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Rendering

Bill Monks
- a practical handbook
 Contents

1 Introduction 2 4 Materials for rendering 10

1.1 Scope 2 4.1 Materials 10

1.2 Definitions 2 4.2 Storage of materials on site 11

2 Building design 3 5 Workmanship 11

2.1 Walls to receive renderings 3

5.1 Planning the work 11
5.2 Preparation of walls to receive
2.2 Building details 3
renderings 11
5.3 Choosing the right designation
3 Specification of renderings 5
of mortar 12
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3.1 Matching mortar mixes with 5.4 Batching and mixing mortar 12
their backgrounds 5
5.5 Applying renderings 13
3.2 Number and thickness of coats 6
5.6 Undercoats 14
3.3 Controlling alignment and
5.7 Rendering onto metal lathing 15
thickness of undercoats 6
5.8 Final coats 15
3.4 Controlling shrinkage 7

3.5 Controlling colour 7

6 References and sources of
3.6 Rendered finishes 7 further information 16

Rendering - a practical handbook

Concrete Society Good Concrete Guide No. 3
Order reference CS116
ISBN 0 946691 62 2
The Concrete Society, 2000

Acknowledgement: Photographs in this Guide were provided by Bill Monks and by the British Cement Association.

Cover photo: Painted roughcast rendering.

Further copies of this publication and information about other Concrete Society publications may be obtained from:

The Concrete Society

Century House, Telford Avenue, Crowthorne,
Berks RG45 6YS.UK
Tel: 01344 466007, Fax: 01344 466008, F- mail: concsoc@concrete.org.uk,
http://www.concrete.org.uk
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in a retrieval system, published, performed in public, adapted, broadcast, transmitted, recorded or reproduced in any
form or by any means, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Inquiries should be addressed to The
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information it may give either in this publication or elsewhere is accurate, no liability or responsibility of any kind
(including liability for negligence) howsoever and from whatsoever cause arising, is accepted in this respect by the
Society, its servants or agents.

Readers should note that all Concrete Society publications are subject to revision from time to time and should
therefore ensure that they are in possession of the latest version.
 Rendering - a practical handbook
Licensed copy: unielon, , 10/12/2009, Uncontrolled Copy, ®The Concrete Society

Bill Monks BA FCIOB FCIArb

Building and Construction Consultant
 1 Introduction
Renderings evolved originally to improve the resis-
tance of buildings to wind-driven rain. They still func-
tion in this way, but they are also used to enhance the
appearance of buildings by providing a range of
finishes that give variety to external walls.
The traditional craft of rendering has changed very
little over the years. Good examples of renderings that
are over a hundred years old are to be found through-
out Europe. Studies of building design and materials
have led to the development of guidance in the form
of a Code of Practice (1) which sets out basic principles
or 'rules' for the specification, materials selection and
workmanship for external renderings. As a result it is
fair to say that renderings which are properly designed
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and properly applied should be as durable as the
structure of a building. When faults occur they are
invariably due to a failure to observe one or more of
these basic rules. Identifying the cause (or causes) of a
defect however is not always easy - for example it may
stem from the use of an unsuitable material - but the
defect may be difficult to rectify and it will always
incur unplanned and unwelcome expense. It is better
therefore to proceed in accordance with the slogan
"Right First Time", on the basis that to get something
right in the first place will always be less expensive
than to have to put it right afterwards.
2
emphases of the sections, but it should be appreciated
that the subjects are inextricably interrelated.
The handbook deals with traditional mortar mixes
based on:
Cement: lime : sand
Masonry cement : sand
Cement : sand with a plasticizer.
It does not deal with the restoration and maintenance
of ancient or historic buildings. Specialist advice on
these should be sought from recognised authorities
such as Ashurst(2).
Proprietary rendering systems, resin-based materials
and other coatings are not considered.
All the materials for rendering are specified in British
Standards, and the authoritative reference on the sub-
ject is the British Standard BS 5262 Code of practice for
external renderings(1).
1.2 Terminology
Rendering is the operation of covering brick or
stonework with a coat of cement mortar or plaster.
The term is also used to describe the coating itself.
Mortar is a mixture of clean, graded sand and
cement, usually with building lime or a plasticizer,
and water sufficient to give a workable consistence.
The freshly mixed mortar is applied or rendered in
a thin layer onto a suitably prepared wall, where it
sets and hardens.
Renderings usually comprise two or three separate
layers or coats. The work of rendering is a skilled
craft carried out by specialist plasterers.
Rendering - a practical handbook
 2.1 Walls to receive renderings
For new work that is to be rendered, the walling mate-
rial - e.g. bricks or blocks - should be specified to be
compatible with the kind of rendering that is required.
A basic principle is that a rendering should not be any
stronger than the material to which it is applied. Thus
a finish such as 'roughcast' (see Section 3.6) which
employs a relatively rich mix would not be suitable
over soft brick or low-strength insulating block. Metal
lathing would have to be used as a carrier for the
rendering (1).

