About MC-Bauchemie MC-Protect 2KE

MC-Protect 2KE is MC-Bauchemie’s answer to a problem every waterproofing contractor knows well: rigid cementitious coatings seal beautifully on day one, then fail the moment the structure moves. It ships as two components, a graded cement-and-aggregate powder and a liquid polymer dispersion, that are combined on site into a brushable slurry. As the mix cures, the polymer forms a continuous elastic film through the cement matrix, giving you a membrane that grips the substrate like a mineral coating but flexes like an acrylic one. The result is a seamless, jointless barrier that can accommodate the shrinkage cracks, thermal movement and minor settlement that are unavoidable in tanks, basements and terraces.

For engineers and applicators across Delhi NCR and pan-India, the appeal is practical. The coating bonds to green and damp concrete, so you are not waiting weeks for substrates to dry out. It handles both positive-side pressure, water pushing against the coating, and negative-side situations where water tries to lift it from behind. Because it is water-based and low-odour, it can be applied inside confined tanks and basements without the ventilation headaches of solvent or bituminous systems. Space Arc Engineering supplies MC-Protect 2KE as part of a wider waterproofing portfolio, so the same team can advise on primers, fillets, repair mortars and the right membrane grade for the exposure you are actually dealing with.

The technical insight

The performance comes down to what the polymer does inside a brittle matrix. A plain cement slurry is strong in compression but has almost no strain capacity, so a crack of even 0.2 mm tears straight through it. In MC-Protect 2KE the polymer dispersion coalesces into an elastic phase that runs continuously through the hardened cement, raising the coating’s elongation at break into the 50 to 150 percent range and letting the film stretch across hairline cracks in the region of 0.3 to 0.5 mm without rupturing. At the same time the cementitious fraction chemically bonds to the substrate and stays breathable, so trapped moisture and vapour can escape rather than blistering the film off the wall, which is exactly what happens under sealed non-breathable membranes on the negative side. That dual nature, mineral adhesion plus polymeric elasticity, is why a properly built two to three coat application resisting several bar of positive head keeps performing while the concrete behind it lives, moves and cracks as concrete inevitably does.

Where it is used

• Waterproofing of underground and overhead RCC potable water tanks and reservoirs
• Basement retaining walls, raft slabs and lift pits, on both positive and negative water faces
• Terraces, balconies and chajjas as a concealed membrane beneath screed and tile
• Swimming pool shells, water features and decorative basins before finishing
• Wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and utility ducts prior to tiling
• Sewage and effluent treatment structures needing a flexible protective lining
• Sunken slabs and planter boxes where movement and standing water coincide
• Refurbishment of leaking older tanks and basements as part of a repair-and-reline system

Key advantages

• Bridges hairline cracks up to roughly 0.3 to 0.5 mm, so shrinkage and thermal movement do not open leak paths
• High elongation at break, in the 50 to 150 percent range, keeps the film intact as the structure flexes
• Bonds to green and damp concrete, cutting the wait for substrates to dry before application
• Works against both positive and negative hydrostatic pressure for versatile tank and basement use
• Water-based, low-odour chemistry suited to confined tanks, basements and enclosed wet areas
• Seamless and jointless, eliminating the overlaps and seams that let sheet membranes fail
• Breathable cementitious matrix allows residual moisture to escape instead of blistering the coating
• Simple brush or roller application means no specialist spray rig is needed for most jobs

Limitations & considerations

• It is a flexible cementitious coating, not a high-movement membrane; live structural joints and cracks wider than its rating need a dedicated joint detail or PU system
• Not a wearing surface: exposed terraces and pool decks need a screed, tile or protective topping over the membrane
• Crack-bridging and pressure resistance depend on achieving the full multi-coat film thickness; under-application quietly reduces performance
• Correct dry film thickness relies on disciplined coats and site QA, since brush and roller work varies between applicators
• For confirmed potable water contact, the current valid approval certificate should be checked for the specific batch and application
• Substrate preparation is decisive; laitance, dust, oil or standing water will compromise the bond regardless of product quality

Selection & best practice

Specifications

Industry use cases

How we position MC-Bauchemie MC-Protect 2KE

MC-Protect 2KE sits in the flexible cementitious tier of a waterproofing system: it is the crack-bridging membrane, not the substrate repair or the joint detail. Pair it with a polymer-modified repair mortar for honeycombing and cove fillets, a suitable primer on absorbent surfaces, and a dedicated polyurethane or hypalon joint band across live expansion joints it cannot bridge alone. Where a client needs a UV-stable exposed deck finish that also carries foot traffic, step up to a liquid-applied PU membrane such as Fosroc Nitoproof 800 rather than relying on a concealed cementitious coat. Space Arc supplies equivalents across brands too, including Fosroc’s Brushbond family and Dr. Fixit and Sika flexible cementitious systems, so specification can follow the approved-vendor list on a given project without compromising the waterproofing logic.

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