Your questions, our answers.
aerodurit® building materials as a problem solution. For you as well? We have compiled frequent questions and answered them in this FAQ section. Of course, you can also send us a message at any time and we will be happy to advise you!
aerodurit® building materials FAQ
1. Use and function
aerodurit® building materials can be used universally: to renovate old buildings, for new buildings and in the renovation of listed buildings. Many of our products can be used both inside and outside. Other aerodurit® building materials have been developed especially for interiors or facades. aerodurit® products are particularly suitable for renovations in case of masonry moisture. This has a negative effect on your health and destroys the masonry. If you are going to build new buildings, aerodurit® offers you many advantages: Our high-quality, ecological, sustainable building materials will ensure a healthy, pleasant climate from the very beginning and counteract problems caused by moisture. They will also help you save on energy and heating costs through effective thermal insulation.
aerodurit® offers you the perfect solution for practically any kind of surface. You will find detailed information in the respective technical data sheets (Downloads). Are you unsure which aerodurit® building material is best suited for your specific problem? Do you want to rehabilitate complex subsoils like mixed masonry? No problem: Contact us at any time and our technical advisors will be happy to assist you!
If you are generally proficient in plastering, painting, screed laying etc., you can process most of our aerodurit® building materials yourself. DIY (do-it-yourself) is an option, but we recommend to have the work done by professional contractors. Many years of experience and qualifying further training create competence that cannot be replaced by anything else. The guarantee of a specialist company is also invaluable for you as a building owner. Our platform aerodurit® aeroWorks (from 1.7.2020) facilitates your regional search for processors, dealers and planners who are familiar with aerodurit® products.
The drying time of aerodurit® building materials always depends on the degree of moisture penetration, type of masonry and environmental conditions. Of course, the type of building material also plays a role (base and finishing plaster, screed, paint etc.). Detailed information can be found in the respective technical data sheets (Downloads). As a rule of thumb for plastering, a 36 cm thick brick wall must dry out for about 4 weeks under normal weather conditions. After that, the paint can usually be applied. In the case of frost, this period is extended by the number of days of frost.
Absolutely, because aerodurit® building materials were specially designed for such difficult cases and have proven themselves over decades. If there is no mechanical damage to the plaster − for example, scratches caused by flotsam − the dehumidifying effect is retained.
You can use our aerodurit® EP2010 Lime Cement Micropore Specialised Restoration Plaster (dehumidifying plaster) on all mineral surfaces. When renovating or redeveloping existing building fabric, you may have to pre-treat the substrate to achieve sufficient adhesion. Details on the correct application of all our building materials can be found in the corresponding technical data sheets under Downloads.
As footing plaster, we recommend aerodurit® ZEP2040 Cement Micropore Specialised Restoration Plaster, which was developed especially for this application. Our main focus was the optimal protection of the masonry against moisture, salt load and mechanical stress (very high impact resistance and salt resistance). aerodurit® ZEP2040 offers optimal protection especially on busy roads with high road salt load.
We offer a wide range of products especially for such conversions. Especially the problems of salt efflorescence and odour development due to former stable use are solved. In any case, you must clarify in advance whether the building or parts of it are listed buildings. In this case, you are not free to choose your building materials, but are bound by legal requirements. In this case, aerodurit® offers you tested and approved building materials. These are also used, for example, for church renovations, especially our lime plasters from the divisions aerodurit® ECO+ and aerodurit® HISTORICAL.
In general, the restoration or renovation of stables is a complex issue – especially when listed buildings are involved. Therefore, we recommend you arrange an on-site appointment with one of our aerodurit® sales representatives.
This depends on the manufacturer, some offer spatter-dash as a separate product. If you use aerodurit® restoration plasters, only one material is necessary for all plaster layers: uncomplicated, time- and cost-saving. The material is suitable for use as under and over plaster as well as spatter-dash. Only a more liquid consistency is necessary. Stir the plaster manually with more water or increase the water supply when using a machine.
The most important aspect is diffusivity. The paint must be able to “breathe” and must never seal the masonry “airtight”. In the first few weeks after a restoration, the moisture in the wall is greatly reduced by aerodurit® Micropore Specialised Restoration Plaster (very high evaporation rate). Therefore, you should make sure that the degradation of moisture is not hindered by film-forming coatings.
