the UK. When I describe it to builders merchants here they are mystified & say that no-one uses DPM's here & I say that that's why all �� basements, cantina's & ground floor rooms are either damp or suffer from unacceptably high humidity.In extremis I could reluctantly us the black plastic sheet they all sell off the roll but it's not as strong & anyway, there is no jointing tape available.Can any-one help? Either with advice about where to find it (someone in Italy must market it) or by volunteering to bring some over.Pilch

Topic

Renovating

Location

Abruzzo

Teramo Province

Comment

What the hell has happened to this site? It used to have real people on it that could answer a question like this.Pilch

When do you need it by and how bulky is it. My husband is driving down to Puglia at the latest beginning November, possibly few weeks before. A break of journey in Abruzzo would probably be helpful as he will be on his own.

I have someone that can bring it over by 15th Oct but, the way things have started to move, even that will be too late. Looks like I'll be using whatever they have at the local builders merchants & be very careful to avoid puncturing it. Needs must when the devil drives. Thanks all the same for the offer though.Pilch

The black plastic on a roll will serve just as well as Visqueen - as long as its not punctured [in fact any plastic will] . Visqueen is essentially just a thick plastic. To help stop it puncturing, lay it on a thin [2"-3" thick] of compacted sand and don't walk on it unless you really have to. I'd also suggest that you use it double [or treble] thickness,For any joints - overlap by at least 12" and seal the top edge with any decent wide tape If you want a thicker plastic [it would be preferable] you could try to see if anywhere has the plastic used for large polytunnels - or if its a smallish area - perhaps a tarpaulin would do [what are you concreting?] Hope this helps [sorry - was in Italy, chilling out at the house, when you posted] ["Chilling out " = no phone, no TV and no Internet = bliss]