The house rendering has a direct impact on the aesthetics of the exterior wall. However, it is endangered by several external factors that can adversely affect its appearance and thus reduce the visual value of the entire building. Fortunately, there are several effective ways to extend the life of the house rendering.
Why is the appearance of a building important?
A thoughtfully designed facade determines the building’s aesthetics, and long-term building protection from hazards leads to accelerated house brick wall degradation. The external rendering system should therefore stand out resistance to UV and atmospheric factors (from several-degree frosts to unearthly heat).
Render resistance vs. durability
Resistance to external factors (mechanical damage, weather conditions, and dirt) affects our house rendering and external wall insulation durability. Unfortunately, no one is equally resistant to all of them. Acrylic house rendering is the most resistant to mechanical damage, mineral render is the least, and silicate and silicone render rank in the middle. Acrylic and polymer render work best in the rain, while silicate and mineral or traditional rendering are less resistant.
The sun harms silicone and mineral the least, while acrylic the most. On the other hand, the low temperature has the minimum impact on minerals and the greatest on acrylic and silicone plasters. Silicone house render is the most resistant to dirt; silicates and minerals are slightly worse in this regard, and acrylic render is the least resistant.
In our climate zone, it is also necessary to ensure the plaster’s resistance to biological corrosion, which we can achieve by adding a biologically active preparation that prevents the growth of algae and fungi. Otherwise, our external walls will be covered with a gray-green tarnish, destroying subsequent layers of the facade.
External render texture vs. durability
Structural effects are crucial for the external render’s durability – the smoother the surface, the worse it transmits stresses, and cracks form more easily. The rougher the surface, the less this danger is. So super-smooth renders are not good candidates. Among the render textures, the most popular are rough lambda and grooved woodworm. There is an opinion that a smooth surface collects less dirt. That is not entirely true. There may be less dirt, but you can see it faster.
Color vs. durability of exterior walls
The durability of rendering materials’ color is directly proportional to their brightness. The lighter the color, the more vibrant it is, while the darker and more intense it is, the faster the color loss process. A darker solid wall heats up more and reaches a higher temperature, which accelerates the fading of the color and causes thermal stress, which leads to thermal cracks.
How to extend the life of house rendering?
Today’s technology offers us different variants adapted to our financial capabilities and the microclimate of our immediate vicinity. Of course, we are only human. So if we see cheaper and more expensive external rendering assuring resistance for years, we are tempted to buy the cheaper ones. However, it is also worth remembering to clean and maintain our external rendering.
First of all, we should prevent permanent dirty, the development of microorganisms, and significant damage (ongoing repairs to the small ones will prevent this). It is also important to take care of the proper condition of water drainage systems (gutters, downpipes), as water stains can create a good breeding ground for fungi and algae, which, in turn, can lead to chipping and flaking of the solid walls.
A way to prolong the life of house rendering is also to paint it (one coat of the paint of the rendering color is especially recommended for mineral and silicate render, as it allows better color retention). However, always choose the right paint for the render type, as a wrong choice can harm it. Acrylic paints (available in a wide range of colors) can only be used on acrylic and mineral renders, silicate paints on silicate and mineral render, and silicone paints on all types of renders.
