Description
The Ultimate Cement Additive for Leak‑Proof Homes in Pakistan
What is Sika 1?
Sika 1 is a liquid waterproofing admixture (cement additive) that makes concrete and mortar leak-resistant. In simple terms, it’s a waterproofing chemical you mix into cement to block water. Sika 1 works by blocking the tiny pores and capillaries in cured cement, creating a barrier that stops water from seeping through. This keeps your walls, floors, and structures dry even under wet conditions. Homeowners in Pakistan often call it a “pani proofing chemical” or “pani rokne wala chemical” (water-stopping chemical) because of its ability to stop water ingress. Essentially, it’s known as a “cement main pani proof chemical” – a chemical added into cement to make it waterproof.
Introduced by the reputable Sika brand, Sika 1 has become one of the most trusted waterproofing admixtures for construction in Pakistan. It’s non-technical and easy to use, making it popular with both professional builders and DIY homeowners. By simply mixing this additive into your concrete or mortar, you can achieve effective concrete waterproofing without needing complex membranes or coatings. This is especially valuable in Pakistan’s climate. Without proper waterproofing, water seepage can weaken foundations and cause cracks in walls– but Sika 1 helps prevent such damage by keeping moisture out from the start.
Application Areas
Sika 1 can be used in any area of your home or building where you want to prevent water leakage or dampness. It’s effective for both new construction and for fixing dampness in existing structures, providing long-term protection against moisture. Key application areas include:
- Damp Proof Course (DPC) in Foundations: Sika 1 is widely used in the DPC layer (the horizontal mortar layer at plinth level) to create a waterproof barrier that stops moisture from rising up through walls. Builders often refer to this practice as “Sika 1 DPC waterproofing”, since adding Sika 1 to the DPC mixture effectively blocks capillary water seepage in foundations. This prevents rising damp (salty, wet patches creeping up walls) and protects your home’s structure from ground moisture.
- Basements and Underground Structures: For basement walls and floors, mixing Sika 1 into the concrete or plaster provides a shield against groundwater and seepage. It’s ideal for underground water tanks, retaining walls, foundations and any masonry that contacts soil. By using Sika 1, you can keep your basement dry and avoid mold or structural issues caused by water infiltration.
- Water Tanks and Pools: Sika 1 is safe to use in concrete water tanks, swimming pools, ponds, and manholes to ensure they hold water without leaking. Because it’s chloride-free, it won’t corrode steel reinforcement, making it suitable for reinforced concrete tanks. This admixture essentially seals the concrete so the stored water can’t seep out, and no external water can seep in.
- Bathrooms, Kitchens & Wet Areas: In damp-prone indoor areas like bathrooms, showers, kitchens or laundry rooms, Sika 1 can be added to the cement mortar used for floor screeds and wall plasters. This helps waterproof the plaster and floor bedding, preventing water from penetrating into the structure (for example, behind tiles or under floors). It’s an excellent way to avoid issues like paint blistering or fungus growth on bathroom walls due to trapped moisture.
- Roof Slabs and Terraces: Roofs in Pakistan often face leakage during the monsoon. By mixing Sika 1 into the roof slab concrete or screed, you reduce its porosity and make it much less prone to seepage. This means rainwater is less likely to soak through the roof and cause ceiling leaks. For very cracked or exposed roofs, you may combine Sika 1 with other surface waterproofing, but integral waterproofing with Sika 1 greatly improves the roof’s base protection.
- General Masonry and Plaster: Whether it’s an exterior boundary wall, a water sump, or a floor screed, any cement-based work that needs to resist water can benefit from Sika 1. It’s used in brick masonry mortar to avoid rainwater seeping through brick joints, and in floor plaster under tile layers to stop water transfer. Essentially, if you’re using cement and concerned about water damage, Sika 1 is a handy additive.
How to Use Sika 1
Using Sika 1 is straightforward – you add it while preparing your cement mix. It mixes with water and cement to become part of the concrete or mortar. Here’s a simple step-by-step on how to use Sika 1 for best results:
- Prepare Your Materials: Decide how much cement, sand, and water you need for your mix (whether you’re making concrete for a slab or mortar for plaster). Sika 1 is added relative to the cement quantity. Approximately 1 kg of Sika 1 per 50 kg cement bag is added. For maximum waterproofing, up to 1.5 kg per bag is recommended by Sika.