After the approx. 4-week dehumidification phase, you can choose between different aerodurit® system-compatible silicate, acrylic or lime paints, depending on the area of application. In addition to their diffusivity, aerodurit® paints offer you numerous other functionalities, such as innovative thermal pigmentation, anti-mould effect and much more. Just take a look at our product page. Here you can familiarise yourself with the properties of the aerodurit® SOLAMENT CLIMATE, aerodurit® SOLAMENT REFLECT and aerodurit® CALSOL NATURE product groups.
If you encounter problems with unclear causes – for example, dampness in the masonry or mould growth – professional advice is almost indispensable. A qualified technical advisor of the aerodurit® field service is always at your disposal with help and advice. If necessary, we are also happy to work hand in hand with an independent expert of your choice. It is important to first clarify causes and effects and then, of course, find solutions. After all, your aim is to prevent old problems from reappearing after renovation or refurbishment.
No. If you use aerodurit® Micropore Specialised Restoration Plaster (dehumidifying plasters), such as aerodurit® EP2010 or aerodurit® ZEP2040, you can start directly with the necessary work steps. Please follow the instructions in the respective technical data sheets for substrate preparation. See Downloads.
In contrast to aerodurit® special restoration plasters such as aerodurit® EP2010 or aerodurit® ZEP2040, other brands are mostly non-hydrophobic (“pore hydrophobic”). The function is similar to a barrier plaster; the restoration plaster can only store a limited amount of salts and moisture. If the absorption capacity is exhausted, the crystallisation pressure in the masonry often “blows up” the plaster again. You therefore have the same problem as before the renovation: the old plaster has to be removed again, which can damage the masonry and weaken its stability, as well as incur further costs. Non-hydrophobic aerodurit® special restoration plasters do not “seal”, but transport moisture by capillary action generated by the microprene structure. Thanks to our pore system, embedded salts crystallise once within the masonry and do not cause any further damage. The result: No salt efflorescence on the surface. Diffusivity is the aerodurit® solution – sealed and permeable at the same time. Let your walls breathe!
2. Economy, costs and savings
By using aerodurit® EP2010/ZEP2040, you can reduce costs by about 50% on average compared to conventional renovation methods. It always depends on the individual case, and the cause of the moisture/damage must be clarified without fail. If the object is subject to high pressure water or is situated on a slope, additional measures may have to be applied.
You only pay the costs for the arrival and departure of our aerodurit® field service. In case of an order, these costs will, of course, be charged from a corresponding order volume.
No. You will not incur any costs for maintenance or operation. The effect of the ecological and sustainable aerodurit® building materials is based exclusively on physical, natural principles – and these are free of charge!
We generally recommend that you commission a competent specialist company for renovation, refurbishment or new construction measures. In agreement with the company of your choice, it is usually possible to take over partial work yourself, thus saving costs. This usually concerns services that can be easily covered by laymen and do not affect the warranty of your construction company. Examples of this would be the removal and disposal of existing old plaster.
Your property is an investment for generations. On the one hand, the quality of the building fabric is decisive for a comfortable climate in the living area and your health, on the other hand, it is also important for the protection of your assets. You must therefore act quickly, as soon as you notice moisture or mould in the masonry. If you do not repair damage to the facade and/or interior walls promptly, it will spread faster and faster. Plaster and paint on the masonry forms a protective shield against moisture and salts. If this is damaged or missing, the weather and condensation moisture can easily degrade the masonry. The longer you wait, the more expensive renovation and repair work will be.
3. Ecology
No. aerodurit® building materials have been used for more than 70 years and no harmful emissions have been detected. One of our main concerns in development and production is the use of ecological, sustainable ingredients that improve the health of the home.
No. At aerodurit®, we do not use polystyrene in any of the products of the heat insulation plaster category. This applies to the thermal insulation system aerodurit® AURORA as well as to the aerodurit® PHOENIX lime thermal insulation plaster, which was specially developed for listed buildings. We have two good reasons for this: On the one hand, the production of polystyrene is associated with a very high expenditure of primary energy. On the other hand, the disposal may be cost-intensive and problematic, among other things, due to the use of chemical flame retardants. Both the environment and your health are very important to us, which is why we work with ecologically harmless, sustainable ingredients.
