Render

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A superior architectural design pays considerable attention to the facade.

What rendering can be applied to ICF/PIF/Styrostone and how is it applied?
How to timber clad a facade?

When first designing your dream home , you will undoubtedly be concerned with its appearance or what the estate agents call "Kerb Appeal" What sort of finish can be applied to the external walls of an Insulated Concrete Formwork building? The possibilities are endless.

By far , the most popular and economical method for the external finish is to apply a thin coat render system.

There are many reputable suppliers of thin coat render however , as always check that the system has gained either BBA or ETAG accreditation. This ensures that it will have the requisite lifespan to comply for your mortgage provider or that of future prospective purchasers.

Thin coat render systems consist of a proprietary silicone resin thin-coat render. A base coat is applied to the ICF to a thickness of approx 4-6mm. Fibre mesh is bedded into this layer as reinforcement and as a leveller. A finishing coat of silicone render is then applied to this giving a colour and texture to your requirements.

There are a wide variety of colours and textures to choose from, however you are not limited to a render finish. The ICF system can be clad in stone work , brickwork, brick slips(if you are limited for space) or a variety of sheet metal and timber cladding options.

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After 12 years the owner of a styrostone home decided to make a door inside an existing load bearing wall. At the time of construction, simple gypsum had been applied without any mesh to the styrofoam. This video gives you an indication of how well the plaster adheres to the wall even after such a long time. A word of caution, there is no requirement for mesh or primer on the internal walls because the temperature is relatively constant. However externally the temperature can rise and fall dramatically. One day sunshine the next snow there fore there is more chance of thermal expansion. For this reason a primer and mesh should always be used externally.