Durable seal for any water feature

TPO films perfect alternative to PVC or EPDM

Did you know that the waterproofing of a swimming pool or (swimming) pond cannot be realized with PVC or EPDM alone? In both applications, TPO films offer a durable, colorfast alternative for a perfectly tight finish. Based on over 18 years of experience in waterproofing, Sealtec has been casting itself as the standard-bearer for this product group since 2016. In addition to the waterproofing films themselves, the Glabbeek-based company also offers training, installation and on-site support.

TPO (thermoplastic polyolefins) is an umbrella term for numerous plastics based on polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). For lining and waterproofing water features such as pools and ponds, they are processed into films 1.0, 1.3 or 1.5 mm thick, depending on the type. "The PE films are mainly at issue in classic swimming pools," clarifies Stijn Frooninckx, business manager of Sealtec. "Indeed, in a chlorinated environment, they guarantee the very best color fastness."

Thanks to their exceptional stretchability, unreinforced fPP films adapt perfectly to organic shape and uneven surfaces.

"In natural environments such as ponds and swim ponds, PP films are more commonly used. Such a film can be reinforced with a glass fleece net, giving it higher punching resistance - useful, for example, in a perfectly landscaped, rectilinear swimming pond. One can also opt for an unreinforced fPP film. This is slightly cheaper and, thanks to its exceptional stretching capacity of up to 600%, can adapt especially perfectly to organic shapes or an uneven surface."

As a distributor of the Agru and Sika brands, Sealtec offers all of the above options, and is happy to guide the landscaping contractor or pool builder to the appropriate product for their project.

PE-based TPO films are perfectly adapted to chlorinated environments.

In both senses

Why choose TPO and not the already familiar PVC (swimming pools) or EPDM (ponds)? For Frooninckx, the answer is obvious. "TPOs are among the most durable plastics, and that in both senses of the word. On the one hand, they have a very high life expectancy and exceptional color fastness - in public swimming pools in Germany, despite the very high chlorine dosage, not a single discoloration was noticed after more than twenty years; on the other hand, they are perfectly recyclable and, above all, completely free of plasticizers and chlorides. In a watery environment or when processing the material by welding, where and when these carcinogenic substances are normally released, this is not simply an added value, but seems to me no less than an absolute prerequisite. Both for the health of the placer, and for that of the user."

TPO films also have what it takes aesthetically to meet customers' high expectations. "Because of the thermoplastic properties of the material, a job can be finished finely and seamlessly, and with each product one has the choice of various colors, with the most extensive range available with the PP-based reinforced TPO films."

Like other waterproofing films, TPO is relatively easy to process.

Placement

Like other waterproofing films, TPO is relatively easy to process, although Frooninckx emphasizes that a different material always requires some adjustment. "Anyone welding PVC membranes will usually play with the welding temperature. When processing TPO, it is precisely this temperature that must be kept constant, and it is more likely to vary with time and air flow. It's not harder or easier; it's different."

In order to achieve perfect waterproofing in every project, Sealtec already provides various options for installation. "The garden contractor or pool builder who is not familiar with the product can perfectly outsource the installation of the waterproofing to us," says Frooninckx. "For those who want to learn, we offer one-day training and on-site support. And finally, of course, we simply remain a distributor of the various products."

"By the way, we never want to put the green professional in a straitjacket. Our collaboration is flexible and adapts to the needs of the moment. Does the contractor normally install the sheeting himself, but is he briefly too busy? Then we can step into the breach perfectly."

Engagement

That commitment is a key term for Frooninckx. Not only to the customer, but also to the product group and the environment. "Sealtec stands 100% behind TPO films as a sustainable solution, and we like to extend that commitment to every level of our operations. What we undertake to achieve this can be read in detail in the sustainability statement on our website www.sealtec.be."