The Drybox System® is the integrated crystallizing waterproofing system developed by Drykos to protect concrete throughout its entire thickness, acting on the structure’s critical points and ensuring permanent hydraulic tightness against water and aggressive agents.
How the Drybox System® Works
At the heart of the technology are Drymix crystallizing additives, incorporated directly into new concrete or applied as a treatment on existing surfaces. When in contact with water, these reactive products generate a network of insoluble crystals within the concrete pores.
The resulting crystalline lattice becomes an integral part of the cementitious matrix, acting as a permanent barrier against water and aggressive agents from any direction. The active ingredients remain on standby and automatically reactivate in the presence of new moisture, regenerating the crystals and sealing micro-cracks up to 0.5 mm wide, with a distinct self-healing action.
System Components: Three-Level Protection
Drybox System® is designed to offer comprehensive coverage through three complementary levels of intervention:
1. Bulk Crystallization of Concrete
Drymix additives act throughout the entire thickness of the pour, transforming the concrete from a passive material into an active waterproofing system. The crystallizing reaction occupies capillary voids and seals micro-cracks from the inside, improving structural durability over time.
2. Joint Sealing with Hydro-Expandable Profiles
Construction and expansion joints — traditionally the most vulnerable points of any structure — are treated with hydro-expandable profiles and high-performance elastic sealants. In this way, even pour interruptions maintain a complete and lasting hydraulic seal.
3. Surface Protection with Crystallizing Mortars and Coatings
Special crystallizing cementitious mortars and coatings, such as Drykote and Dryseal, are applied to the internal or external surfaces of existing structures. These products restore a deep waterproof coating, effective even on surfaces subject to negative hydrostatic pressure.
Advantages of the Drybox System® for Concrete Structures
- Permanent waterproofing: The crystalline barrier is integrated into the concrete and does not deteriorate over time
- Active self-healing: Autonomously seals micro-cracks up to 0.5 mm without external intervention
- Multidirectional protection: Effective against water in both positive and negative pressure
- Reduced maintenance: Fewer corrective interventions throughout the structure’s life cycle
- Versatile application: Suitable for new constructions and the restoration of existing structures
- Sustainability: Extends the service life of works, reducing resource consumption and environmental impact
Where the Drybox System® is Applied
The system is designed to meet the needs of residential, industrial, and infrastructural structures subject to water infiltration and moisture. It is applied in:
- Tanks and reservoirs for integrated water services
- Galleries, tunnels, and underground works
- Foundations and underground structures
- Swimming pools, treatment plants, and water basins
- Bridges, viaducts, and civil infrastructure
Drykos Crystallizing Technology: Applied Mineral Intelligence®
Drybox System® is the concrete expression of the Mineral Intelligence® concept developed by Drykos: building materials that interact with the environment, adapt, protect themselves, and last longer. Not a simple external coating, but an intrinsic waterproofing function, integrated into the concrete itself.
The combination of bulk crystallization, waterstops in joints, and surface protection ensures comprehensive coverage against all forms of infiltration, definitively solving water-related problems in concrete structures.
To learn more about the system’s applications or to request technical advice, please contact us.