2.2 Building details

At the foot of the wall it is usual to curtail the render-
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ing in line with the damp-proof course (dpc) so that

the dpc is not bridged; this should be at least 150 mm
above finished ground level (Figure 2). The rendering
will be protected effectively at the top if the roof has a
generous overhang (Figure 3). On a gable wall, if the
verge does not project in front of the rendering, it will
be necessary to install a downstand fascia. A 50 mm
overlap at the top of the rendering is a sensible provi-
sion. Gutters and down-pipes must be fitted to sloping
roofs (Figure 4).
Figure I: Dry dash, white calcined flint rendering with slate grey
concrete tile hanging.
Free-standing walls, because they are exposed to the
weather on both sides, are liable to become very wet
The majority of buildings can be rendered success-
fully using conventional materials and processes. Ren-
derings can be used as a finish on their own or in
combination with other materials (Figure I), and they
enable a range of materials to be used in the construc-
tion of the wall; moreover, the rendering should be
essentially maintenance free. The building details have
to be designed to keep rainwater from getting behind
the rendering, particularly at the vulnerable positions
around its edges - at the top and bottom, and around
openings. The remainder of the rendering should not
be affected even by very severe weather.

Figure A- Renderings should he protected by overhangs at verges

and eves.

Figure 2: Renderings near ground level should not bridge the

damp-proof course. Figure 4: The absence of a gutter to the porch roof has allowed the
rendering to become splashed with soil.

Rendering - a practical handbook

3
 (Figure 5). Boundary walls, retaining walls and para-
pets should all be built with ventilated cavities to
promote drying. A coping at the top should project
well clear of the wall and include a generous drip or
throating on both sides; there should be a continuous
dpc under the coping which should project to cover the
top edge of the rendering (Figures 6 and 7). These
details are essential to prevent the wall from becoming
saturated, which can lead to problems with some
common materials (Figure 5). With a saturated back-
ground the rendering becomes vulnerable to damage
from freezing. The backs of parapets should preferably
not be rendered. Chimneys are also best left unrendered.
Figure 5: The rendering to an external, tree-standing wall, cracked by
The location of window and door frames in relation to
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an expansive reaction between soluble sulfate in the bricks and cement

in the mortar joints. The adjacent wall to the outhouses, built with the the outer face of the wall varies according to local
same materials, is not affected. practice. In areas of severe exposure it is usual for the
frame to be located behind the outer leaf (Figure 8),

Figure 6: A coping without a front overhung must include a flashing

to protect the rendering.

Figure 8: The window frame is shielded by the outer leaf, the painted
concrete sill and lintel have throatings to shed rainwater; the Tyrolean
rendering is not painted.

rather than within the thickness of the outer leaf as

commonly found in South-East England (Figure 9).
This is relevant to the treatment of the rendering at
the head and the reveals. If the building is sheltered, a
simple butt joint will suffice, but if the building is
severely exposed it is better to install stainless steel
stop beads, leaving a 6 mm gap to be filled later with a
flexible sealant. Further consideration has to be given
to heads and sills. There should be a projecting feature
to shed rainwater at the head as well as at the sill, with
a throating to prevent water from running back
underneath (Figure 10). Sills should not be rendered;
they should extend into the wall at the reveals (Figure
11). If this is not possible, purpose-made sections
should be fitted to the ends of the sills so that water
from the window area cannot spill over the ends (Fig-
ure 12). This ensures that water is directed away from
Figure 7: Rendered walls without copings may be acceptable in Mediterranean countries but they are
unsuitable in the UK climate. the vulnerable junction.

4
Rendering - a practical handbook
Licensed copy: unielon, , 10/12/2009, Uncontrolled Copy, ®The Concrete Society

Figure 9: In sheltered positions, the window frame may he set towards Figure 11: Sloping, two-course tile sill, built into the window reveals,
the outer face of the wall; the unpainted rendering has a wood-float

figure 10: Sloping protection and throating at head of window. Figure 12: Channel section fitted to the end of the sill to shed rain water
clear of the face of the wall.

3 Specification of renderings

3.1 Matching mortar mixes with their time and having to make sure that a weaker mix is
always used over a stronger one.
backgrounds, exposure and finish
There is a widely held misconception that stronger
In practice, in order to ensure that the rendering mor-
mixes (i.e. those richer in cement) are better than
tar is not'stronger' than the background onto which it
relatively weaker, leaner ones. In fact, rich mixes are
is applied, it is generally safer to choose a designation
quite unsuitable for most situations. A mortar with a
of mortar that will be slightly weaker than the walling
higher cement content will need an increase in water
material. The principle applies equally to each indi-
to maintain a workable mix, and this tends to increase
vidual coat of rendering which should not be stronger
its shrinkage upon drying which increases the risk of
than the one before. This requirement may be satisfied
cracking in the rendering. In extreme cases, the surface
by using the same mix proportions for each coat and
of a low strength walling material can fail in shear,
ensuring that successive coats are several millimetres
induced by shrinkage stresses from a rich mortar.
thinner. Except when rendering over metal lathing,
when the first undercoat should be a strong mix, it is These potential problems are not resolved simply by
more convenient to proceed in this way rather than to choosing a low-strength mix. Apart from the fact that
have mixes of different strengths in use at the same low-strength mortars are liable to be less durable,

