Signs Your Wall Coatings Need Replacing

Wall coatings don’t last forever, especially if they weren’t of great quality to begin with. Over time, home exteriors can succumb to wear and tear caused by inclement weather. When your walls start looking a little worn, it’s worth considering a new type of coating for your property.

Our team have been helping homeowners keep their properties in prime condition for many years. During this time, we’ve developed a sixth sense for warning signs when it comes to exteriors. We’d like to share this information with you so you can change your wall coatings at the right time – with minimal complications. Here’s what you should look out for…

Peeling and cracking

When the property wall is coming away at various points, or you’re beginning to see some flaking, it’s time to get started on fitting a new wall coating ASAP. The sooner peeling and cracking is fixed, the better – it prevents further snags occurring later down the line.
Very occasionally, exteriors can begin to disintegrate due to foundational flaws that may need correcting. MK Rendering will be able to help you identify the cause (and provide an appropriate solution) after examining your property.

Fading colour

Over time, you may find that your wall coatings begin to look a little less lively than they once did. Fading colours and patterns have a habit of creeping up on homeowners, and it usually takes a neighbour or relative to point out the drained hues before you notice them. If your home is sporting a tired look, it’s time to replace the wall coatings. Our experts can restyle any property, installing a superb exterior that suits your tastes and needs.

A change in attitude

You should never have to settle for anything less than a property you’re truly proud of – and a handsome exterior can play a huge role in how good a place looks. If your home seems uninspired whenever you pull up on the driveway, it’s time to change the exterior.
Fix up your property for an affordable price with MK Rendering. We can replace dull wall coatings with fresh layers in a prompt, professional manner with minimal fuss.

Choose MK Rendering for wall coatings

MK Rendering provide the best house rendering services in the North of England, supplying a wide variety of wall coatings for all types of home exteriors – from pebble dashing to scratch render and spray render. Get in touch with our team today for more information on how we can refresh your wall coatings. You can reach us by phone on 0800 411 8675, or you can leave a message by sending an email to info@mkrendering.co.uk. Let’s get started on shaping up that exterior.

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Machine Spray Render Vs. Traditional House Rendering

Wall coatings say a lot about the structure they’re added to. Like a pair of favourite clothes, they guard a building’s visual and physical integrity over time. Yet, in the same sense, they can fall into disrepair too. Choosing a new coating for home exteriors is as natural as re-kitting a wardrobe that no longer suits your style or figure.

There are two main options – a machine spray render finish or a regular, hand-led house rendering technique. Both have their plus points. One, however, may be better for you, so MK Rendering would like to explain the ins and outs of each…

The perks of traditional house rendering

We’ll start with the old-fashioned approach: a hand, a brush and a pair of overalls. House rendering has been active for many, many decades before 21st century tools came into force. It allows for a smooth touch that can make avoiding shingles, windows, eaves and wall features a lot easier.

By doing it manually, you can get a finer, more accurate distribution of rendering mix across the property. There is far less of a chance that a spotless part of the exterior will be hit with rendering solution by accident. Such marks can be cleaned, of course, but it takes further effort to do so. This is also true of hard-to-reach areas, such as the underside of a strangely shaped roof, that aim to limit splashback on the slate and guttering, or perhaps even a weathervane above.

However, there is a drawback: hand-led rendering takes many hours. It can extend the project for most of the day, and (ideally) a home rendering task has to be done in a single sitting so the solution can dry and set seamlessly. For this reason, it’s wise to hire professional help.

Where machine spray render comes into focus

For speed and blanket render finishes, we opt for the machine spray render – basically, a tool that swallows the render material, mixes it, and sends it through a pressurised nozzle for application.

Huge wall sections can be treated in a fraction of the time of a hand-crafted task. When hiring a rendering team, this may be important to you i.e. to have minimum disruption to your day. In addition, there’s still a high degree of accuracy in the machine, especially when operated by an expert. Those long straight lines – the standard treatment process for spray renders – will fuse into a thick, uniform coat of home rendering effects.

The only downside might be that, for best results, fascias, gutters and wall features will have to be taken off and/or replaced. The spray rendering technique isn’t quite as subtle as the original method. Hands can twist a brush to apply a very careful stroke to the exterior; spray machines just aren’t that flexible.

In either case, MK Rendering will guide you to a choice that works for your home, the material desired, and the extent of the task. We’ve treated hundreds of properties in the UK to date – there’s no reason why you can’t join our roll call of satisfied customers!

Spray render and traditional house rendering techniques are both within the grasp of our wall coatings experts. Contact the team to request a free quote for your property today.

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What Is Scratch Render, Exactly?

After settling on a suitable look for your property exterior, you need to track down the technique required to achieve the desired effect. MK Rendering have the tools, knowledge and expertise to apply a wide variety of house rendering procedures – and scratch render is one of our most popular of all.

