What is Rending?
Rendering, when applied to the construction or renovation of buildings, refers to the application of cement to external and/or internal brick or concrete walls in order to achieve a smooth or deliberately textured surface. Also called cement rendering or solid plastering, rendering work is usually carried out by qualified plasterers. Widely done throughout Europe for centuries, rendering appeared on early Australian stone and mud-brick dwellings, but with the exception of some Federation style homes in the mid-1950's, it was an overlooked technique in this country until recently.
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| Photo Credit: Erdem Rendering |
Why Render?
Rendering can improve the waterproofing and fire rating of a building, but the primary reason for doing it is aesthetic. In fact, in Mediterranean countries and elsewhere in Europe, a brick structure is not considered complete until it is rendered. Scratch beneath the rendered surface of many of those gleaming white homes on the hillsides of the Greek islands, for example, and you'll see they were constructed of brick. In some regions of France, local councils even dictate the colour of a rendered surface and not rendering is unheard of.
The aesthetic beauty of rendering is now being rediscovered in Australia and qualified plasterers are in increased demand.
How is Rendering Done?
Cement, sand and lime are the main ingredients in render. The addition of lime gives the render a creamier texture and makes it more elastic and less prone to cracking after it dries. The sand used in rendering needs to be fine and free of impurities. Other ingredients used in rendering mixes include pigments, bonding agents and additives to slow the drying process.
Render is applied in thin, smooth coats using a trowel. Top coats may be applied with a trowel, a brush, a Hessian bag or a sponge, depending on the desired surface texture.
Today, there are also more "high tech" ways to accomplish rendering. Acrylic pre-mixed rendering products have greater waterproofing properties and can be applied to surfaces standard render cannot adhere to. In addition, some renders can be applied with special spray equipment. Acrylic renders have the added advantage of setting within 24 hours, while traditional renders take up to 28 days to fully set.
Is Rendering a DIY Job?
Theoretically, rendering can be a DIY job, but it really depends on the results you want to achieve. Only an experienced renderer can achieve the smooth, uniform result that is the hallmark of a professionally rendered surface. Professional rendering usually more than pays for itself, too, since it can so dramatically improve the appearance of a home.
How much will it cost?
Where it is possible to add insulation within cavity walls, it will cost around £800 for a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house. External rendering using a sand and cement ‘scratch coat’ and a finer render topcoat, followed by two coats of external masonry paint will cost in the region of £28-£34 per m². Rendering and painting a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house with 80m² of walls would therefore cost £2,240-£2,720.
For a solid walled house or where the cavity is too narrow to apply sufficient levels of insulation, an external wall insulation (EWI) system is usually the best option as no space or architectural detail is lost within the property.
There are many different external wall insulation systems, but most of them are promoted on a supply and fix basis by specialists, so they’re not available to the DIY market.
Applying external insulation with a render finish typically costs £70-£90 per m². A typical three-bedroom semidetached house would require 80m², so it would cost £5,600-£7,200.
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| Photo Credit: Brett and Sue |
To find a rendering professional in your area, just use our free quoter service. Instead of spending hours contacting plasterers one at a time, all you need to do is fill out our request form once and you will get all the quotes you need to make an informed comparison from the top 3 companies in your area according to our database.
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