5
Rendering - a practical handbook
 finishes such as roughcast and dry dash, which afford Three methods are available to ensure that an ade-
good resistance to rain penetration, are best when quate thickness of undercoat is provided.
made with moderately strong, Designation II mortars; 1 The same mix that is to be used for the undercoat,
whereas wood float, scraped and textured finishes are is used to apply 'grounds' (i.e. strips) of mortar,
better with medium strength, Designation III mortars. vertically at about 2 m centres; these are set
Hence, the need to match the mortar designation with plumb with a straightedge, in line with one
the background, the exposure and the required finish. another, to give an average thickness from the
face of the wall of 12 mm (Figure 13).
3.2 Number and thickness of coats
In areas of the country subject to moderate or shel-
tered exposure conditions, as assessed by the BRE
weather contour maps '•", two coats of rendering com-
ply with normal recommended practice. The actual
thicknesses, particularly of the undercoat, are bound
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to vary because walls are seldom perfectly flat. Any

unevenness in the wall should be taken out within the
thickness of the undercoat, to produce a flat surface in
order that the final coat can be of uniform thickness.
The undercoat should be nominally 12 mm thick; this
provides a tolerance for variations in the alignment
and plumb of the wall surface of ± 4 mm; the actual
thickness could thus vary across the surface from 8 to
16 mm; these are absolute values and should not be
exceeded in any positions. If the wall varies by more
than 8 mm, it will be necessary to dub out any hollow
areas first separately, or to trim back any projections,
before applying the undercoat bearing in mind Figure i j : I'hmtbiug morttir 'grounds' with ti straightedge.

that the final coat is to be of uniform thickness

throughout.
In summary, with two-coat work, the final coat will be
about half as thick as the undercoat and the average
total thickness should be about 18 mm.
Three-coat work is recommended for all exposed
positions in coastal and hilly areas and for any build-
ings not protected by their surroundings from driving
rain. The thickness of the undercoats should be speci-
fied as 12 mm and 9 mm with a similar final coat of
6 mm. The first undercoat will accommodate similar
inaccuracies in the planeness of the wall as with two-
coat work.
Single-coat work should be restricted to proprietary
renderings designed to be used in this way. Their
application is usually confined to specialist firms
approved by the manufacturer, whose advice should
be sought about the specification for each intended
project.
2 Timber battens 10 mm thick , or grounds (Figure
14), with the edges splayed to facilitate their later
removal, are fixed vertically at about 2 m centres,
using masonry pins, with the battens packed out
where necessary to give good alignment and an
average thickness of 12 mm. If the surface of the
wall is locally 'proud' behind the batten, then a
thinner batten (down to 8 mm) will be needed
there. The battens have to be removed when the
mortar has set and so the packing pieces should
be narrower than the batten. The grooves are then
filled with mortar.

3.3 Controlling alignment and

thickness of undercoats
Once a rendering has been applied it is impossible
to determine its thickness except by drilling or by
removing a piece with a disc cutter, which would only
show its thickness in that position. A common fault
with rendering work is the application of undercoats
that are too thin; these are often followed by final coats
of similar or greater thickness. This is in direct contra- Figure 14: Fixing limber 'grounds' to regulate the thubiess oj an
vention of a fundamental principle. undercoat.

6
Rendering - a practical handbook
 3 Two lengths of piano wire are secured tightly
strung across the face of the wall, one near the
bottom and one near the top of the 'lift', about
2 m apart so that they can be spanned by the plas-
terer's straightedge. Spacers at each end are used
to determine the thickness of the undercoat.
Whichever method is used, a check should be made
that adequate thickness can be obtained over the
whole area before the undercoat is applied.

3.4 Controlling shrinkage

In addition to the effect on shrinkage of the fineness of
the sand (as noted in Section 4.1), three factors will
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affect the shrinkage of the final coat:

1 The effect of initial drying shrinkage in the
undercoat will be minimised by allowing the
Figure 15: Pattern staining in an undercoat earned by the variation in absorbency between concrete blocks and undercoat to stand for several days drying before
the mortar joints.
the final coat is applied.
2 The final coat should be as thin as practicable:
6 mm should be regarded as a sensible maximum
thickness rather than a target mean value.
3 Excessive rates of drying of the final coat, either
through high suction in the undercoat or through
a high rate of evaporation in warm dry weather,
should be avoided. The latter will need control-
ling by using a mist spray and by shielding the
wall from the direct heat of the sun for the first
few days after application.

3.5 Controlling colour

Variations in the moisture content or in the absorb-
ency of backgrounds cause variations in the colour of
renderings. A blotchy or shadow effect is likely to
result from applying a rendering over a background
which is made of different materials. Mortar joints
particularly in blockwork will often 'grin through' a
Figure 16 Roughcast rendering divided into panels rendering as a form of pattern staining (Figure 15).
The more absorbent material will give a darker
appearance, and that part of the rendering will also
tend to be slightly more absorbent than lighter areas.
Fortunately, when the undercoat is of adequate thick-
ness, around 12 mm, pattern staining is unlikely to be
reflected through the final coat.

3.6 Rendered finishes

The choice between different finishes is largely one of
personal preference. There are regional influences;
some renderings provide better protection and are
more suited to exposed positions, but an unrestricted
choice may be precluded by the nature or properties of
the walling material, as discussed later.
Roughcast is rough-textured and is thrown or 'cast'
onto the wall, and left untrowelled. The texture is pro-
vided by the aggregate which may be 10 or 14 mm
rounded shingle or angular, crushed rock. The finish is
Figure 17: Dry dash rendering on part of a 2 m square sample panel,the aggregate has been blended to order
also known by the term 'wet dash' because the aggre-
by the supplier. gate is mixed into the mortar (Figure 16).

