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What are the benefits of a rendered house?

Aesthetics

As mentioned above, curb appeal cannot be underestimated. A well-rendered home looks uniform, smart and appealing. A range of coloured renders are available to suit your taste.

Aids durability of walls

Lime in the render mixture makes the walls more ‘breathable’ and allows moisture to escape, protecting from damp and condensation that could create mould and rotting.

Insulation

Heat moves from warmer to colder areas and a great deal of the heat inside our homes can escape outside through our external walls, particularly if we have several external walls such as a detached home.

Correctly insulated walls can make a dramatic difference to heat retention.

A layer of insulation is fixed to the walls and then integrated into the overall rendering process.

This process will ensure your home feels warmer and prove to be more energy efficient.

You can discuss your options with your render contractor at the time of receiving a quote.

Is house rendering a good choice for me?

Before exploring house render options, start by evaluating your property’s unique requirements.

Consider the local climate, weather exposure and the condition of your walls.

Properties in regions with frequent rain or extreme temperature fluctuations may need a render with enhanced water resistance or thermal protection to ensure those long-lasting impressive results.

Rendering an outside wall

The same technique for rendering the outside of your home can also be used to render your garden wall.

This is a particularly popular choice for giving that extra wow factor to a recently built or refurbished wall.

It covers and prevents any crumbling brickwork and adds a layer of uniformity if rendered in the same colour of any render used on the external walls of your property.

How is render applied?

Cement, building sand, a sharp sand and sometimes lime will be combined to create a strong and durable mixture.

Walls should be damp upon application, and an initial coat of around half a centimeter will be applied. Calculating the amount to apply is important.

It will impact the way in which this base coat sticks to the walls in order to be effective.

The base coat will then be scratched to open it up a bit before it dries. The second and final coat will then be applied, which is twice the thickness of the first.

While it’s still wet, a level bit of timber will be run over the render to get it even and smooth.

If required the render can be painted once fully dry.

External wall render options

There is a wide range of different house rendering options.

Cement render

Strong and cost-effective but can crack easily on older homes and it is quite labour-intensive to apply.

Lime render

The original render that has been used for hundreds of years to protect the exterior of homes.

Most suitable for older properties as it is breathable, allowing trapped water to evaporate and prevent damaging effects of damp or condensation.

Allows for more flexible movement than cement or monocouche renders.

Monocouche render

A single layer cement based render with a colour pigment mixed through.

It does not require a base coat and is a popular choice because it can be manipulated to make specialist finishes such as brick effect.

It is water resistant but not crack resistant so unsuitable for use with older walls more prone to movement.

Polymer render

Uses silicone to make render water repellent on the outside, while allowing water vapour to escape the home.

Acrylic render

A resin based coat that is durable, flexible and weather resistant. Often used as a finishing coat for decorative purposes. Not suitable for older properties as it is not breathable.

Coloured render

Traditionally, houses were rendered and then painted when dry. In recent years, render with a pre-mixed coloured pigment has proved a popular and convenient choice.

It saves homeowners from the need to wait for their external render to dry before painting the outside of the house at an additional cost.

Coloured render is available in a wide range of options. The current, most frequently chosen silicone render colours are neutral, subtle creams and greys.

You are, of course, not restricted to this palette as there are many options to explore.

Here are some points to consider when making that important choice:

• Other houses in the area: If you live in a terraced or semi-detached house you may wish to consider the other houses that are in close proximity to yours and make a coloured render choice that will blend well with those.
• Resale value: If you’re renovating a property with the view to sell it, it would be wise to choose a render colour that will attract the most curb appeal.
• Taste changes: A bold render colour choice can be exciting, but could prove costly to repaint if you change your mind in the future.
• Durability: Very light render colours, such as a crisp white, can look vibrant and eye-catching but will take more maintenance and repainting to keep them looking fresh.

These factors also apply when choosing a paint to apply after a traditional render is dry.

Do I need planning permission to render a house?

Probably not.

Most exterior work such as render, cladding, pebble dash etc comes under permitted development so you won’t need to apply for planning permission.

There are some exceptions however.

Listed buildings, conservation areas, locations near national parks etc will need to consult local planning departments to discuss their options.

Most of these will NOT permit any type of external rendering.

It is also important to consider any neighbours and surrounding homes when making the decision to render, particularly if you live in a semi-detached or terraced property.

Your local housing and planning department can advise you with any queries.

How long will my render last?

Well-applied render should last around 15 to 25 years or more.

Rendering is a skilled craft and should be carried out only by trained professionals.

The quality of the workmanship on your home could make the difference between a long lasting, pleasing result, and an eye-sore that could prove costly to correct.

Where you live can also have a big impact.

If your rendered home is exposed to a wide range of elements such as extreme wind, rain or flooding then you can expect the exterior to need refreshing faster.

Likewise, if you live in a very shady area it may mean that it is harder for your render to dry out sufficiently after heavy rain or condensation.

Finally, any external work carried out after you’ve had your home rendered may impact the durability of the finish.

Rendering options

You may now be thinking ‘it’s time to look for a rendering company near me’ . Before you do so, there is one last option to consider.

You don’t have to simply render your whole house.

Render is increasingly being used to highlight key external areas. Partial rendering can emphasise key statement areas such a window bays, half the front of the house or simply a section around the front door/porch.

Render can be mixed with wood panelling, cladding or brick.

So if you’re ready to get started, post a job to get quotes from renderers near you.