Render over Render or just smooth it out?

[mj62mj62]

Hello!

I'm a DIY newbie, thank you in advance for your help and patience.

The house had water coming in, apparently through cracks in the exterior render.

Their fix was to render all of the exterior rather than just to fill the cracks. I don't believe they took the existing render off, but I wasn't there when they did the work either.

They're done now, and our exterior walls are all bumpy instead of the smooth walls they were previously


I'm trying hard to understand, but they basically said that they had no choice to make it bumpy and that it's too risky to remove all the render and re-do it smooth because they don't know if the underlying walls will move.

He spoke for 20 minutes and I still don't get it. Something about smooth would have just cracked anyway - which suggests I did have a choice.

Does this make sense to you? I don't like the bumpy - but obviously I'd choose bumpy and dry over damp and smooth. I just need to know if he's pulling a fast one and trying to get out of the fact that he should have asked me what style I wanted...

Regardless of that, do I have any options for making it smooth? If I now have render on top of other render, then i doubt i can put even more render on top of that?

Thanks!

Pic:

Untitled

• mj62mj62
• 28 Jan 2010
• 1

 

[mj62mj62]

ignore the colour shading in the photo - that's just my phone

 

[Burnerman]

It looks like you have a Tyrolean flicker finish to your walls - believe me this is an excellent water resistant finish that holds masonry paint well too.
I hope that your contractor removed any 'blown' render before making good.
As for 'underlying walls moving' - thats a laugh.....maybe they meant that they didn't want to impact the brickwork needlesly when removing the existing render.
The bumpy finish repels rain water better than smooth painted render, and its certainly the finish I prefer. Your walls look well!
John

 

[roughcaster]

He's given you a tyrolean finish. Maybe, because you weren't there, they just repaired the cracks in the original render, and tyroleaned the walls over, who knows. It would be a bit chancy now to re-render on top of what's there.

 

[mj62mj62]

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.

Is it true then that to re-do it in smooth finish, they'd have to take off all the render down to the brick and re-do it from scratch?

Is there really a lot of risk in doing that? (not to mention cost! )

Of course now, lol, I'm a bit torn now between not wanting this look and the new knowledge that it's an excellent water repellent, etc...

 

[Burnerman]

To render on top of the existing finish coat would really be a no - no as there would be no guarantee that the extra coat would adhere permanently - therefore, if you insist on a smooth finish then back to brickwork would be the ideal.
What you have here is a good, weather resistant finish - used often in the Lake District, and they should know.....personally I think it looks good, and covers minor indescretions on the wall surface that smooth render doesn't.
John

 

[roughcaster]

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

Is it true then that to re-do it in smooth finish, they'd have to take off all the render down to the brick and re-do it from scratch?

Is there really a lot of risk in doing that? (not to mention cost! )

Taking any wall coating back to brick/block has to be done with care, to save any damage being caused to the walls. Maybe they didn't want to do that. I agree with B/man, it looks a tidy job. If you did want to go back to a smooth render, starting from scratch would be the best option,, because coat, upon coat, upon coat, adds up to a lot of weight overall.

 

[mj62mj62]

Again - Thank you very very much. This really helps me know it's the right thing and it's also nice to know they have done good work. Cheers!