Listed below is everything you needed to know about scratch rendering, including how this render is created and why it can benefit the appearance of home exteriors.

What does scratch render look like and how is it made?

 To create scratch render solution, silicone and cement elements are stirred together in a mixing pot. The solution is left to sit for a period of time before being applied to the house and then attributed with ‘scratches’ using a nail float (or similar tool).

The solution is different in appearance depending on the type of colour the homeowner has chosen. Scratch render is available in a multitude of styles and colour effects, although the nature of the application method rarely changes. The texture of the final finish is reminiscent of weathered stone.

What are the benefits of scratch render?

 Perhaps scratch render’s greatest asset is the way in which it maintains its appearance, integrity and tone. Even the most troublesome weather takes a long time to wear down scratch render. Plus, if the colour begins to fade, it can be powerwashed to its original state with relative ease.

What’s more, scratch render is widely regarded as one of the better materials for keeping homes warm and dry, possessing hardwearing and waterproof properties that ensure excellent insulation.

It can be applied in rapid fashion by a house rendering professional, and the overall cost and finish of the service offers value for money when compared to DIY alternatives. The effect is a visually appealing one, and usually increases the kerb value of the property.

 Is scratch render a good choice for my home?

We recommend this house rendering service for anyone:

  • Operating on tight time and budget restrictions
  • Looking to add value to the property for a future sale
  • Seeking a “stand-out” effect that differentiates the property from others
  • Wanting to improve insulation in the home
  • Desiring a natural-looking finish

Scratch render services with MK Rendering

When you choose MK Rendering for any improvement to home exteriors, you’ll have the luxury of being able to choose from a diverse selection of colours, tones and finishes – meaning there’s an option for you no matter what your tastes may be.

If scratch render sounds like the perfect remedy for patching up your property walls, give MK Rendering a call today on 08004118675 or send a message to info@mkrendering.co.uk. Our house rendering specialists will be able to answer all your questions and show you exactly how these wall coatings might look on your residence, helping you decide whether it’s the right way to go.

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Pebble Dash
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The Benefits Of Pebble Dashing For Your Property

There are numerous finishes available for home exteriors, but pebble dashing is one of the most noticeable. You’re likely to be familiar with the appearance even if the name doesn’t necessarily ring a bell. Indeed, thousands of properties all over Britain wear pebble dashing with pride.

There are several advantages to choosing this exterior finish above others. Here, MK Rendering take a magnifying glass to one of the UK’s most prominent wall coatings to show you why it’s often such a good choice.

What is pebble dashing?

Pebble dashing gives home exteriors a bumpy, shiny glimmer – appearing as though the walls were pressed together carefully with a selection of tiny, twinkling jewels.

In order to realise this distinctive finish, the applicator stirs sand, gravel, pebbles and even shells with quicklime. This is then packed into a spraying machine – which allows the process to be completed in fast, effortless fashion.

Why is pebble dashing so popular?

Pebble dashing is present across the country because of its unique ability to help a property standout. No two finishes are ever exactly the same, and homeowners can often select the specific types of tones they’d like to see.

 

A combination of colours can be chosen, offering residents complete freedom in terms of design style and appearance. The mottled, bumpy, glimmering effect is present in every application, but the colours radiating from the wall coating can be customised according to the homeowner’s individual preferences.

Another reason pebble dashing has taken the UK by storm is that it guarantees incredible value for money. When you choose a wall coatings professional to complete pebble dashing to a high standard, you’ll find that this finish will endure for many years. It takes a considerable amount of time to lose its attractive appearance.

Is pebble dashing right for me?

Whilst some people love pebble dashing purely for its eye-catching visual and textural appearance, pebble dashing actually has a number of physical benefits, too.

These include:

  • Quick and easy application
  • A mottled effect that’s quite different to any other finish
  • A strong sense of character
  • Plenty of selection in terms of tones
  • Quality material that stands the test of time

To get the most out of pebble dashing, it’s vital to enlist the support of experts in home exteriors. At MK Rendering, we’ve been performing this procedure for decades, and we know exactly what it takes to apply a fine finish that will boost the kerb appeal of your property.

For more information about pebble dashing or wall coatings in general, get in touch with our team. We’d be happy to provide you with a completely free, no-obligation quote for our pebble dashing services, and we guarantee to complete all work to a terrific standard.

If you have any questions, call 08004118675 or email info@mkrendering.co.uk today.

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4 Of The Best Wall Coatings For Home Exteriors

Wall coatings come in so many guises. Depending on the structure, they can meet a variety of purposes and help you achieve a desired finish for your property. But with so many options available, it can be hard to narrow them down.

