The current DIN standard (German Institute for Standardisation) concentrates on barrier coatings to protect from the ingress of water and CO2 and whilst these issues are important the standard doesn’t take into account the Klopfer method. The Klopfer method was previously the recognised standard for anti-carbonation protection which also understands that it is necessary for anti-carbonation coatings to be breathable which allows the free passage of moisture vapour, keeping the surfaces drier and free from the build up of moisture which can enable diffusion of CO2 and chlorides more easily into the concrete.

Standard barrier coatings which contain high levels of acrylic are likely to have low breathability which is more likely to lead to a build up of moisture behind the coating resulting in blistering and flaking of the paint effectively rendering the barrier useless. A barrier is also only as good as its edges –particularly at floor level will still be susceptible to ingress of moisture and de-icing salts which are more likely to become trapped behind the barrier coating.