Description
Mapelastic AquaDefense is a ready-to-use, solvent-free liquid waterproofing membrane that dries fast enough to keep a tiling job moving — light pedestrian traffic after 3 hours, tiles laid after 4. That speed comes from its one-component, water-dispersion formulation, which dries to a flexible film without a sticky surface rather than needing the longer cure times of a two-component cementitious membrane.
Applied in two thin coats totalling roughly 1kg/m², it forms a genuinely flexible membrane with 3.2mm crack-bridging capacity at 23°C, unreinforced — enough to absorb normal substrate movement from thermal expansion and minor vibration without cracking itself. On substrates already showing hairline cracks, embedding Mapetex 50 fabric into the first coat while it’s still fresh extends that protection further.
Technical Specifications
| Consistency / colour | Light blue paste, water dispersion |
|---|---|
| Coats | 2 coats, approx. 0.4mm each |
| Consumption | 1kg/m² for 2 coats |
| Light foot traffic | After 3 hours |
| Tiling can begin | 4 hours after second coat |
| Crack-bridging capacity | 3.2mm, unreinforced, at +23°C |
| Packaging | 3.5kg, 7.5kg, 15kg rectangular bucket |
| Storage life | 24 months in original packaging |
Where to Use
- Waterproofing bathrooms, showers, balconies and terraces before tiling
- Horizontal, sloping and vertical surfaces
- As an anti-fracture membrane on cracked substrates, with Mapetex 50 reinforcement
- Expansion and fillet joints, using Mapeband
How to Apply
- Prepare the substrate — ensure it’s well-cured, sound, clean, dry and free of oil, grease or old coatings; residual moisture must be below 3%.
- Apply the first coat — roller, brush or trowel a thin, even coat approximately 0.4mm thick.
- Wait for the first coat to dry — around 1 hour at 23°C, until the surface darkens to a matt finish.
- Apply the second coat — perpendicular to the first, forming a continuous, unbroken film.
- Protect from rain — for at least 1 hour after the first coat and 3 hours after the second.
- Begin tiling — 4 hours after the second coat, using a MAPEI adhesive rated for the flooring type.
Important Notes
- Do not apply below +5°C or on cementitious substrates with residual humidity above 3%.
- Must always be covered with ceramic, mosaic or stone — not left exposed as a finished surface.
- Not suitable for covering existing cracks directly; use appropriate crack repair first.
- For professional use only.
Speed and flexibility are usually a trade-off in waterproofing membranes — a fast-curing product often sacrifices some of the crack-bridging capacity a slower cementitious membrane can build up in a thicker application. Mapelastic AquaDefense’s genuine point of difference is holding onto meaningful flexibility, 3.2mm unreinforced, while still curing fast enough to keep a bathroom or balcony renovation moving on a tight trade schedule rather than adding days to the job for the membrane alone to cure.
