Winter products provide a sound solution to the issues posed by the prospect of EWI and rendering during the winter months. Days are short. Limits on time to work plague many projects. However, at EWI Store, we have an extensive range of products to help. Our winter products are highly versatile for adverse weather, and our weather resistant products withstand even the toughest conditions. You can rely on the performance of your façade despite the dropping mercury.
Why do we need winter products?
Render and EWI projects run all year round. However, sites can face a multitude of issues through elements out of their control:
- Low temperatures - Temperatures below 5℃ can cause issues with curing and drying times. Some materials may also be affected at a molecular level and lose their effectiveness. Coatings are vulnerable to washing off before they have a chance to set. This occurs if drying conditions are slow, such as in low temperatures.
- High winds - High winds can cause render to dry out too quickly, which can leave the finished render prone to cracking.
- Rain - Rain can affect sites in two ways. Firstly, work will have to stop due to the wet conditions. The water also affects the consistency of the render, compromising the finish. Incomplete guttering can also cause an issue when rain is persistent. Effective measures to divert water away properly are absolutely crucial. We have written a blog detailing some tips for rendering in the rain!
- Rapid changes in temperatures - The repeated process of cooling and thawing in the winter months can cause hairline cracks on the surface. This occurs when the material expands and contracts. Periods of sunny weather followed by cold spells can result in this.
- Frost - In frosty conditions, work should only proceed where suitable protection is provided by encasing the scaffolding. Raising the temperature with the use of heaters is required, and they must not be pointed directly at the render.
Winter Adhesive
You need a strong base to start any project, and our Winter Adhesive is the perfect solution for the adverse weather. The science behind the product is the inclusion of microfibres. These microfibres enhance the strength of the product, offering increased flexibility. As a result, the product is more resistant to cracking when subjected to lower temperatures, changes in temperature, and frost. The Winter Adhesive works as a both a basecoat within the reinforcement layer, and as an adhesive for fixing EPS insulation. The premier benefit of using EWI-221 is the ability to work in temperatures as low as 0°C. The product also maintains superior performance when mixed; it is highly hydrophobic, frost-proof, and has accelerated drying times. There is scope for year-round use, however, the Winter Adhesive tends to dry too quickly for the basecoat layer in temperatures above 12°C.
Render Accelerator
EWI-020 Render Accelerator is a crucial product in the winter months. The composition of the liquid additive allows it to mix seamlessly with the render of choice, not affecting the thickness. This ensures that the adhesion is not compromised. The primary benefit of the Render Accelerator to accelerate the curing time of our thin coat renders. A 100ml bottle deposited into a 25kg bucket of Silicone Silicate, Silicone, or Acrylic Render cuts drying time in half. Therefore, EWI-020 is an absolutely essential additive in bad weather.
Tarps and downpipes
EWI Store's Tarpaulin Sheet is created from 90 grams of woven polyethylene fabric per square metre that’s a full 10×10 fibre strands per square inch. The triple laminated construction means that this water resistant tarpaulin is extra durable. Also, the tarp sheet has enhanced resistance to water, mildew, tearing and protection against UV radiation. We reinforce the hemmed edges of the tarpaulin sheet with woven rope for added strength even in high stress applications. Extra-thick fabric sections are sewn at the corners of this protective sheet ensure added durability. The heat bonded edges have strong, rust and corrosion resistant aluminium grommets every 1 metre for easy, secure tie-downs.
Furthering the protection against the rain is our temporary downpipes. Made from durable polythene, the tubing is incredibly simple to set up as part of a temporary guttering system to divert water away from your insulation and render installation.
Nano Drex range
We have 3 products in our Nano Drex range; Brick Guard, Render Guard, and Nano Drex Silicone Render. All three work off a similar formula of nano-silicone technology. The Brick and Render Guard is a great way to prevent any biological growth from appearing on existing brick surfaces. In addition, the product also helps to prevent discolouration of the brick after rainfall, ensuring a consistent look to your property regardless of the weather conditions. Finally Nano Drex Brick Guard can also help reduce energy bills and increase the warmth of your property by keeping underlying brick/block walls dry – heat escapes out of damp walls faster than dry walls.
Nano Drex Silicone Render is our premier thin-coat render. The performance is unmatched in many ways; flexibility, breathability, and self-cleaning. Nano Drex offers the best protection against unwanted biological growth, making it extremely popular for installation where the façade is susceptible to biological growth.
To conclude, rendering in the winter months is incredibly difficult. Our winter products offer an advantage and allow you to make use of the limited hours you get on your project.
Give our sales team a call on 02045717492 to discuss the process of working with our winter products! Alternatively, you can access install guides for the products listed here.