Textured Wall Coatings: A Hands-On Introduction

Texture is typically associated with touch, yet when it comes to wall coatings for properties, its aesthetic abilities are the reason behind its popularity. A lick of paint to your house generally doesn’t add the rejuvenation you feel it needs, but textured wall coatings can create a completely new look.

Here, we introduce you to these captivating coatings, showing how they’ll transform any home.

Style your home stunning

Textured wall coatings immediately produce a new style, with the flexibility to achieve any particular appearance you may be aiming for. The versatility of textured coatings mean that they can create a rustic effect, making even an urban city home feel like it’s located in the countryside.

Textured rollers can create a fine, stippled coating or a high-build finish, depending on your preferences – meaning it’s also incredibly easy to make your mark on your home and create a bespoke property exterior.

Not only do textured coatings boost kerb appeal, but visitors won’t be able to resist trying out the feel of it either.

Colour your coatings charming

A touch of colour can make the world of difference. Choosing crisp white tones fashion a modern look, and ivories, whites and aquas all portray a rich heritage. Or perhaps you’d like your home to catch the eyes of any passers-by – pastel shades will ensure your home stands out amongst the others.

Natural tones such as grey, rich brown and charcoal can convey a sense of warmth, instantly inviting your guests into your home without needing to say a word. If you desire a more softer appearance, blue will add a refreshing feel to your exterior.

And if you’re aspiring for a completely unique effect, you could use an assortment of colours and tones for something truly one of a kind. Whichever colour you choose, a textured finish will enhance the look.

Ensure your exterior resilience

Style and colour are essential, but your exteriors need to be able to withstand the test of time. From extreme weathers to wear and tear, they’ll need to be resilient to everything imaginable.

Textured coating can not only be aligned to your personal tastes, it is also built with strength in mind. When completed to an immaculate standard, it is one of the toughest materials available and can last up to 30 years.

Whether you think your home exterior needs a striking style, eye-catching colours or the physical fitness factor added, textured wall coatings are the ideal solution. To discuss the best options to suit your property, speak to a member of our team by calling 0800 411 8675 or sending a message to info@mkrendering.co.uk.

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4 Ways To Refresh Home Exteriors In Time For Summer

Summer is fast approaching. Barbeques, garden parties, and simply sitting in the shade are likely to be common activities over the next few months. However, sunrays also shine a light on your home, which can be an issue if the exterior is not in the best state.

If substandard or flawed exteriors make you feel embarrassed when guests visit, revamping your property in time for summer is the ideal solution. There’s numerous ways to enhance your home exteriors, so we’ve put together some options that are sure to add style to your property.


Stone cladding


Whether you want your home to have traditional charm or an allure of modernity, stone cladding can deliver. This material is certain to appease the eyes and is also long-lasting, ensuring your guests will be admiring it for years to come.

The durability of stone cladding definitely meets the standards required, with strength that will protect your home whilst retaining its colour. As well as this, there’s a variety of styles that will bring character to your property.

Pebble dashing

For a more unique and striking appearance, pebble dashing will do the job. It produces a delightful exterior aesthetic of tiny, glimmering stones that will catch the eyes of guests or passers-by.

With a diverse range of design styles available, pebble dashing is certain to create a distinctive look. Additionally, the process for decorating your home with this magnetising effect is speedy and straightforward to perform, providing the right team is behind it.

Textured coating

If any of your exterior walls are uneven, it’s naturally bothersome. Textured coatings are the ideal solution, with maximum strength to last the test of time – perhaps even as long as 30 years.

They’ll also add value to your property, which is perfect if you vision a home move in the future. With an assortment of colour options available, textured coating can give your home the completely new style it needs.

Maintenance and restoration

The issue with your exterior may be that it has lacked adequate maintenance. To combat this, brushing and cleaning services will smooth your walls – whether they need a quick steam-pressured clean or longer multi-purpose solutions to remove debris.

There’s also a selection of other options available to restore your property to peak condition. These include polymer render systems that reduce the chance of cracks or spaces appearing, or pointing which ensures the exterior structure is secured together.

With so many choices that can strengthen the appeal of your exteriors, your home is guaranteed to be refreshed in time for summer. Speak to a member of our team to discuss the best solution for your property by giving us a call on 0800 411 8675 or sending a message to info@mkrendering.co.uk.

 

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Rendering Before Resale: The Perks Of New Wall Coatings When Selling Up

Before putting your home on the market, it’s important to take a long, deep breath and look at the property through an honest lens. Ask yourself: “What changes can I make to get the most money I possibly can from the sale?”

Along with the standard spruce-up where you clean each room from top to bottom, there are also a series of renovations you can make before resale that can enhance your property in more ways than one. Rendering is a perfect case in point – and here’s why…

Bring it into the modern age

Over the years, you might have made several design choices with regards to your property that fall in line with your own specific tastes and old trends… but times change quickly. The best option back then probably isn’t held in quite as high regard now – especially when it comes to wall coatings.

Utilising the latest house rendering techniques before resale can prove to be a smart financial move in the long run, boosting the price of your property so you can list it on the market for a much higher figure than you might have initially anticipated.

Attract more viewings

Improving the exterior of your home, even if it involves a simple specialist clean, is the best way to convince more people to take a look indoors. A house that oozes kerb appeal will get people to notice the ‘For Sale’ sign outside and book a viewing – subsequently increasing your chances of a sale as competition for your property intensifies.

When you have different homebuyers jousting against one another, you may even get more than you asked for – a profit that justifies any extra work you might have had done on your exteriors.