- Dilute Sika 1 in Water: Before mixing into cement, stir the Sika 1 liquid thoroughly. It’s a yellow-colored liquid; stir/shake the container so it’s well blended. Then dilute Sika 1 in your mixing water – a common ratio is 1 part Sika 1 to 10 parts water. Stir this solution so the chemical disperses evenly in the water. (This step helps ensure the Sika 1 will spread uniformly in the mix. If you prefer, you can add Sika 1 directly into a wet concrete mix without pre-diluting, but make sure to mix very thoroughly).
- Mix into Cement and Aggregate: Use the Sika-water solution as the gauging water for your concrete or mortar. Gradually add the cement and sand/aggregate while mixing. Combine everything thoroughly – you want the Sika 1 to distribute into every portion of the mix. The mixture might have a slight yellow tint initially due to Sika 1’s color, but it will dry to a normal concrete color.
- Apply and Cure Normally: Place or apply your Sika 1 enhanced concrete/mortar the same way you would normally. For example, pour the concrete slab, lay the brick mortar, or apply the plaster to the wall. Sika 1 is a “normal setting” admixture, so it does not significantly change the setting time of your cement – your mix will harden as usual. After application, cure the concrete or mortar properly with water (per standard practice) to achieve full strength. The Sika 1 within will become a permanent part of the hardened material, filling pores and keeping water out.
Price of Sika 1
Sika 1 comes in 5 litres pack in Pakistan and the price of that pack is Rs. 2,400. Normally on average if we consider that 10 bags of cement are used for a DPC of a house so the total requirement will be 2 packs which means that this additional waterproofing layer will cost you Rs. 4,800 for the whole DPC. The application cost of this product is ZERO so your complete DPC is waterproofed in Rs. 4,800.
Benefits of Sika 1
Using Sika 1 in your construction or repair projects offers several key benefits:
- Effective Waterproofing: The primary benefit is, of course, waterproofing. Concrete or mortar treated with Sika 1 becomes highly impermeable to water. By blocking capillaries and pores in the cement matrix, Sika 1 ensures water can’t seep through easily. This keeps your structure dry even under constant damp soil or heavy rain. In the long run, this prevents issues like paint peeling, mold growth, and structural weakening due to moisture.
- Integral Protection: Unlike surface coatings that can peel or wear off, Sika 1 provides built-in protection. The waterproofing is distributed throughout the entire thickness of the concrete or plaster, so you get deep, long-term defense. It essentially turns the structure itself into a water barrier. This also means you don’t have to rely on external membranes alone – Sika 1 is a one-time additive that keeps working for the life of the concrete.
- Easy to Use (Ready Mix): Sika 1 comes as a ready-to-use liquid. There’s no complex procedure or multi-component mixing. Just stir it and pour it in. Because it’s liquid, it mixes evenly (it’s “easily dispersed” in the mix), ensuring uniform effectiveness..
- No Chloride – Safe for Reinforcement: Sika 1 is chloride-free, which is important for protecting any steel reinforcement (rebar) in your concrete. Many cheap admixtures contain chlorides that can cause steel to rust over time. Sika 1 avoids this issue, so it won’t corrode steel bars or weaken structural concrete. Your reinforced concrete will remain strong and corrosion-resistant.
- Improves Durability: By keeping water out, Sika 1 also improves the overall durability and lifespan of your construction. Water is a main cause of deterioration (it can dissolve salts, cause rebar rust, erode cement, etc.). With Sika 1, the concrete stays drier and resists weathering, so things like cracking from freeze-thaw or salt damage are minimized. Structures treated with it are better protected against Pakistan’s heavy rains, humidity, and even saline ground moisture.
- Suitable for Hot Climates: Sika 1 is formulated to perform even in tropical and hot climates. In Pakistan’s high summer temperatures, some chemicals might degrade, but Sika 1 remains effective. It’s been used in hot and humid conditions without issues, meaning you can confidently use it anywhere from Karachi’s humidity to Islamabad’s summer heat.
- Cost-Effective Solution: Considering the damage that water can do, Sika 1 is a very cost-effective investment. A small quantity added during construction can save you from expensive repairs later. It’s generally affordable and available in various sizes to suit your project (from small bottles for minor fixes to larger drums for big projects). Compared to installing heavy membranes or dealing with post-damage repairs, using Sika 1 is easier on the budget in the long run.
Pros and Cons
Like any product, Sika 1 has its advantages and some limitations. Here’s a balanced look at its pros and cons for you to consider:
Pros:
- Proven Waterproofing Performance: Sika 1 effectively seals concrete against water – a tried-and-tested solution for damp-proofing. It’s been used for decades worldwide, so its performance is reliable. From preventing rising damp in walls to waterproofing water tanks, it has a track record of success.
- Easy Integration: It’s simple to integrate into construction workflow. You just add it to your mix, so there’s no extra labor step like torching membranes or applying multiple coats. This saves time and effort, especially in large projects.
