21 Nov 2018

Why render your self-build?

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There are plenty of houses in the UK that have been rendered, so it’s 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.

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Here, TheGreenAge talks you through your options and helps you decide whether rendering is right for your project.

Protection

Render is great for protecting your walls. Over the years, brickwork will get damaged and need repointing – especially in more exposed areas where 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.

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.

Aesthetics

If your brickwork looks tired and 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.

What type of render should I choose?

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’re on a budget. It also holds vibrant colours for longer. The disadvantage is that it doesn’t breathe, so if you want air to get to the bricks and insulation underneath, acrylic is not going to work for you.

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 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.

Silicone render

Silicone, or silicone silicate render, is a top-of-the-range system that has a number of fantastic advantages. It’s the easiest system to apply, it’s hydrophobic (which makes it a self-cleaning render) and it’s the most flexible system on the market, making cracking over its lifetime less likely. It is highly durable and breathable as well, 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!

How long will render last?

Render will last a long time – the design life is around 30 years. 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.

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