Add strength and stability

High-quality wall coatings don’t just improve the look of your property, they actually add another strong layer to the structure of your home – protecting it from the elements and preventing damage from occurring due to inclement weather conditions.

Damaged exteriors often mean pricey repairs, so any prospective homebuyer will be overjoyed to learn they won’t need to contribute any money towards improving the walls after putting down their deposit. In fact, they may even be willing to pay a little more to secure the house in the first place…

Recruit MK Rendering for your wall coatings

Now that you know about the wide range of benefits that rendering poses for your property, be sure to turn to the very best team in the business to get your wall coatings done. We perform every procedure to the highest possible standards here at MK Rendering, adding aesthetic, structural and financial value to your property for maximum resale results.

Get in touch with our experts today on 0800 4111 8675 for more information. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have about the types of house rendering services we offer, along with prices and work schedules.

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Tips For Heating Your Home Affordably

There’s nothing worse than being huddled up on your sofa, wearing the best part of a
dozen layers, trying to stop your teeth from chattering. Freezing homes are a huge
burden, preventing you from getting your forty winks and even causing you to catch a
cold. But, contrary to popular belief, it’s not a problem that’s too expensive to fix.
There are plenty of ways to pump heat into your home for an affordable price, and
we’ve listed some of the very best below. You’ll soon see that it doesn’t have to cost an
arm and a leg to keep the temperature up after all.

Use the sunshine

When the sun starts shining, open up those curtains and let the light pour in. You never
need to pay a penny for natural heat, so it’s important to make the most of it when you
can. And, given how summer is right around the corner, you should be able to enjoy a
few months’ worth of free warmth.
When the sun starts to dip behind the clouds, however, act quick and draw the curtains.
This will help to keep the heat indoors for longer, meaning you can stay toasty right
through the evenings.

Plug the gaps

One of the main sources of heat loss in the modern home is tiny air holes. These little
openings are the main culprits for sucking warm air out of the house and replacing it
with cold breezes from outdoors – so plugging these gaps can make a huge difference.
Most holes can be sealed easily and effectively with putty and foam. The trickiest bit is
locating them all. Be sure to check recessed lights, windows and doors, and it’s always
worth climbing up to the attic to take a look at any potential holes up there.
Filling-in costs very little, and it won’t take long for you to start noticing the beneficial
effects.

Invest in wall coatings

One of the most effective methods of all for heating a property is hiring a professional to
put wall coatings on your home exteriors.
Scratch render, in particular, is extremely effective at insulating households given its
waterproof, weather-resistant properties, but a rendering expert will be able to
determine the best solution for you.
MK Rendering have been helping homeowners stay toasty through testing times of cold
weather for many years, offering a rendering service that provides properties with an
essential extra layer for maximum insulation.

Speak to a member of our team today by giving us a call on 08000 411 8675 or sending
a message to info@mkrendering.co.uk. We’ll be able to tell you all about the value of
wall coatings such as scratch render and how it can make your property a better place
to live, as well as a nicer one to look at…

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Wall Coatings

The Call For Cladding: Where And How Can It Be Used?

For years, cladding has been used as a cost-effective and time-saving alternative to building a property from the ground up in stone. It’s a popular choice for wall coatings, heightening the aesthetic pull of your home or business venue with a faux-stone finish.

So when might it be used? What functions does it serve, and how do we install cladding safely? MK Rendering have some thoughts on using this material in your next wall coatings project.

‘Lengthen’ the physical space

Traditional cladding options are built vertically, laying the imitation stone in the same manner as brickwork. Modern trends, however, are leaning towards a horizontal style that draws the gaze towards height instead of width. This is useful for buildings that want to emphasise how tall they are.

Angular roofs – those with a thin, industrial dimension – carry the sense of a vertical pattern that keeps reaching towards a single point. Vertical cladding is the complement you need. It is great for a back wall next to a patio area, or the front section of a home that peaks at a slanted rooftop.

Mix colour tones

You might be in a position to play with shading and framing. A dynamic take on home exteriors can use two cladding tones, such as beige and dark grey, to underline a section of the property’s visual appeal.

For instance, you can add cladding around the entrance, using one colour for the top and another at either side of the door. Or instead, the double shades can be placed together for a striped result below the roof shingles. Cladding doesn’t have to be a uniform installation. It can flex and pair up around the surfaces you’re treating.

Deliver a rustic charm

The country-home feel is still popular in towns and cities. Stone seems authentic – even the imitative form, like the sort we provide, has a welcoming quality. Yet a lot of structures lean towards minimalism; the trick is to gain a rustic, homely impression that has space to breathe against plain concrete.

A wall coatings service can cut cladding down to size. The faux-stonework can be laid in thin strips, or put on a single wall facing the garden/outdoor social area, leaving the rest blank. Minimal and rustic combinations are just what you want for a modern, stone-inflected structure.

Always go for the best fire-resistant choice

Recent, high-profile fire hazards – in which poor cladding was to blame – have been a subject of national discussion. We want to remind you, however, that all cladding shouldn’t be tarred with the same brush. Good materials are not compromised by a fire risk. They will resist it, and maintain the structural integrity of your building.

But you’ll only get the right, safe cladding if you ask the supplier for proof. MK Rendering can deliver it to anyone who’s interested in what we do. Our cladding services are ideal for house rendering tasks in the North West of England.

Speak to us for a chat about your needs, preferences and ultimate vision for wall exteriors. There’s so much that cladding can do. Transform your property today by picking up the phone…

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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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