When thinking about redecorating the exterior of your property, coloured paint is often the first thing people think of as opposed to coloured render. In fact, many people aren’t aware of how the two differ. So which is better - coloured render or coloured paint? We’re going to take a look at both to determine which one is the best choice. If you're looking for an in-depth comparison, you can also check out our dedicated blog posts 'The best masonry paint? Silicone paint' and 'What is Silicone Render?' for full detail!
What is coloured render?
Coloured render is a fairly specific type of render. It goes by many names, whether it’s a thin coat render, silicone render or one coat render - they all essentially mean the same thing. Coloured render is a type of render that can be tinted to create any shade. It comes ready-mixed in a bucket, ready to apply to a substrate. It’s applied in a very thin layer on top of a flexible basecoat to achieve a finish that will remain crack-free for years to come. Thin coat renders offer the amazing advantage of being incredibly flexible. They are also very sturdy, so crack resistance is massively increased.
There are many different types of coloured renders available on the market, the most common being Silicone and Acrylic Render. Often people think of K-Rend when it comes to Silicone Render. However there are many manufacturers of silicone render, all of varying qualities.
Silicone Render has taken the render industry by storm and is now really popular with property owners because of its self cleaning capabilities. It looks newer for longer, which is pretty important when it comes to making sure your coloured render. It’s also a really great option because it is highly breathable and vapour permeable. It is therefore great for a range of substrates, including older buildings, due to the fact that it works towards preventing water ingress.
Acrylic Render on the other hand is also well-known when it comes to coloured render because it holds onto colour pigment really well, creating bright and vibrant render finishes that are resistant to UV. Acrylic Render lacks the breathability and self cleaning capabilities of the silicone. However, it is impact resistant so is ideal for those who live with kids or in an area where your render is at high risk of being knocked.
What is coloured paint?
Coloured paint is any form of paint tinted to a certain colour. At EWI Store, we offer Silicone Paint which offers some of the excellent benefits that Silicone Render does. In particular, the hydrophobic quality is a great benefit as it allows for internal and external use. Silicone Paint comes into its own in the winter as part of the Mineral Render system. Mineral Render is inherently not hydrophobic. Therefore, Silicone Paint is the ideal product to seal in the system and ensure that there is no water ingress.
At EWI Store, we also stock Premium Bio Silicone Paint which is actively resistant to biological growth. As a result, it can be highly beneficial in an area of increased vegetation.
As both render and paint can be tinted, it is crucial that they retain the colour tint. Special additives in the products ensure that they are more resistant to UV rays. UV rays have an adverse effect on the colour particles in render and paint and can denature them to the point of losing their vibrancy. UV-A rays will dry out the render or paint and cause it to crack, whilst UV-B rays are responsible for colour fading.
Why is render better than paint
Because coloured render can offer all of the aforementioned benefits, using coloured paint on its own pales in comparison. When using just coloured paint as a standalone finish, you’re more likely to see hairline cracks develop within the paint which can really damage its overall appearance - this is purely because it lacks the strength that a render possesses. Although coloured render is more expensive, we always recommend using it because it is a longer term solution.
Nevertheless, coloured paint does have its place. Our Silicone Paint is ideal for refreshing the external appearance of an existing render. It can be tinted to create any shade, so is ideal if you have an existing EWI Pro render as we can easily match the colours up for you. It's also hydrophobic, so will go the extra mile when it comes to reducing water ingress.