Some designs can slope the waterproofing away from the in-floor door operator to an exterior area drain in the plaza waterproofing. Where interfacing with plaza waterproofing, designs that keep the operator a step above the remainder of the plaza keep the water from backing under the operator and contacting anchorage and power penetrations. While being a more straightforward installation, it also avoids detailing waterproofing connections to flexible hoses (Figure 2B).
Coordinate waterproofing across teams
As is often the case with multi-disciplinary designs and installations with high stakes for the building enclosure, coordination and active participation of the design and construction teams increase the chances of success. On the design team, the coordinating architect, structural engineer, plumbing engineer, and building envelope consultant all have roles to play. The general contractor and installers for the waterproofing, door and facade, plumbing, and electrical scopes will contribute to success with coordinated submittals and shop drawings. A pre-installation meeting is often the last good chance to get all parties together to review the installation and requirements for all systems correctly—and install them only once. The authors caution the project delivery method can also play a role in the coordination required, or lack thereof, to integrate floor closers into the building envelope waterproofing. The closer package is often part of the facade design building scope, whereas the waterproofing and concrete scopes are usually a more traditional design-bid-build delivery method. This straddling of delivery methods at the closer and waterproofing interface can complicate responsibilities. Design efforts may be asynchronous, leading parties on both sides to assume the other party will figure it out.
Carefully considering all aspects of in-floor door operators and adjacent waterproofing on a project is necessary to ensure both systems function long-term and do not negatively impact each other in service.
Authors
Matthew Worster, PE, is an associate principal with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger and is experienced in the investigation, design, and construction phases of building enclosure components on both historic and contemporary structures. He can be reached at msworster@sgh.com.
Thanks for the well written and helpful article Dan and Matt
This article on waterproofing in-floor door operators is a must read for anyone involved in construction and waterproofing. The detailed steps and considerations it outlines ensure both the functionality and longevity of door operators in wet environments. It’s a valuable resource for professionals aiming to achieve robust waterproofing solutions.