Acrylic Renders

Rendering is a construction technique involving the application of a cement render to a wall or the exterior of a property. There are many different types of rendering systems, one of which are acrylic renders. An acrylic render is any type of render that uses acrylic, which is a type of plastic, in the mix.  The acrylic makes the render much stronger and more flexible than traditional rendering mixes, which means that it is much less likely to crack after it has been applied.  Acrylic render is easy to apply and it can be rolled, trowelled or even sprayed onto a surface. Two coats are generally applied.  It can be several different colours. Acrylic renders have become increasingly popular because they are easy to apply and quick to dry. A render made from acrylic can dry in as little as two or three days, while some other renders may take as long as twenty eight days to dry.

Renders are used on both new and old buildings for the following reasons:

• as a form of weather protection to properties being subjected to cold, ice, changing temperature
•  improve the appearance of the property
• and  as away of hiding any imperfections in the appearance of a structure. Y

Rendering can be applied to indoor walls as well as outdoor walls. The render is suitable for walls made of stone, brickwork, concrete and mud brick.

Acrylic renders are the ideal renders to be chosen because they are one of the most versatile types of rendering that can easily be adapted to suit your particular taste. The way acrylic renders are applied depends on the type of product that is being used. Some acrylics work best when they are trowelled onto a surface while other acrylic renders are better applied when they are rolled on. Acrylic rendering is attractive and it can be applied in a range of ways, allowing different finishes to be achieved on the rendered surface e.g. an acrylic finish that has a smooth texture like concrete or a completely different texture that is not smooth.  Acrylic rendering can also be applied to a range of substrates including painted walls, concrete, timber, fibre cement and so on.  Traditional render simply cannot stick to those surfaces.

 

Note: Before you can apply a render to any building (whether it is an interior or exterior wall), the surface has to be cleaned and repaired:

•  i.e. the dirt has to be washed off, if there is any mould on the surface this should be treated with a fungicide.
• If the building has been rendered in the past, then anything remaining on the surface needs to be removed. I
• f a surface has been painted then the paint also needs to be removed because a render will not take properly on top of paint.

 

A render may be used to disguise hairline cracks in a building’s surface. Renders made from acrylic allow water vapours to pass through between the brick/ stone rendered surface and the atmosphere around the rendered surface. Acrylic is especially good for rendering brickwork because it is resistant to the white salts that can sometimes leak from the bricks.

 

Note: if you want the rendered finish to last and have the expected smooth finish it is advisable to use the services of a professional renderer who has the proper licences and qualifications to render or a professional render who has been recommended by previous clients. This allows you to see the work that they have already completed. A good professional is expected to do the cleaning and preparatory work before any acrylic renders can be applied.