7
Rendering - a practical handbook
 Dry dash by comparison, uses similar materials, with
the difference that the aggregate is not part of the mix
but is 'dashed' onto the freshly-applied final coat while
this'butter-coat' is still plastic (Figure 17).
The difference between the appearance of the two fin-
ishes is that roughcast is the colour of the cement
mortar paste coating whilst dry dash is predominately
the colour of the chosen aggregate. Descriptions such
as 'pebble dash' and 'spar dash' describe the materials
commonly used. Calcined flint, spar, shingle and gran-
ite are used throughout the UK.
Roughcast and dry dash are not usually prone to
defects and they are unlikely to need any maintenance.
Figure 19: A Tyrolean rendering protected by an overhanging fascia.
However, if at some later date it is decided to paint a
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Figure 18: Detail of the scraped finish texture.

roughcast rendering, the durability of the appearance

will become dependant on the properties of the paint
that is used; it may then require repainting to
maintain a satisfactory appearance at intervals of
between five and twenty years.
Figure 20: A rubbed Tyrolean finish with some of the larger projections
As a generalisation, thrown finishes seem to bond bet- removal by stoning.
ter than trowelled finishes: thrown application proba-
bly reduces the risk of air being entrapped at the
interface between layers. Elsewhere, incidently, the
standard method of application for all renderings is by
throwing, rather than by the method familiar in the
UK, using a hawk and trowel.
The scraped finish is a trowel-applied rendering
where the mortar for the final coat is made with a
gritty sand chosen for its colour. When the mortar has
set, but before it becomes too hard, the surface is
scraped or abraded, with a piece of expanded metal
fixed to a wood-float, or with an old saw blade. This
removes the immediate surface and drags some of the
coarser particles from the matrix while leaving others
exposed. The resulting surface is uniformly textured,
not unlike bush-hammered concrete (Figure 18). Figure -21: Tooled rendering divided into 1.5 m by 1 in panels.