It’s wise to think carefully before choosing your next wall coating for home exteriors. But without a sense of what they represent, you’re going in blind. Let us explain what the top four options are, in our opinion, for your coating requirements.

1. Material rendering

It’s simple, colourful and cost-effective for large surface areas. ‘Rendering’ stands for a mix of several stones or natural elements, which is then applied to home exteriors in almost any pigment you can think of. There are numerous subsets, including polymer (great for weatherproofing), cement (very affordable) and scratch rendering (whereby textural features are carved into the surface).

These wall coatings can be applied by hand, or sprayed over broad areas using a specialised machine. Both have their advantages: there’s more scope for subtle details in the hand-led application, but the timesaving qualities of a machine spray render are hard to beat.

2. Textured wall coatings

Some buildings have a non-uniform set of walls – those that’re uneven, either deliberately or due to the effects of age. Textured coatings stay kind to these characterful traits i.e. bumps, contusions, grooves and strange curves in the architecture.

In essence, they’re designed for multi-textural wall spaces. And again, they can be applied via a skilled pair of hands, or a spray functionality that can find those hard-to-reach corners on your property.

3. Stone cladding

Home exteriors may want to add new features to the materials they were built from. This is where cladding enters the conversation, giving the appearance of stone slabs or brickwork where it’ll have a lasting visual impact. You can choose to be judicious with stone cladding and use it sparingly, or go for broke on a property-wide revamp.

The faux stone itself can be mixed to look exactly as you wish it to. Faded, washed-out, slate and sandy impressions are just some of the finishes you can request from a stone cladding service.

4. Pebble dashing

This style was incredibly popular in the 1930s and 40s, but it’s been around for a very long time, and has come back into vogue in recent decades. Today, it has reached high levels of artistry for home exteriors in the UK.

Pebble dashing seeks to imitate a glimmering, multi-coloured set of minerals. Really, though, it’s a blend of quicklime and sand, which aligns for a knobbly surface layer. It’s spread evenly on the wall so the pebbles get a chance to shine across the whole of your structure.

By now, you have a clearer picture of which wall coatings may be suited to an upcoming project. All that’s left is to contact an experienced team like MK Rendering for the work ahead. We can tell you anything else you want to know about coating options – just get in touch, or explore our website for further inspiration.

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How To Choose The Right Material For House Rendering

We have to make sure our homes look and hold up exceptionally well over the years. From an exterior perspective, house rendering is the technique for treating both of these qualities when they’re due for a touch-up. Yet, beyond this solution, there are several types of house rendering materials, each of which splinter into their own set of benefits.

So how do you choose the right material for the task? Here, we analyse the full sweep of rendering bases, and why they might be suitable for your property.

Cement

This is the perfect starting point, since cement home exteriors are the most widespread and easily applicable. Traditionally it’s made up of six parts sand/one part cement/one part limestone, the last of which makes it more malleable.

Cement rendering can be coloured in the mixing process, turning your structure pink, orange, yellow, pastel blue or any shade you can reasonably ask for. Adhesion is generally good, but your rendering service will still need to strip away any dirt or grime from the wall before they begin.

Polymers & acrylics

More advanced forms of rendering have embraced other, synthetic materials. These include silicones, acrylics and crack fibres, which enhance colour consistency over several decades. They’re also good for weatherproofing – if your property is regularly exposed to harsh wind, snow or rain, polymer render systems are the main choice to combat it.

Furthermore, they’re less prone to being damaged from a heavy impact, such as a thrown stone or kicked ball in the garden.

Scratch materials

You get a little from both of our previous bases in a scratch render, which combines silicone and cement elements. That means you have an easily-applied, reliable surface that’s able to let the wall ‘breathe’, allowing some moisture through to the under-layer.

In real terms, you get a home that’s fairly safe from the build-up of damp and mould, yet doesn’t constrict the wall itself too heavily, maintaining its ability to evacuate air and moisture from the inside of the property. If this doesn’t happen, then the interior may become slightly stale and musty. Go for scratch materials if you want an all-rounder that doesn’t lean too heavily in either direction.

Monocouche

The very latest house rendering material is called monocouche – a French term for ‘single layer.’ Unlike the other bases on our list, it’s far less labour-intensive, so you can push for a structure-wide rendering application in a fraction of the time.

That ‘single coat’ quality is the main reason why: each level of monocouche is typically 15mm thick. A hand-trowel coating can give you the same results as a machine spray for other materials in our roster, during a comparable treatment period. This is offset by price, but remember that the investment will pay off, as you won’t need to re-touch it again if you’re planning on staying at your property for a number of years.

Hopefully we’ve scratched away any mystery surrounding house rendering, depending on the property you’re seeing to. However, don’t make any rash decisions – call MK Rendering today for your ideal wall coatings partner. We’ll come to understand you and your requirements before we embark on any domestic project in the UK.

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