Maintaining the exterior of your property is a crucial task for any homeowner; how it looks is vital as it reflects you with both neighbours and passers-by. One poorly maintained home can lower the overall standard of a street and, in turn, reduce the value of all the properties. If your home is covered by render, it will need replacing over time. While professional tradespersons usually do this job, the first timer can complete it with some proper research and investment in the right tools.
What Is Rendering?
The term rendering refers to the process of covering the external brickwork of a structure with a protective, waterproof coat of cement; the render can be smooth or textured and can be coloured as desired. Render consists of cement, sand, lime gypsum, waterproofing chemicals, any chosen colour pigments, and water. Render should be applied in multiple coats to ensure the covering does not crack and is durable for many years. The final or topcoat can be embellished with different decorative effects and finishing styles to achieve aesthetically pleasing outcomes.
Having The Right Tools
As with any task, it is crucial to have the correct set of tools of the job in hand; investing in good quality is recommended as there are healthy second-hand markets where you can recoup some funds when you have finished. Tool hire is also an option, especially if rendering a large property. Hiring a specialist rendering machine to mix the large quantity of render is the best course of action. The tools needed to render successfully are as follows –
- Trowel – for applying the render, a good quality stainless steel tool is recommended.
- Straight Edge – metal sticks with multiple uses, including smoothing the coats of render.
- Scratching Comb is used to rough up the applied coat of render to apply the next layer better.
- Bucket Trowel – this tool carries render from the mixing bucket to the work area.
- Rendering Tape – can be used to create clean finishes and straight lines.
- Sponge Float is a finishing tool used to smooth the topcoat of render.
- Mixing Buckets – your storage containers for the mixed render, specialist large mixing buckets are the wisest choice.
This list of tools should also be supplemented with the proper PPE equipment, especially if you plan to work at height; hand, eye, and head protection should be the minimum requirement.
Further Tips for A Successful Job
When attempting any substantial task on your property, the best course of action is to collect as much information as possible utilise the wealth of available information in how-to guides on the internet. Consider carefully what finish you want for your render and how it can benefit your home, off white render is one possibility as it can soften the lines of your property. It’s an old adage but remember the five P’s – proper preparation prevents poor performance, prepare yourself, the building, and your equipment correctly to maximise your chances of rendering successfully – good luck.