8

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Figure 22: The textured rendering contrasts with the smooth rendered margins to the windows.
figure 23. Painted, textured rendering to semi-detached houses.
Figure 24: Traditional white pargeted finish on a modern building.
Tyrolean renderinghas a textured finish: it is made
with a proprietary, cement-rich, pigmented, workable
mortar. A small quantity at a time is placed in a
portable hand-held container and projected onto the
wall in the form of individual 'drops' from sprung
tines on a rotating spindle. The drops of mortar,
which average from about 3 mm to 8 mm according
to the workability of the wet mix, are dispersed across
the face of the wall to provide a uniform coverage
(Figure 19).
Rubbed Tyrolean si a modification of the above finish
produced by rubbing the hardened Tyrolean with a
carborundum block to give a smooth, flat outer sur-
face with a recessed texture. This gives a finish that
looks different from plain Tyrolean rendering and it
can be useful in places such as corridors where the
rougher texture would be unsuitable (Figure 20).
Travertine rendering resembles the fissured surface
that is characteristic of marble of that name. The fis-
sures are produced by a small quantity of rounded
5 mm aggregate mixed into the mortar, which
becomes trapped under the pressure of the float, and
rolls to form grooves through the thickness of the final
coat. The grooves can be straight or in swirls accord-
ing to the method of trowelling. A similar, but perhaps
less satisfactory, dragged or scored finish can be pro-
duced with a wooden float that has a nail (or several
nails) protruding through.
Tooled renderings are to be found across mainland
Europe, usually in towns, where the finely textured
finishes are similar to those on buildings faced with
dressed stone. Tooled renderings are rare in the UK,
perhaps because of their high labour content or a lack
of experience with the particular finish (Figure 21).
A variety of patterns and textures can be produced in
the surface of a rendering with a trowel or small hand
tool, either during application or immediately after-
wards (Figures 22 and 23).
Alternatively, impressions can be formed in the
freshly-applied rendering with suitably profiled
implements such as the base of a wine bottle or a small
square ribbed block. Such finishes are often used with
pargeting (translated by 'throwing'), familiar in East
Anglia and in other parts of Europe (Figure 24).
Plain trowelled finishes are best produced with a
wooden float which gives the surface a sand-paper
texture (Figure 9). This finish is not recommended
generally, because of its liability to colour 'shading'
and the tendency to craze, as with smoother surfaces.
In practice, the wood float finish cannot be guaran-
teed sufficiently uniform in colour to be acceptable
without painting, particularly where large areas are
involved.
Many plain renderings are intended from the outset to
be painted. A masonry paint should be used over a
wood-float finish. The paint should be one that is per-
meable to moisture vapour so as to allow the surface
to 'breathe'.
9
 4 Materials for rendering
4.1 Materials
Cement
Mortar is normally made with one of the following
cements:
Portland cement to BS 12 (4) strength class 42.5 N
(grey cement, formerly known as ordinary Port-
land cement).
White Portland cement to BS 12 (4), strength class
62.5. The effect of the relatively higher strength of
white cement should be borne in mind when
batching; to compensate for this, a proportion of
the cement (say 25%) could be substituted with an
equal volume of dry hydrated lime.
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Antique white Portland cement to BS 12(4)
strength class 52.5, is an 'off-white' or ivory colour,
with properties between those of white and grey
cements.
'Improved' Portland cement to BS 12 (4), strength
class 32.5 R. This relatively new cement contains a
plasticizer to entrain a small quantity of air (about
7% to 10%) which improves the workability and
cohesiveness of the mortar, and also its frost resis-
tance when it has hardened. Other plasticiers
should not be added to the mortar.
Masonry cement to BS 5224 (l5) is designed to pro-
duce mortar with improved workability and cohe-
siveness by having Portland cement blended with
about 24% of a finely graded inert powder filler
and a plasticizer. When batching mortar, the
amount of sand per batch is reduced compared
with mixes made with other cements, in order to
maintain similar proportions of cement to sand.
Neither lime nor other admixtures should be
included in the mix.
Sulfate-resisting cement to BS 4027 (6) should be
specified for rendering onto clay bricks of cate-
gories MN or FN. Naturally occurring soluble salts
could prove troublesome when used with other
Portland cements if these bricks become saturated
and a low permeability rendering prevents them
from drying (Figure 5). It would also be necessary
for sulfate-resisting cement to be used in building
the wall.
Lime
Dry hydrated lime to BS 890 (7) is used to improve the
workability and cohesiveness of mortar. It tends to
reduce the loss of workability due to suction from the
background and thus makes the mortar easier to
apply. Shrinkage of the mortar on drying is also
reduced and this lessens the risk of crazing. Building
lime is often used with mixes based on Portland
cement but it should not be used with masonry
cement.
A mixture of lime and sand on its own (known as
coarse stuff) is not mortar; it cannot be used without
10
the addition of Portland cement. Its advantage is that
it contains a specified proportion of lime thoroughly
mixed with sand and therefore requires only the addi-
tion of cement and water.
Sand
Sand for rendering should be clean, sharp, well-graded
and comply with the grading given in Table A of
BS 1199 (8). It is perhaps best described as a rather
coarse building sand or a fine concreting sand, being
between the two in terms of particle size or fineness.
One of the most common problems with renderings -
namely that of cracking or crazing - is due to shrink-
age of the mortar which is caused by the use of sand
that is too fine or which contains clay or silt. Such
materials may be popular with operatives because they
make the mortar cohesive or 'buttery' and easy to use,
but fine sands need more water than a coarser sand,
and so the shrinkage will be greater and the mortar
will be weaker. Sand normally used for mortar for
building walls is unlikely to be suitable for rendering.
If a suitable sand cannot be obtained locally, it would
be better to use a fine concreting sand or to mix two
sands thoroughly to produce a better overall grading,
or to bring in a sand from another region.
Admixtures
Plasticizers designed for mortars should comply with
BS 4887: Part 1 (9); they work by entraining air. They
must be added at the prescribed dosage, strictly in
accordance with their manufacturer's published rec-
ommendations. Household or industrial detergents
should not be used as plasticizers; they have a plasti-
cizing effect but they are not intended for this purpose
and the volume, size and distribution of bubbles they
produce is uncontrolled. This can seriously weaken a
mortar and impair its durability. Plasticizers should
not be added to mixes made with masonry cement
or 'improved' Portland cement because they already
contain plasticizers.
Waterproofing admixtures are not recommended for
general use in renderings. This is because renderings
(like brickwork) are designed to absorb some water
when they are exposed to driving rain; a waterproof-
ing admixture in a final coat would tend to prevent
normal drying out. Some plasterers use waterproofing
admixtures in undercoats to facilitate application of
certain finishes such as dry dash (where it helps to
prevent the butter-coat drying too quickly), pargeting
and scraped finishes.
Water
Water for use in mortars must be of drinkable quality.
Pigments
Pigments should be to BS 1014 (10) they are mainly
metallic oxides in the form of fine, inert powder.
Because the powder is difficult to disperse evenly
throughout a batch of mortar, it is recommended that
pigmented mortar is best obtained as a premixed
lime : sand coarse stuff or as a ready-to-use mortar.
Rendering - a practical handbook
 Lathing
Lathing or steel mesh is used to provide a carrier for
renderings over walls that are too uneven or too weak
and friable to support a rendering directly. To ensure
good long-term durability, lathing, mesh, angle bead-
ing and fixings should be austenitic stainless steel to
BS EN 10095 ( l n , although galvanized steel may be
satisfactory in sheltered positions between ground and
first floor levels.
One-coat renderings
There are several proprietary renderings intended to
be applied as a single coat 20 mm or more in thick-
ness. These generally use white cement with a light-
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coloured sand for white rendering and may include a
pigment to give a choice of colour. A mortar plasticizer
in powder form is often included. The material is
supplied dry, in sealed bags; it has to be stored like
5 Workmanship
5.1 Planning the work
Access
Scaffolding should be designed to be independent of
the wall in order to allow clearance for uninterrupted
access for the application of the rendering. The scaf-
folding should of course comply with the provisions
of Health and Safety at Work legislation.
Programme
Ample time should be allowed in the building pro-
gramme to cater for the delay of several days between
successive coats of rendering that is necessary to per-
mit hardening of each layer. At the same time, it is
important to plan so as to avoid discontinuity or
interruption during the course of the application.
Although straight, horizontal or vertical daywork
joints might be acceptable in the undercoat, as they
will generally be completely masked by the final coat,
unplanned joints in the final coat are not acceptable.
Either the whole face has to be 'brought down' in a
continuous operation, or the work has to be divided
into manageable sections with joints in predetermined
specified positions.
Protection
Renderings are essentially thin layers, with a high sur-
face-to-volume ratio; they are particularly prone to
the effects of heavy rain, frost and direct heat from the
sun during the course of the work. Fine plastic mesh
sheeting attached to the scaffolding provides good
Rendering - a practical handbook
bagged cement. The advantages of these materials are
in the careful selection and blending of sands to
achieve a uniform grading with minimum voids,
which limits their shrinkage, and in their accurate
batching of the ingredients by weight.
4.2 Storage of materials on site
Cement and hydrated lime should preferably be stored
in a dry shed in such a way that the oldest stocks can
be used first; failing that they may be stored on pallets,
clear of the ground and covered with a tarpaulin.
An area of hard-standing should be prepared, with a
sloping base for drainage, to store the sand in such a
way that it does not become mixed with soil or other
impurities. Sand for rendering should be stored sepa-
rately from sand for mortar for building walls or for
use in concrete. The stockpile should be covered all the
time when it is not actually being used.
protection from these extremes. Planning and costing
should include their provision.
5.2 Preparation of walls to
receive renderings
Walls must be clean of dust and any contamination.
For new work, a good brushing down is normally all
that may be required by way of preparation. The
surface should be checked for key and suction: that is,
a texture to provide a grip for the rendering, and the
ability to absorb, which may be checked by splashing
the wall with water. It follows that a wall that is satu-
rated from heavy rain will not be in a fit condition to
receive a rendering until it has dried.
Brick walls should be built with the mortar joints
raked back squarely to a depth of 10 mm. Block walls
may have an adequate key in the texture of the block,
but smooth-faced blocks and in situ concrete should
be prepared by abrasive blast treatment or by applying
a stipple (Figure 25) or a spatter-dash, which should
be allowed to harden for a couple of days and then be
checked for adhesion before the undercoat is applied.
A stipple may also be used to reduce high suction, or
variability in suction, and is particularly useful where
the background comprises a mixture of different
materials.
The stipple mix is prepared from cement and sand,
usually in the proportions 1 to 1'J or 1 to 2, mixed with
water and a bonding agent, such as styrene butadiene
rubber (sbr) or an acrylic polymer, to form a slurry.
11
 given a stipple texture. The treated surface should be
protected from drying out for the first day and then it
should be allowed to harden for another day or two
before the rendering undercoat is applied.
The alternative for surfaces that do not readily afford a
key is to use metal lathing. This is the only way to pro-
vide a key for rendering over unsound, friable surfaces.