The aim of aerodurit® is to work with nature instead of against it and use physical laws. aerodurit® building materials allow your home to breathe; they are open to diffusion and breathable like functional sportswear. No athlete would use clothing that is airtight like a plastic bag and does not allow moisture to pass through. However, hydrophobic building materials do exactly that: rooms are “packed” practically airtight. Moisture created, for example, during cooking or in the bathroom, can therefore no longer escape from the interior. The result is all too often the formation of mould, which is a major health hazard.
Polystyrene-based insulating materials are considered to be flame-retardant, but are generally flammable, which is why a flame retardant must be added to the boards. These chemicals are potentially hazardous to the environment or toxic, but this often only becomes apparent after years. In 2013, Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD/HBCDD) was declared a "substance of very high concern" and its use was banned worldwide. By this time, however, it had already been used almost everywhere.
This flame retardant is an environmental toxin that accumulates heavily in organisms. Studies have shown that it can interfere with embryonic and infant development, and it has even been detected in human breast milk. HBCDD is extremely persistent because it is difficult to break down. It is difficult to dissolve in water and even spreads over long distances through the air. Even in arctic regions HBCDD is already detectable in fish, marine mammals and birds of prey.
Some countries have now banned the use of polystyrene as an insulating material in principle. Examples of this are Denmark and numerous states in the USA.
Has your property been fitted with thermal insulation using polystyrene insulation boards before 2013? We strongly recommend that you carry out a material analysis and, if necessary, expert renovation of the affected facade.
For renovations, refurbishments or new builds, rely on an ecological, sustainable and non-combustible thermal insulation plaster system. aerodurit® AURORA lime cement renovation thermal insulation plaster and aerodurit® PHOENIX renovation lime thermal insulation plaster do not require biocides or polystyrene.
Let your walls breathe and trust in thermal insulation based on natural materials. Save time and money, as well as heating costs. The renovation costs are much lower than with polystyrene based materials, because you only have to plaster. Ensure a comfortable climate due to a building biology-based thermal insulation. It is uncomplicated, quick to apply and can also be disposed of as normal building rubble, because purely natural ingredients are neither toxic nor hazardous waste.
4. Sources of supply
You can buy our products in well-stocked building material stores, for example at Raab Karcher. Our aerodurit® platform, aeroWorks, makes it easier for you to search regionally for processors and dealers. You can also order directly at aerodurit®. Our field service will be pleased to inform you about the lead time, minimum purchase quantities and costs. Our technical advisors will also support you in selecting the ideal product combination for your individual refurbishment, renovation or new building project
5. References, long-term references
Yes, but we do not make aerodurit® reviews public for data protection reasons. The only exception is the My Story section, where our customers present their projects and explicitly agree to the publication. The results of a long-term study (link opens PDF) by the state-accredited testing and research institute BTI Bautechnisches Institut Linz will certainly be of interest to you. In it, the dehumidifying plaster aerodurit® EP2010 was compared with other restoration plasters; with convincing values, aerodurit® came out on top. Further references or a personal conversation are also possible after consultation with aerodurit® customers. Depending on the relevance for your project, the spectrum ranges from listed buildings to complex new building projects. Examples are churches, city or cemetery walls, conversions from stables to living spaces, cellars and living spaces flooded several times and numerous other projects.
6. Career
Are you enthusiastic about our product range? Do you believe in our approach? Would you like to support biological and sustainable building materials because this concept is important to you? Would you like to work in our team?
We are very pleased to hear this, because we stand behind our products and our philosophy and are looking forward to your support. We see ourselves as an aerodurit® family and are happy to welcome friendly, committed new members into our ranks!
What do we expect from you? Very simple: A positive attitude to life, willingness to learn, enthusiasm and team spirit.
If this sounds like you and you would like to find out more, please send us an informal application at info@aerodurit.com. Simply describe your previous job and we will check open positions, sales areas or other job opportunities for you.
We look forward to receiving your application!
