What are the benefits of rendering?

IDEAL HOME’S RESIDENT ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER CHARLIE LUXTON SHARES HIS DESIGN KNOW-HOW

- CHARLIE LUXTON

The use of external plaster or render goes back nearly 10,000 years. Its potential to effortlessly transform a tired old house into something sleek and sophisticated with a few waves of a plasterer’s arm is undoubtedly alluring. Combined with the use of external insulation this transformation can not only be aesthetic, but comfortable and sustainable too. The same benefits also apply to new builds but be warned, render is hard to get right and even harder to keep looking good.

Where many materials soften and look better with age, render rarely does. The moment it’s finished and perfect is when the render is at its best. However this can be avoided by careful design and specification.