Inspiring ideas for balcony design: How to make a balcony comfortable
Rising temperatures invite you to redecorate your own balcony - be it with new furniture or fresh planting. But in order to ensure a relaxed stay in the long term, the balcony must be waterproofed. This can also be done retrospectively with a balcony renovation. We show which steps are necessary to make the "outdoor living room" comfortable.
1. How to make a balcony comfortable?
Even with the most beautiful view, a balcony does not always invite you to stay for a long time. There are many ideas and inspirations for making it comfortable and comfortable. If you follow these three tips, you can achieve a lot with simple measures:
Greenery: potted plants bring colour and scents to the balcony. Useful herbs and flowers in different varieties create a pleasant atmosphere and provide a little home for the insect world.
Bright: if you decorate the balcony with fairy lights and candles, you create mood lighting.
- Dry: damp spots on the floor not only damage outdoor furniture but also the construction in the long term. Anyone who wants to design a balcony should first check whether the balcony is waterproofed professionally.
2. Why does a balcony need to be waterproofed?
When buying items to decorate the balcony, make sure that they are weatherproof. But the balcony itself, as an outdoor building part, must also be particularly weatherproof, as it is exposed to various weather influences, such as rain, snow, temperature fluctuations and UV radiation all year round. A balcony must be waterproofed to prevent moisture from penetrating the building structure. Solid roofing over the balcony can mitigate the stresses somewhat, but it is no substitute for professional balcony waterproofing.
Mechanical loads can also cause the balcony waterproofing to leak in the long run. This includes, for example, walking on the balcony and placing furniture on it. Over time, movements and vibrations can cause cracks in old waterproofing that make balcony renovation necessary.
3. Which material is used to waterproof a balcony?
Various materials are available for waterproofing building parts. Which ones are suitable depends on the respective waterproofing requirements. Liquid resins, i.e. waterproofing based on polyurethane (PU) resins and dispersions, are suitable for balconies. They are applied to the substrate in liquid form and, after curing, form a robust and durable balcony waterproofing against moisture damage. They are already available in different colours and can thus be matched to the balcony design. Concrete or cement-based bonded screed are best suited as substrate.
4. Which steps are necessary for professional balcony waterproofing?
For balcony waterproofing with the above-mentioned substrates, the system structure always consists of a primer, a waterproofing compound or a coating, and a top sealer. It does not matter whether it is a new balcony or a balcony renovation. Systems for waterproofing balconies can be applied quickly and easily with a roller, a trowel or a spray device.
The following steps must be observed for the preliminary works:
- Step: the substrate must be checked and, if necessary, prepared accordingly. It is important that it has a slope of at least two percent so that water can run off quickly and dry away. If there is no slope on the substrate, a sloping screed can be installed.
- Step: if the substrate is too rough and uneven, it can be levelled with a concrete repair mortar. The transition between floor and wall must be tightly waterproofed; for this purpose, this angular connection is rounded off by creating a mineral groove with a watertight and fast-setting patching mortar.
- Step: the substrate should be dry and even and free of adhesion-impairing components. This includes, for ex. crumbling screed layers, residues of old waterproofing layers or coatings and also dirt. These must be removed prior to balcony renovation.
Depending on the requirements of the balcony, a well-matched system can be used for the waterproofing of balconies. Weber offers three simple systems for this purpose:
Even though the waterproofing systems presented here are easy and quick to apply, the devil is in the detail. Before the balcony waterproofing is applied over the entire surface, detailed points, such as the floor-to-wall connections, penetrations or floor-to-ceiling windows must be waterproofed in accordance with the system after priming. This requires exact and careful work as well as craftsmanship. It is therefore advisable to let the entire balcony waterproofing work be carried out by an experienced and professional craftsman.
5. How can the balcony surface be designed?
When designing a balcony, the floor surface also plays an important role. All the described waterproofing systems have the advantage that they directly offer a coloured surface finish for balcony design. The time-consuming and expensive laying of classic balcony coverings, such as decking boards or tiles can thus be omitted and the entire build-up of the floor balcony is low. As a highlight for balcony design, coloured PVC chips in the desired shade can simply be scattered over the fresh waterproofing layer. After drying, a coat of the top sealer is applied as the final layer; the material is transparent, UV-resistant and abrasion-proof. Those who like it a bit more elegant can lay a "stone carpet" consisting of coloured quartz stones, which is applied on top of the thoroughly dried waterproofing layer. Upon drying, the quartz mixture is also coated with a transparent top sealer so as to reduce the roughness surface of the "stone carpet" and the risk of dirty stains. Depending on the weather, the completed surface can be walked on again the very next day.
6. Conclusion: quick and easy method for a safe and beautiful balcony design
Professional balcony waterproofing is the key factor for a successful balcony design., liquid resins have proven themselves as an uncomplicated waterproofing system for new buildings and balcony renovations in order to withstand the most diverse weather conditions and mechanical loads. The coordinated materials are easy and quick to apply. They protect the building structure against moisture ingress in the long term and are low-maintenance. By adding coloured PVC chips, quartz sand or coloured quartz stones, an individual and economical design of the floor surface is directly possible. A well-considered balcony design in combination with professional balcony waterproofing can become a comfortable and lasting usable open-air living room. Open-air oasis fans can then decorate their balcony to their heart's content.
Professional tip:
When working in the open air, not only you yourself but also the material is often exposed to critical weather phases. A so-called catalyst can be added depending on the chosen system for accelerating the setting of the material. This results in faster drying of the waterproofing layers and increases the reliability of the work.