Media Release

Modernist Cascade Mountain Residence Built on Penetron Technology to Withstand Winter’s Blast

USA

Construction of a luxurious, modernist vacation residence in the Cascade Mountains in Packwood, Washington (USA), was completed in June 2023. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified for the home’s foundation to protect exposed concrete structures from the harsh alpine climate.

Located in easternmost Lewis County, Washington, on a remote granite knuckle in the Cascade Mountains, this 2,500 ft2 (230 m2) modernist vacation home dominates a rugged, mountainous landscape. Designed by Apollo Design Studio, an architectural firm based in Seattle, the visually striking residence is built on structural members of steel and wood; the building’s enormous glass walls enable panoramic views of Mount Rainier and the Cowlitz River Valley. The foundation structure is made of board-formed concrete and steel superstructure.

“The construction site, essentially solid granite with a thin soil cover, had to be blasted out to make room for the concrete foundation,” explains Christopher Chen, Director of The Penetron Group. “While the mountaintop location provides incredible views, this also leaves the foundation exposed to the harsh winter climate of the Cascades.”

Because of the region’s cold winters and heavy snowfall, protecting concrete from freeze-thaw cycles damage was an important aspect of the waterproofing solution. Penetron collaborated with CalPortland, the project’s ready-mix concrete supplier, to provide a robust concrete waterproofing solution with a PENETRON ADMIX SB-treated concrete mix, which was colored black according to the client’s specifications.

Easily mixed in during batching and unaffected by climatic conditions, PENETRON ADMIX SB becomes an integral part of the concrete matrix by reacting to moisture in fresh concrete, which generates a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. These crystals permanently seal the microcracks, pores and capillaries in the concrete, making it impermeable to the penetration of water or liquids from any direction.

“PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete mitigates freeze-thaw cycle damage, which increases the service life of the concrete structure and reduces the amount of maintenance required in the future,” concludes Christopher Chen. “This can be a substantial advantage in the remote location of this Cascade Mountain vacation home.”