Advice For Rendering An External Wall As A Novice

When you need to render an external wall in your home, and you have never done this before, you will want to do plenty of research on the subject before giving it a go. The more research you do, the easier you will find the task of rendering, and you must also ensure that you prepare correctly and have all the necessary tools and equipment. Below are some tips and advice to help you get started and ensure you do an excellent job of rendering the external walls of your property.

Getting The Correct Tools

You must ensure you have the correct rendering tools before rendering your property. The various tools and equipment you will need for this task are as follows:

• Trowel
• Straight Edge
• Scratching Comb
• Bucket Trowel
• Rendering tape
• Sponge Float
• Bucket

Once you have all the tools and equipment required and your render mortar, you can start getting ready to render your property.

Preparing Your Walls For Render

Before applying render to your walls, you must ensure they are correctly prepared and clean. If there are any small holes in the surface, you want to repair these and fill them in, and you must also ensure that the surface is clean and free from flaked paint, dirt, or debris. Once the surface is clean, you can apply a bonding agent, ensuring the render adheres properly to the wall’s surface.

Mix The Render Properly

To achieve a smooth finish with the render you apply to your property, you must ensure that you mix the render properly. Whatever brand of render you have purchased, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, ensuring you use the correct amount of water and render mix. Making the render too dry will make it difficult to mix, while if it is too wet, it can crack and may not adhere to the wall’s surface correctly.

Apply It In Small Sections

When applying the render to the wall, you should start by doing a small section first. Doing this will help you to get used to rendering and achieve a smooth and even finish on the wall and prevent it from drying too quickly before you can finish it. Use the hawk and trowel to spread the render and avoid creating bumps or ridges.

Use Your Straight Edge

Using your straight edge can help you achieve a flat surface, so you want to ensure you have something suitable for the job. It will help you get a flat and level finish on the wall and prevent bumps in the render, making it uneven. Any lumps or imperfections you can smooth out with the trowel before the render dries.

Allow The Render To Cure

Once the wall has been rendered, you must allow it to dry and cure fully before doing anything else. The amount of time it will take will depend on the weather and the render you use, and it can take anywhere from a couple of days to over a week.

Finishing It Off

Once the render is dry, you can then apply a topcoat or paint the surface to give you an excellent finish for the render. Ensure you use something compatible with the render you have used, and it can help make the external walls of your property look fantastic.