Rendering For Fun And Profit

A poor paint job is almost always due to the paint failing to adhere to a dirty, damp or flaky surface, so prepping the exterior prior to painting is the most important part of the job.

Cleaning and rendering the walls will prepare them for a paint job that goes the distance. Applying render does require practice for a quality finish.

You can DIY by hiring a mixer to blend the components, or hire a tradie.

Depending on the surface wanted, you can roll on a render or texture coating, or add a bagged finish.

Lay drop sheets, dampen the wall, then use a hawk render board and steel render trowel to apply the mix.

Work from the top using short, upward strokes to lay the render.

Use a straightedge held vertically to screed the render, working left to right in a sawing motion.

Fill any depressions and smooth the surface again.

Leave for 15 minutes to harden.

Sprinkle the render lightly with water, then smooth the surface using a timber float in a circular motion.

Rub the surface with a flat sponge in a circular motion to smooth.

Before you open the paint tin and pick up a brush, make sure the walls are scraped, clean and ready to go.

Ensuring the exterior is clean, dry and free from grease, grit and oil will create a good surface to which the coats of paint can bond.

Move anything valuable out of harm’s way, and use tarps and drop sheets to cover furniture, appliances and pavers. Cover the lawn and plants with canvas, as plastic can cause them to swelter.

Give the rendered walls a good scrub and clean-down using sugar soap.

If you’re going for a smooth surface, use sandpaper to finish once dry.

Absorbent surfaces, such as masonry or timber, can be saturated by too much water, so use a moisture meter to make sure the surface moisture is less than 15% before painting.

If it’s too moist, the paint will peel and bubble, and you’ll have to scrape it off and start again.

Make sure you have the right equipment.

A wide roller for use along the walls and a good-quality brush for cutting in.

Cheap brushes don’t hold as much paint, meaning you have to frequently revisit the tin.

Melissa left painting the house for a couple of months due to juggling other projects. “Once we decided on the colour, we edged in the wall corners using a brush before starting on the walls. We used a long-napped roller on an extender pole, which helped reach the higher sections,’ says Melissa. “We applied two coats of paint to everything to give good coverage.”

After completing all the renovation jobs inside their home, it was time for Blogger Melissa Darr and husband Bevan (thewhimsicalwife.com) to turn their attention to the outside.

‘We wanted to modernise and give the old brown brick a face lift, so we decided to render. As we were doing the whole house, we called in the professionals for the best result, and learned some great tips,’ says Melissa.

‘You can definitely DIY though, especially if it’s a small area and you want to practice your technique.’

PREPARE The windowsills were removed and the windows were covered with plastic. Plastic edging was glued to all the external edges of the house to create a smooth corner once the render was applied.

RENDER The render was roughly applied and smoothed out, then left to set for an hour before it was gone over again for a super-smooth finish. This process was repeated a second time.

CURE After the second coat of render was applied, the surfaces were allowed to dry overnight.

TOPCOAT A topcoat with a latex finish was chosen, which will allow for slight expansions to occur without cracking. It was left to cure overnight.