5.3 Choosing the right designation

of mortar
Tables 1 to 4 describe the mortar designations and the
mix proportions using the full range of materials com-
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monly employed. They are based on the use of clean,

Figure 25: Producing a stippled key on a smooth surface.
The polymer manufacturer's instructions for their use
should be observed. The slurry should be brushed vig-
orously onto the wall to wet the surface thoroughly
and then, with a freshly loaded brush, it should be
well-graded sand complying with BS 1199 (8). Table 5
shows how, by changing the quantity of sand, the
normal range of mortar properties given in Tables 2
to 4 may be retained when poor quality sands have to
be used.

Table 1: Mortar designations, relative strengths, and comparable Table 2: Nominal mortar mix portions by volume
for cement : lime : sand mixes

Designation Description Typical backgrounds Designation Cement : lime : sand

I Strong In situ concrete, engineering bricks, I 1 O to ¼ 3

dense blocks II 1 ½ 4½
II Moderately strong Some facing bricks, calcium silicate 1 1
III 6
bricks
IV 1 2 9
III Medium strength Some common bricks, lightweight
aggregate blocks V 1 3 12
IV Moderately low strength Autoclaved aerated concrete, some
softer bricks
V Low strength Weak bricks, weak stone 5.4 Batching and mixing mortar
When calculating the volume of sand required for a
Table 3: Proportions by volume of (a) lime : sand to produce coarse stuff and
batch, no allowance is made for bulking. The sand is
(b) cement : coarse stuff to produce mortar
assumed to be damp, but not saturated. Sand nor-
mally is damp when it is delivered and its moisture
Designation (a) Coarse stuff (b) Mortar should remain sensibly constant in storage if the
stockpile is covered to protect it from rain and prevent
Lime sand Cement: coarse stuff it from drying out.

I 1 12 Sand may be measured by the bucketful, loosely filled

1: 3
(not tamped) and levelled, or with a purpose-made
II ] 9 1 : 4½ gauge box (Figures 26 and 27). Measuring by the
III 1 6 1: 6 shovelful is simply not acceptable.
IV 1 4¼ 1: 9
Batches should be based on the use of whole bags of
V 1 3 1 : 12
cement and lime that weigh 25 kg. The volume of a
bag of cement is about 17.5 li, but that of a bag of
Table 4: Mortar mix proportions by volume (a) using masonry cement : sand hydrated lime is 35 li!
mixes and (b) using Portland cement : sand mixes with a mortar plasticizer Plasticizers should be dosed carefully to the supplier's
directions.
Designation (a) Masonry cement: (b) Portland cement:
sand sand plus plasticizer Tilting, free-fall mixers are suitable for producing the
workable mortars used for rendering, providing the
II 1 : 3 '/2 1 :4 mixer is maintained in a clean condition and not
III 1:5 1 :6 caked with hardened mortar. The mixing time should
be reasonably constant: two or three minutes should
IV 1 : 6½ 1 :8
be satisfactory. Mortar should not be left turning over

12
Rendering - a practical handbook
 Table 5: Reduced proportions (to cement) by volume of sand for mortars made with sand that is either
slightly finer or slightly coarser than the recommended grading - refer to text

Designation Portland cement, Coarse Masonry cement, Portland cement, sand,

lime, sand mixes stuff sand mixes plasticizer mixes
Table 2 Table 3 (b) Table 4 (a) Table 4 (b)
II 4 4 2'/2 3
III 5 5 4 5
IV 8 8 5'/2 7
V 10 10
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Figure 27: A bottomless gauge box for measuring a batch of sand.

