Jeddah – October 14, 2026 -- The rooftop pool at the Hilton Garden Inn in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, passed post-commissioning testing with walls on the floor below found almost entirely dry and no leakage detected beneath the slab, according to The Penetron Group. PENETRON ADMIX performed as a standalone waterproofing system, with no membrane required.
Penetron Middle East specified three integrated systems for the pool structure
The brief called for protecting the below-grade concrete structures and delivering a pool that stays watertight for the life of the building without a surface membrane, said Sam Annous, Director and Partner of Penetron Middle East. The team specified an integral approach combining three product groups:
- PENETRON ADMIX, dosed at the batching plant, turns structural concrete into a self-healing, waterproof matrix that resists chloride ingress, carbonation and chemical attack.
- PENEBAR SW45 swellable waterstop strips, paired with PENEBAR PRIMER, seal construction joints and penetrations, typically the weakest points in water-retaining and below-grade structures.
- PENETRON slurry and PENECRETE MORTAR treat localized cracks and tie holes and finish visible defects.
Rooftop pool loading raised leak risk for guest rooms below
Annous cited hydrostatic loading on an elevated structural slab, with guest rooms exposed to any leakage below. Traditional membrane systems can offer installation speed, he noted, but any membrane breach over the pool's service life risks staining and damage to ceilings, walls and guest rooms.
Crystalline reaction seals capillaries and static cracks up to 0.5 mm
Once exposed to moisture, PENETRON ADMIX reacts with calcium hydroxide and water to form insoluble crystalline structures within the concrete. These seal capillaries and static cracks up to 0.5 mm and reactivate when new moisture appears. Because the matrix itself becomes waterproof, no surface layer exists to puncture, peel or age out.
Hilton adds another Penetron-specified project in the region
The Jeddah property, unveiled in late 2026 on the Red Sea, is the latest Hilton hotel project to specify the Penetron System. Annous said the company's integral crystalline waterproofing continues to enjoy growing success across the region.