- Versatile Uses: One of Sika 1’s strengths is its versatility. The same product can be used in many different applications (foundations, bathrooms, roofs, etc.), so you don’t need a bunch of different waterproofing products for each part of the house. It’s useful for both structural concrete and cement plasters.
- Non-Disruptive for Setting/Strength: Because it’s a normal-setting admixture, Sika 1 doesn’t significantly alter the curing time or strength of your cement. Your concrete will harden normally and achieve its full strength (if anything, staying dry will keep it stronger!). There’s no negative side effect like major curing delays or reduction in load-bearing capacity when used as directed.
- Widely Available in Pakistan: Sika 1 (often branded as “Sika 1 DPC” locally) is readily available through building material suppliers and hardware stores in Pakistan. Being a Sika product, it’s distributed officially in many cities. This means you can find it when you need it, and you can trust you’re getting a consistent product.
- Long-Term Protection: Once mixed in and set, Sika 1 is permanent. It doesn’t wear out or require reapplication every few years. The treated concrete itself becomes waterproof, so you get peace of mind that hidden parts of your structure (like inside walls or foundations) have lasting protection.
Cons:
- Needs Proper Mixing: The effectiveness of Sika 1 depends on proper usage. It must be mixed thoroughly into the concrete or mortar to work. If a builder is careless (e.g., not mixing enough or adding too little/much of the chemical), the result might not be optimal. So, quality control is important. It’s not a “just dump it in and forget” magic potion – you still need good construction practice (correct ratios, curing, etc.) to get the best results.
- Not a Surface Fix for Existing Leaks: Sika 1 works from within the concrete, so it’s most useful before or during construction or when replastering. If you already have a finished wall that’s seeping water, you can’t simply paint or spray Sika 1 on the surface to fix it. You would likely need to chip off plaster and reapply a Sika 1 mixed render, or inject a slurry, which is more involved. In other words, it’s great as a preventive measure or as part of a repair renovation, but it’s not a quick superficial fix like some surface sealants.
- Availability of Imitations: Because of Sika 1’s popularity, there may be knock-off products or local “pani-proofing” chemicals of lower quality. If not careful, one might purchase a cheaper admixture thinking it’s the same. These might not be chloride-free or as effective. Ensure you get the genuine Sika 1 to avoid any performance issues. This is less a con of Sika 1 itself and more a caution in the market.
Overall, the pros of Sika 1 far outweigh the cons when used correctly. It provides an easy and robust way to waterproof cement, especially suited for Pakistan’s common construction challenges.
FAQs
Q: How does Sika 1 work to stop water ?
A: Sika 1 is designed to make cement mixtures waterproof by filling in the microscopic pores that water would normally use to seep through. When you mix Sika 1 with concrete or mortar, it reacts within the cement paste to block capillaries and voids. Once the mix hardens, those blocked pores form an effective water barrier. In essence, water can’t pass through the treated concrete easily, so your structure stays dry. This is why Sika 1 is so effective for things like damp-proofing – it integrates into the material and stops water at the source.
Q: How do I mix and use Sika 1 in cement ?
A: It’s simple. For a typical mixture, use roughly 1 liter of Sika 1 per 50 kg bag of cement. First, stir the Sika 1 liquid well. Then mix one part of Sika 1 with ten parts of your mixing water. Use this Sika-infused water to prepare your cement, sand, and aggregate mix as you normally would. Ensure everything is mixed evenly. After that, just pour or apply the concrete/mortar as usual. Remember to cure the work properly with water for a few days, just like any cement job. The Sika 1 doesn’t change your normal process much – it just needs good mixing.
Q: Can I add Sika 1 to fix an already damp wall or leaky roof ?
A: Sika 1 has to become part of a new cement mixture to work, so you can’t simply pour it onto an existing wall and expect a change. For an existing damp wall, the solution is usually to remove or scrape off the old, damaged plaster and then re-plaster the wall using a mortar mixed with Sika 1. This new Sika-enhanced layer will be waterproof and should stop future dampness coming through. In short, Sika 1 is used when laying new cement work as part of the repair. It’s not a paint or putty, so it’s not applied on top of paint or on a dry surface – it must be in the cement mix that’s placed and then hardens.
Q: What packaging does Sika 1 come in, and is it easily available ?
A: It usually comes in yellow plastic containers of 5 litres. You can also purchase it here by clicking on Buy Now.
Q: What is the Sika 1 price in Pakistan (Sika 1 ki qeemat) ?
A: The price of sika 1 5 litres can is Rs. 2,400.
