Are you interested in protecting your home against the elements? If so, please read on as I want to give you some information on a home improvement that can improve the property’s aesthetic look, reduce heat loss, and protect the brickwork from standing the rigours of today’s weather. I refer to rendering, formed by creating layers of plaster specially designed for use on the exterior of buildings, with several different types of render available to choose from to transform any home.

Can I Do This Myself?

The job of rendering property is usually completed by a professional. Still, with plenty of good preparation, the complete set of good rendering tools and some online help, there is no reason why you cannot do this yourself. There is a wealth of how-to guides that describe the step-by-step process and give you all the hints and tips to render your home successfully; take some time to look at some of them to see if it is something you can do.

Types Of Render

A world away from the terrible post-war grey pebble dash renders, there are now many specialist products to choose from, these include –

• Cement render – mixed on-site- is a common choice and requires painting after the rendering.
• Polymer render – pre-mixed and pre-coloured – no painting required.
• Lime render – making a comeback after being out of use for many years, superior to cement but also more expensive and difficult to apply.
• Acrylic insulated render – a newer product with higher insulating qualities.

By no means is a complete list; there are also through-coloured renders that have a pigment added in the manufacturing process; again, use the internet to further your knowledge and select a product you like.

The Tools for The Job

When rendering successfully, it is essential to have the right tools, and they are of good quality. You could purchase them to resell them on a solid second-hand tools market or use one of the tools hire companies who should stock everything you need. The tools need to render are as follows –

• Stainless steel trowel – find one you are comfortable with as you will use it a lot.
• Square notched trowel – used to apply a correct thickness of the base layer.
• Bucket trowel – used to scoop render from the mixing buckets.
• Plastic render float – essential if using a thin render.
• Sponge float – used to smooth trowel lines.
• Corner trowel – to render around corners.
• Speedskim – a time-saving tool used to smooth large areas.
• Power Mixer and buckets – for mixing render.

As well as the above items, you will also be needing ladders, protective sheeting, and of course, the correct personal protective equipment, hard hat, gloves, eyewear, and boots as a minimum, with a first aid kit always on hand.

The rendering process is quite lengthy and not something I have space for in this short piece; again, use all the available online information so you have all the knowledge you need to render successfully. I hope this article has given you some information you were not aware of, and you can proceed to improve your property for the future.