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External Rendering
Whenever you see a property with stone cladding or some other kind of covering on the outer walls of their home this is because of a process known as external rendering. While renders may be used both outside and inside, to help preserve and strengthen the walls of a property and to mask any surface imperfections such as small cracks or gaps in the brickwork, external rendering is the process with which most people are familiar. Traditionally, external rendering consisted of applying a lime, stone or cement exterior covering to the walls of a property to protect it from damp and bad weather conditions and may also be used to give an extra layer of insulation, particularly for older properties. Where cement rendering is used, once the render has dried out, which can take up to a month, it has been customary to apply one or two coats of masonry paint over the top. Increasingly people try to avoid the use of masonry paint on renders as it can be too heavy and prevents the materials underneath from breathing, which results in an eventual problem with excess moisture.
Problems with Traditional External Rendering
Some of the materials used in the rendering of external walls, particularly concrete renders, are prone to crack and deteriorate in a much shorter time than modern materials. Other renders may be stone, lime or acrylic. With the exception of lime, traditional external rendering does not offer the same level of protection to your exterior walls as some other materials. Some of the modern external rendering products are specifically designed to provide extra protection for your exterior walls, including weather and damp protection and in addition such products may also have extra insulation properties.
Modern Renderings
Modern renderings are often available in different textures and colours. Traditional products may be more difficult to texture and will have to be left to dry out before exterior masonry paint can be added. In spite of the above, most renders provide some level of added protection from damp and bad weather conditions and may also provide some level of insulating and sound proofing qualities.
Getting External Rendering for Your Home
As with many home improvements, a lot of people expect to be able to undertake the rendering of the external walls to their property themselves. Modern rendering applications will almost always require professional application and may include a warranty 0n the expected life of the product. Insulated external renders in particular are specialist products produced by individual companies, although most of these will have to conform to certain regulations in order to receive the industry approval stamp. If you live in an older property that requires some level of refurbishment then you may want to consider one of the more modern external rendering processes. Some products are designed to provide damp protection, particularly in properties where cavity wall insulation is not possible. You will need to shop around to find a suitable professional to apply external rendering as a means of refurbishing your property and providing an extra level of insulation.
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