Enduringly watertight roof in just three days

The Youla cable car station is one of the oldest in the Courmayeur ski resort at the foot of Mont Blanc. At an altitude of 2,624 metres, it is primarily used by freeriders as a trusted means of transport to the deep snow regions of the Aosta Valley. However, rain, snow and dew, as well as UV and IR radiation, had all left their mark on the northern side of the building, which was constructed in the 1950s: the joints between the concrete roofing tiles on the covering had started to leak, and moisture was able to penetrate into the load bearing construction unhindered.

What was required was a waterproofing solution with the ability to reliably withstand different weather conditions. There were also special technical requirements due to the extreme altitude of the cable car station: a system was needed that could be applied even at sub-zero temperatures and in unstable weather conditions. Since the cable car is frequented by tourists during the summer season too, it was important to avoid the use of scaffolding and removal of the existing covering during the restoration in June. Another objective was quick and economical execution. Given these circumstances and objectives, Triflex ProDetail proved to be a tailor-made solution.

The contractors were able to restore the northern roof covering of the cable car station in just three days. There was no need for any scaffolding, and a harness system was used to ensure the contractors' safety. Triflex ProDetail can be applied to virtually all old coverings, allowing the existing screed to remain in place. The fleece-reinforced system solution with a polymethyl methacrylate resin (PMMA) base is highly elastic, moulds itself to all kinds of structures and prevents water from getting in underneath. The 2-component waterproofing resin is quick and easy to apply, and is resistant to hydrolysis and environmental influences.

After abrading the concrete roofing tiles, the contractors primed the surface with Triflex Cryl Primer 276. Uneven areas were levelled out using a combination of Triflex Cryl Primer 276 and quartz sand dressing (0.7 mm to 1.2 mm). The contractors then waterproofed the roof surface and all details with Triflex ProDetail (in a light grey shade). The system has obtained European Technical Approval with CE mark (ETAG 005) and therefore guarantees a high level of application reliability.