Why render your home?

There are plenty of houses in the UK that have been rendered, so its not that hard to work out that rendering can be really beneficial for a property. It can be a little confusing to look at your rendering options for the first time however – there are plenty of different reasons whether or not to render, and many different types to choose from. Here at TheGreenAge, we are going to talk you through your options and decide whether rendering is right for you.

Reasons to render

If you have a typical house with exposed brickwork, why might you want to spend a small fortune rendering your walls?

  1. Protection – Render is great for protecting your walls. Over the years, brickwork will get damaged and need repointing, and especially in more exposed areas the brickwork is under a constant state of attack from the elements. Rendering creates a protective barrier from the outside world and ensures your brickwork remains unaffected.
  2. Damp – Solid brick walls are liable to issues from penetrating damp, where water seeps through the brickwork. This is especially the case in exposed areas. Putting a render finish on the wall will help stop this and ensure that penetrating damp is not an issue through the brick.
  3. Aesthetics – If your brickwork looks tired or tatty, or if you have a mixture of different types of brickwork, rendering can make the property look a lot more attractive. It will freshen up even the roughest-looking wall and make it look modern and clean.

Insulation and render

Until recently you had a simple choice: to render or not. Now it makes sense to insulate your external solid walls and render at the same time. You can find out much more about external wall insulation here.

What type of render should I choose for my home?

So you want to render or externally insulate your home? There are so many types of render out there it can be a bit confusing. Let’s take you through some of the options available to you:

Acrylic render

Acrylic is a relatively cheap render, which makes it a good option if you are on a budget. It also holds vibrant colours for longer, great for instance if you want a nice brick-red render. The disadvantage is that it does not breathe, so if you want air to get to the bricks and insulation underneath, acrylic is not going to work for you. More about Acrylic Render…

Mineral render

Mineral render is breathable, has a quick drying time, is highly impact resistant, and very durable. It falls somewhere in the middle in terms of price, so it a is a good option for many properties. Breathability is obviously very important for some insulation systems, so that can make mineral the preferred option for many of these installs. More About  Mineral Render ….

Silicone render

Silicone or silicone silicate render is a top of the range system that has a number of fantastic advantages.

  • It is the easiest system to apply. Thin coat silicone renders can be applied to a correctly prepared surface in just a few hours.
  • It is hydrophobic (which makes it a self-cleaning render). The silicone render system repels water, meaning any dirt particles are washed away by the rain.
  • It is the most flexible system on the market, making cracking over its lifetime less likely. The Silicone render system should be applied along with a fibreglass mesh layer which provides extra flexibility.
  • It is highly durable, with some manufacturers offering over 25 years warranty.
  • It is breathable. Unlike acrylic and cement renders which seal off the wall, silicone render is breathable.

So, there is very little to say against silicone render. The few drawbacks are that you cannot apply it in cold weather as it takes a while to dry in colder conditions. It is also more expensive than the other types of render – you get what you pay for, as they say! Read More about Silicone render… 

How long will render last?

Render will last a long time – the design life is around 30 years, and our partners Be Constructive EWI Ltd will guarantee your render for 25 years. In reality, it should last even longer. There are plenty of rendered properties around the UK that have not needed work for 50 years or more. It really is a long term investment on your property.

Coloured render

Render can be pretty much any colour you like – the pigment is just mixed in with the render. The advantage of doing this is that the colour is much more durable than simply painting the house. A painted wall will peel and lose colour over time, but coloured render will last much longer and provide a much better-looking finish. Read more about Coloured render… 

Pebbledash

If there is one relic of the 60s and 70s that some people really hate with a passion it is pebbledash. The great thing about pebbledash render is that it is unbelievably strong. Unfortunately, that also means it is really tricky to strip it off and start again. One way of getting around this is to insulate over the top and then render – this is a great way to avoid the costly exercise of stripping the pebbledash, and you get a great layer of insulation at the same time.

How much does it cost?

Rendering is not a cheap exercise. It will involve scaffolding if you have a two storey or higher wall. If you have existing render it will need stripping, plus it is a fairly labour-intensive job. A typical cost might be £60 per square meter to apply, with an additional cost for stripping render. When you see the cost of external wall insulation at £100 per square meter, it really does make sense to insulate at the same time as render.


Think we missed something? Do you have a different opinion?

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