The options for rendering and finishing the outside of your home are many and varied. We aim to cover some of the most common exterior paint and render finishes that are used on homes so that you can understand the options that you have, when you should use them and how to maintain the finish on your home. We will explain the types of render and finishes describing their advantages and disadvantages so you have a good understanding of your exterior finishing options.

it is now possible to alter the look of your home dramatically with your choice of external finish. The existing wall material will be an important consideration.

Within the category of rendered finishes to a home, there are two distinct options; Traditional Renders and Special or Modern Finishes. They are much as they sound; the traditional renders are those that have been used on houses for a long time, some for hundreds of years with very little change, and the more modern ones are those that have been invented using new materials, techniques and technologies.

The most common traditional render finishes include Lime Render, which is breathable and very flexible. It has an attractive and traditional look, is low maintenance and will last a long time. Sand and cement renders are much stronger and harder than any lime render. This type of render is typically painted. Cement renders are not suitable for older buildings as the building construction tends to result in more movement which quickly causes cracking in the render. Like a lime render, waterproofing is achieved with the application of a suitable paint.

Clay render was the very first material to be used in renders and plasters and it is making resurgence lately due to its environmental credentials; it is very easy to produce and can often be locally sourced. The characteristic that separates clay renders from the alternative cement or lime based renders is that it does not chemically cure (and therefore does not change its chemical composition ever once it goes off). As a result clay render can be re-activated by the addition of water, which means that it can be reworked; handy for repairs, but not so helpful as it will erode away.

Pebble dash does not specifically refer to the render but to the decorative finish that is applied to it. The wet mortar is coated with pebbles but the underlying mortar can vary. Traditionally the mortar was a lime based, but it is more common now for cement to be used. There has been a growing use of polymer cements more recently but every type of mortar comes with various advantages or disadvantages over the other options.

Modern polymer render finishes include silicon and nylon or glass fibre. Silicon water repellents are premixed into the cement or polymer render mix. Nylon and glass fibre is used in reinforced base coats, which provides a really strong base render before the finish coat is applied. A mesh, typically of nylon, is embedded into the base coat around the whole building. In some case this nylon base coat can be applied around stress points where cracking is likely, such as around windows and doors. The mesh is ‘breathable’ and quick to apply and provides the strength needed.