Sealing Method and Sealing System

Abstract

A method for sealing an interstice, in particular a joint between two walls, is disclosed. A sealant which is covered with a film upon being applied is used for sealing purposes. A sealing system is also disclosed.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A method for sealing an interstice, comprising the steps of: sealing the interstice with a sealant; and covering the sealant with a covering film before the sealant hardens.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of inserting an insulating material into the interstice.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein an adhesive strip or an adhesive point or an adhesive section is included on the film.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of applying the sealant by a spraying process.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the interstice is a joint between two walls.

17. A sealing system for sealing an interstice, comprising: a not-yet-hardened sealant disposed in the interstice; and a film, wherein the film covers the not-yet-hardened sealant.

18. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the film has a flocking.

19. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the film is constructed of a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of layers includes at least one fleece layer and one layer of a vapor-diffusion-enabling functional membrane.

20. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the film is elastic and wherein the sealant, when hardened, and the film have similar elastic properties.

21. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the sealant is an acrylate dispersion.

22. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the sealant consists of a fire protection joint spray and wherein the film consists of a membrane.

23. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the film consists of a hardened sealant.

24. The sealing system according to claim 17, wherein the sealant is a water-based sealant and wherein the film is a water-tight, diffusion-enabling film.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0018] The single FIGURE shows a schematic arrangement of a sealing system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] The single FIGURE shows a sealing system 10 according to the invention, which is used for sealing an interstice 12. The interstice 12 is configured between a first wall 14 and a second wall 16, which are designed as a wall 14 and as a floor 16. Therefore, the interstice 12 is a floor joint.

[0020] The sealing system 10 consists of a sealant 18, which is applied such that the interstice 12 is sealed tight at least on one side. Furthermore, the sealing system 10 has a film 20, which is fastened by means of a first adhesive section 22 to the floor 16 as well as by means of a second adhesive section 24 to the wall 14. The second adhesive section 24 prevents the film 20 from washing away from the water running down the wall 14. The adhesive section 22 can alternatively be omitted without impairing the impermeability achieved by the film 20. The adhesive sections 22, 24 are configured on the film 20. The film 20 is thereby stretched over the applied sealant 18 so that the sealant 18 is protected. As the FIGURE shows, the film 20 does not touch the sealant 18 in the process. Alternatively, the film 20 can also be placed on the still moist sealant 18 so that the film 20 partially touches the sealant 18 (not shown); this does not have any negative effects on the subsequent functionality of the sealant 18, however.

[0021] The sealing system 10 can furthermore have an insulating material 26, which is inserted into the interstice 12 in order to improve the insulation between a first space 28 and a second space 30, which are separated from each other by the wall 16.

[0022] The sealant 18 is produced thereby to be water-based so that the sealant 18 can be easily applied mechanically in a spraying process. However, the sealant 18 must dry to harden, which is why the film 20 is at least diffusion-enabling.

[0023] Water vapor that is separated from the sealant 18 in the drying process can exit through the film 20 and escape into the first space 28. The film 20 can be provided thereby in different embodiments, which produce a more rapid drying of the sealant 18. For example, this can be guaranteed by a flocking or another structuring 32 of the side of the film 20 associated with the sealant 18. Moisture thereby escapes from the sealant 18 more rapidly due to the surface tension of the sprayed-on fluid sealant 18 as well as the surface tension of the structuring 32 of the film 20.

[0024] Furthermore, the film 20 serves to protect the water-based sealant 18 from rain for example, so that the sealant 18 does not get washed off or washed away if it rains. For this purpose, the film 20 is at least water-repellant from the side facing away from the sealant 18.

[0025] The sealing system 10 is thereby used in the following manner:

[0026] When constructing a building, for example a high-rise building, the joints between two walls 14, 16 are sealed at a relatively early point in time at which the building is still not sealed and it is therefore possible for rain water to get into the building.

[0027] The sealant 18 is applied by means of spraying process, wherein the sealant 18 is applied to the floor 16, the wall 14 and the insulating material 26 in order to guarantee a functional sealing of an interstice 12.

[0028] Because water-based sealants 18 are used for sealing, it must now be ensured in the case of an impending change in weather that the applied sealant 18 that has not hardened yet does not get washed off or washed away by rain water. To this end, it is necessary for at least the sealant 18 on the highest floor be protected by the film 20.

[0029] For this purpose, the film 20 is water-repellant so that the rain water is not able to penetrate through the film 20 from outside. In addition, the film 20 is diffusion-enabling so that the sealant 18 that still needs to dry can dry without moisture accumulating within the space 34 spanned by the film 20 between the film 20 and the sealant 18.

[0030] The film 20 is thereby fastened by means of the two adhesive sections 22, 24 to the wall 14 or to the floor 16 in order to also keep the film 20 from being blown away by strong winds.

[0031] Instead of the adhesive sections 22, 24 configured on the film 20, the film 20 can also be fastened to the wall 14 and to the floor 16 by means of adhesive points, wherein the adhesive points can be applied spray dots of the sealant 18. Alternatively, the film 20 can also be fastened to the wall 14 and to the floor 16 with additional adhesive strips. Furthermore, it is possible to also place the film 20 on the still moist sealant 18, making it possible to thereby dispense with the additional spray dots or the additional adhesive strips.

[0032] Because it is possible for adhesions to form between the film 20 and the sealant 18 when the film 20 is being applied to the sealant 18 that has not yet hardened, the film 20 preferably has similar elastic properties as the sealant 18, thereby guaranteeing that the film 20 and the sealant 18 form a stress-free system. This ensures that the film 20 and the sealant 18 are able to function or change without the protective function of the film 20 being hindered.

[0033] Moreover, it is advantageous that the film 20 and the sealant 18 have elastic properties if interstices 12 are irregular or move around.

[0034] These types of usable films 20 are typically known from the roof area for sealing the insulation. They also have applications in the field of outdoor apparel.

[0035] The method according to the invention makes a sealing method available, which combines all previous advantages and can also be used even under unfavorable weather conditions. The drying time for the applied sealant 18 is extended only negligibly because of the film 20, wherein the film 20 is also only stretched over the sealant 18 being hardened when rain is anticipated.

[0036] However, it is advantageous over the method known from the prior art that the method according to the invention can also be used in unfavorable weather conditions, wherein it is no longer necessary to resort to other more expensive sealants. Additional costs or an additional expense are incurred with the method according to the invention merely in cases in which adverse weather is being anticipated. However, this is disproportionate to the costs that are otherwise incurred when a more expensive sealant is used.

[0037] Therefore, the method according to the invention constitutes a further development of the method known until now from the prior art, because, in contrast to the previous method, the method can also be used during unfavorable weather conditions.