time (Figure 29). Porous materials with high suction

will need a more workable mix whilst materials such
as expanded metal which has no suction at all are best
rendered with a dryer, stiffer mortar.
Figure 26: Measuring sand by tin.' bucketful when making mortar.
5.5 Applying renderings
for long in an unattended mixer because it will be Rendering has to be applied with firm pressure on the
liable to develop a variable (uncontrolled) air content trowel to force the mortar into intimate contact with
which can affect its workability, its appearance and, the wall so that it fills any crevices and interstices in
more seriously, its durability.
Freshly mixed mortar should be discharged from the
mixer and delivered to where it will be used. In aver-
age weather conditions it should be used within a cou-
ple of hours of mixing, but a much shorter time is
appropriate in hot weather and a correspondingly
longer time may be acceptable when it is cold.
Retempering of the mix should be restricted to replac-
ing any water lost by evaporation.
Retarded ready-to-use mortar from a member com-
pany of the Mortar Industry Association, where the
supplier is responsible for batching, is a quality
controlled product (Figure 28). Pigmented mortar or
lime : sand coarse stuff is best obtained ready-mixed,
in order to achieve consistent results.
The workability of the mortar should be adjusted to Figure 28: Ready-mixed, retarded mortar being delivered to skips for
suit the background and the weather conditions at the temporary storage on site.

13
Rendering - a practical handbook
 Figure 31: Ruling the undercoat to thickness.
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Figure 29: The consistence of rendering mortar {on the spot hoard) and its adhesion to the hawk.

the surface (Figure 30). Raked joints for example,

should be completely filled in the process. Throwing
the rendering achieves the same effect by helping to
prevent pockets of air being trapped at the interface.
As noted above, the consistence of the mortar has to
be adjusted to suit the absorbency and the nature of
the surface. Compared with ordinary mortar for
building walls, it is usually slightly stiffer and less
workable. Figure 32: Finishing the undercoat with a plastic float.

5.6 Undercoats then ruled off with a straightedge, working to string

The undercoat should be built up to its full thickness
in at least two consecutive applications over a period
of about half an hour, depending upon the rate of
stiffening, beginning with a very tight first layer
applied with considerable pressure on the float. It is
lines or the 'grounds' which were set in place previ-
ously; any hollows identified in ruling off are filled at
this stage (Figures 31 and 32).
For the majority of final coats, the undercoat is left
with a 'combed' keyed finish, formed when the mortar
has stiffened slightly (Figure 33). The combed grooves
should be in distinct wavy lines that penetrate at least
a third of the thickness of the layer. In addition to pro
viding a key for the next coat, the grooves allow the
layer to shrink in small sections without creating
stresses that could lead to visible cracks and perhaps
debonding or separation from the background.

Figure 30: Applying undercoat between vertical 'grounds'. Figure 33: Combing the undercoat to form a key.

