Installing a thin coat render system is a process of many stages, so we’ve put together a shopping list of the materials required for rendering onto brickwork so that you know exactly what you need!
1. Priming the Substrate:
A brickwork substrate tends to be very porous, and so it will need priming with the Water Based Primer. We recommend applying this to the substrate by roller or brush. However, if you are rendering onto a very smooth substrate then we recommend applying the EWI-310 Universal Primer, as this contains aggregates which will provide a rough surface for the basecoat to adhere to. Ensuring that your substrate is adequately prepared is essential to ensuring that your render system will last.
Coverage rates:
5 litres covers 15-30m2 depending on the substrate.
Drying times:
1 coat takes 4 hours to dry.
2. Levelling the substrate:
Is the brickwork damaged or very uneven in places? You may want to consider levelling off the surface or filling any cracks using the EWI-269 Lightweight Basecoat. This is a great choice for levelling as it can be applied up to 20mm in one pass so can easily achieve a completely smooth surface for your new render to be applied onto. It is also a lime-based product, so it’s great for use as a substrate leveller because it contains lime, which means that it is incredibly breathable and will allow water vapour to pass through its surface. If your brickwork substrate does not need levelling, then you can skip this stage altogether.
Coverage rates:
At 5mm thick, 5.5kg of dry mix basecoat will cover approximately 1m²
Drying times:
48 hours
3. Applying the Beading:
Beading is essential for reinforcing external areas that are more prone to damage, for example the corners and the areas around windows and doors. The required beads will depend on the property and which particular areas need reinforcing. We have a broad range of render beads that should be selected and applied as necessary, our beads are uPVC and are designed to be embedded within the basecoat layer.
4. Applying the Basecoat:
For render-only systems, we recommend using the EWI-225 Premium Basecoat. This is our strongest and most durable basecoat, proving a vapour-permeable, smooth and strong surface for the render to be applied to. The EWI-225 contains reinforcing fibres within the product, so choosing this product means choosing an increased adhesion and a long-lasting finish.
Coverage rates:
1x25kg bag covers 4.5m2
Drying times:
24-48 hours
5. Embedding the Mesh:
Fibreglass Mesh is embedded within the basecoat for extra reinforcement. This will ensure the system remains crack resistant.
Coverage rates:
1x50m2 roll covers 42.5m2 when overlapped
6. Priming the Basecoat:
A render primer should be used to increase the adhesion of the render to the basecoat, and can be tinted to match the colour of your render for an increased opacity. The type of primer will depend on the type of render you are using. For a Silicone Silicate system, we recommend using the SiSi Render Primer which comes in two different bucket sizes.
Coverage:
1x7L bucket covers 20m2
1x21L bucket covers 60-70m2
Drying times:
12-24 hours
7. Applying the Render Topcoat:
Once the primer is dry, the render topcoat can be applied. We recommend using either the Premium Bio Silicone Render or the Silicone Render. These are both intended for creating a decorative finish; they are through-coloured with grains suspended within the mixture in a range of different sizes to achieve the desired texture. Premium Bio Silicone is our highest performing render, offering advanced self-cleaning capabilities that tackle any signs of organic growth on the substrate, and extra UV resistance for a long-lasting finish. Silicone render, on the other hand, is the ideal choice for a quality finish at great value. Both of these options are vapour permeable and highly flexible, so are ideal for ensuring that there are no problems with damp.
Coverage:
1.0mm grain size: 1x25kg bucket covers c. 10m2
1.5mm grain size: 1x25kg bucket covers c. 7-10m2
Drying times:
24 hours (+)