14
Rendering - a practical handbook
 The undercoat should then be allowed to harden. The
strength will be impaired if it dries too quickly; it has
to be kept damp so that the cement and water can
continue to react. In warm dry weather the surface
should be sprayed gently with water occasionally for a
day or two.
When the mortar has hardened it should be allowed to
dry for two or three days; this further delay has to be
built into the programme. It is necessary for drying to
take place in order to provide suction for the next or
final coat. The loss of moisture is accompanied by
shrinkage of the undercoat mortar. Some fine cracks
may develop in the surface, especially if the sand is
rather too fine or the mortar is rich. This should not
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be a serious problem. Much of the shrinkage takes
place during the first few days of drying, and so it is
better to delay the application of the second and final
coats until some of the shrinkage has taken place in
the undercoat rather than to apply a subsequent coat
when its background is still most susceptible to
shrinkage.
5.7 Rendering onto metal lathing
The work should be divided into panels not exceeding
10 m2 and preferably with the length of panels not
more than about 1½ times their width. The risk of
Figure 34 Gulvanized bell-cast edging with plastics nosing.
Figure 35: Movement joint section with protective tape.
Rendering - a practical handbook
cracking in renderings on metal lathing is reduced if
smaller panels are employed. Manufacturers of metal
lathing and ancillary systems (Figures 34, 35 and 36)
provide guidance on the way the lathing should be
fixed. It is important to observe this advice particularly
with respect to tying sheets of lathing at laps within
panels and providing horizontal and vertical joints
where movement can occur.
The lathing should be spaced about 5 mm from the
background to enable the mortar to surround the
lathing completely.
Three-coat rendering should always be used on lath-
ing and mesh. The first undercoat should be mix
designation I or II; its main purpose is to reduce the
flexibility of the lathing so as to provide a firm back-
ground to receive the subsequent coats. They are cho-
sen to suit the finish.
Figure36: Preformed section used in horizontal joints between rendered
panels.
5.8 Final coats
With plain trowelled finishes, the plane surface of the
final coat is produced by the skill and coordination of
the plasterer rather than by reliance on 'grounds' or
spacers. The actual thickness achieved is less critical
than the thickness needed for undercoats which pro-
vide renderings with their protective properties. It is
more important in the final coat to ensure uniformity
of thickness over the whole surface. Some plasterers
prefer to rule off the final coat with a timber straight-
edge; others use a Darby - a long steel blade with two
handles - while some complete the application with a
steel float (Figure 37). The actual application of the
mortar needs to be distinguished from the process of
finishing. Renderings should not be finished with a
steel trowel or float. This would provide a smooth
dense surface that is liable to craze. It is better to
finish the rendering with a wooden float which pro-
duces a characteristic sand-paper texture that is less
likely to craze (Figure 38). A wood float finish is usu-
ally considered sufficiently smooth to accept a masonry
paint where that may be required.
Other finishes, particularly the textured roughcast and
dry dash, are preferred for their appearance, their
durability and their resistance to the weather. In areas
15
Licensed copy: unielon, , 10/12/2009, Uncontrolled Copy, ®The Concrete Society
Figure 37: Applying the final coat to a thickness of about 5 mm. Figure 38: Unpainted, wood. float finish
exposed to moderate or sheltered environments, the
scraped finish, Tyrolean and patterned finishes may be
6 References and sources of further
information
1 BSI. Code of practice for external renderings.
London, BSI. 48pp. BS 5262: 1991.
2 Ashurst ). and Ashurst N. Mortars, plasters and
renders. Aldershot, Gower Technical Press, 1988.
100pp. English Heritage Technical Handbooks.
Practical Building Conservation Series, Vol. 3.
3 Building Research Establishment. The assessment
of wind loads. Part 3: Wind climate in the United
Kingdom. Garston, BRE, 1989. BRK Digest 346.
4 BSI. Specification for Portland cement. London, BSI.
16pp. BS 12: 1996.
5 BSI. Specification for masonry cement. London, BSI,
16pp. BS 5224: 1995.
6 BSI. Specification for sulfate-resisting Portland cement.
London, BSI, 18pp. BS 4027: 1996.
7 BSI. Specification for building limes. London, BSI, 24pp.
BS890: 1995.
8 BSI. Specifications for building sands from natural
sources. London, BSI, 8pp. BS 1199 and 1200: 1976
(1996).
9 BSI. Mortar admixtures. Part I: Specification for air-
entraining (plasticizing) admixtures. London, BSI,
12pp. BS 4887: Part 1: 1986.
10 BSI. Specification for pigments for Portland cement
and Portland cement products. London, RSI, 16pp.
BS 1014: 1975.
11 BSI. Heat resisting steels and nickel alloys. London, BSI,
30pp. BS EN 10095: 1991.
12 Building Research Establishment. Choosing external
rendering. Garston, BRE, 1994. Good Building
Guide 18. 6pp.
16
adopted with advantage. All rendered finishes can be
produced in a range of colours.
13 Monks W. External rendering. Crowthorne, British
Cement Association, 1992. 32pp. Appearance matters
2. ref'47.102.
14 BSI. Workmanship on building sites. Code of practice for
plastering and rendering. London, BSI. 26pp. BS 8000:
Part 10: 1995.
Sources of further information
It may be appreciated there is much more to rendering
than it has been possible to discuss here. For those seeking
further technical information, all the essential points are
covered in the British Standard BS 5262:1991 Code of
practice for external renderings(1). There is also a useful
BRE guide on Choosing external rendering(12) and a BCA
handbook External rendering(13) . BS 8000: Part 10 Work-
manship on building sites. Code of practice for plastering and
rendering'4', may also be consulted. The following organi-
sations will also be able to provide information and advice.
British Cement Association, Century House, Telford
Avenue, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6YS. Tel: 01344
762676, Fax: 01344 761214, www.bca.org.uk.
Building Research Establishment, Garston, Watford,
Herts WD2 7JR. Tel: 01923 664000, Fax: 01923 664010,
www.bre.co.uk.
Concrete Advisory Service, 37 Cowbridge Road,
Pontyclun, South Wales CF72 9EB. Tel: 01443 237210, Fax:
01443 237271.
Mortar Industry Association, 156 Buckingham Palace-
Road, London, SW1W 9TR. Tel: 020 7730 8194, Fax: 020
7730 4355, www.mortar.org.uk.
Rendering - a practical handbook
 THE CONCRETE SOCIETY
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Tel: 01344 466007 Fax: 01344 466008, E-mail: concsoc@concrete.org.uk, http://www.concrete.org.uk
 Rendering - a practical handbook

Bill Monks

Renderings are used to provide buildings with attractive water-resistant

finishes. The technique has been used for many years and in many parts
of Europe. A wide range of effects and colours can be achieved by
careful choice of materials, attention to detail and good workmanship.
Renderings which are properly designed and properly applied should be as
Licensed copy: unielon, , 10/12/2009, Uncontrolled Copy, ®The Concrete Society

durable as the structure of the building.

This handbook sets out the basic principles for achieving attractive, durable
and trouble-free renderings for buildings. Architects, specifiers, building
contractors and site staff will find it an invaluable guide from design right
through to work on site. The handbook is divided into four sections for
convenience: design, specification, materials and workmanship, but in
practice they are inextricably linked.

Bill Monks has recently retired as an independent building and construction

consultant. He has worked for Ove Arup & Partners, and tor the Cement &
Concrete Association. He has special expertise in the appearance and
surface finish of concrete and has written widely on these topics, and is the
author of several of the well-known series of guides Appearance matters.

Good Concrete Guides give concise, 'best practice' guidance on materials,

design and construction.
GCG 1: Guidance on specification, mix design and production of concrete
for industrial floors
GCG 2: Pumping concrete
GCG 3: Rendering - a practical handbook

ISBN 0 946691 62 2
Order reference CS116

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