Homeowners looking to invest in render will likely have come across the term 'silicone render' and brands like Nano Drex Silicone Render and Premium Bio Silicone Render alongside many other rendering materials. There are lots of types of render out there, from sand cement render, scratch render, and acrylic render - so what is silicone render? What makes it different from the other renders?
Exterior rendering is a process that aims to provide homes with long-lasting protection and greater resistance against organic growth, weather damage, and dirt. It also works as an external wall insulation system and can help to improve the energy efficiency (and subsequently the energy bills) of a property.
There are a number of different types of render suitable for use on brick walls, render carrier boards, and concrete. Silicone render systems are an example of this and are a great way to protect homes that may be subject to heavy rain and other adverse weather.
Proper use of silicone render can help to keep a home safe from penetrating damp, potentially saving hundreds of pounds!
If you're interested in finding out more about render and how it could benefit your home, contact WeDoRender today for a consultation.
Silicone render is a specific type of render that contains silicone, a rubbery polymer. It is used on the exterior walls of a property. Silicone as a polymer is known for its resistance to high temperatures and comes in a huge range of colours, meaning that it can be used to create coloured render.
It is known as a thin coat render, which means that it is applied on top of a basecoat layer and is applied in thin layers. The top layer of silicone render is usually only a few millimetres thick.
Silicone render is generally considered to be good for use on properties that are in damp and dank climates.
Discover: Is Silicone Render Waterproof
There are plenty of alternatives to silicone render. Each rendered material has its own benefits and negatives. Which render is suitable for you will depend on many factors, such as whether you require self cleaning render, how old your property is, what you have already in place as wall insulation, etc.
The other major render materials include:
The most traditional and cost effective render material that uses multiple layers. Requires a long and labour intensive process to install.
Cost effective and quick, a coloured render that comes with a range of textures.
One of the cheapest renders out there, mineral rendering is breathable but not waterproof.
Especially useful for older properties as it is good at enhancing the natural beauty of a property.
A more costly render material, monocouche is one of the most versatile render materials.
Silicone render has a few key properties that separate it from the other types of render available on the market. These properties make it ideal for damp climates and make it a great choice for homes in the UK where the weather is so unpredictable.
Since the render contains silicone, it boasts:
There are several formulations of silicone render, all of which are highly durable and have many benefits. The exact properties of each formula will depend on several factors and can be checked with the manufacturer.
Acrylic render also has some of these traits but is significantly less rubbery than silicone render. The result of this is that it is less flexible and breathable. This means that silicone render will generally speaking last longer and will look high quality even after a few years outside, subject to all the wonders of the British weather.
Silicone render is quickly overtaking traditional renders. The advanced technology used in creating silicone silicate render simply makes it worth it, even though it isn't always the cheapest option. Many people choose silicone render over other render materials, as the monocouche render and acrylic render finish are great, but they do not offer greater resistance like silicone render does.
Explore: Can You Paint Silicone Render
Generally speaking, as with any DIY project, the costs of silicone render depend on a number of factors. It is not the most cost-effective method of rendering out there, but in comparison to the other types of render, silicone render is worth the money it costs. It has a range of properties not seen in other renders and only requires a thin coat in order to work. In comparison to acrylic renders and monocouche renders, the cost should not put you off!
Costs for silicone renders can vary between £10 and £15 per square metre. You should also consider additional costs for labour if you are hiring a professional to apply silicone render, which is recommended in order to prevent any future issues like a silicone render crack (as these can lead to things like penetrating damp!). Applying any kind of render is a labour intensive and skilled job, and if you want a smooth finish it is definitely worth the additional cost to hire experts in wall insulation and silicone render, like the team at WeDoRender.
It's important to note, though, that these costs are dependent on a number of factors. First of all, the size of your property will have a large impact on the cost of silicone render for your home. Likewise, the state of the walls will also impact the cost. If there is a render finish already present, especially if it is a traditional render like cement render, you may find the cost is higher as the team may need to remove the existing render before they can use the silicone renders. This may also then lead to waste removal costs. If your wall appears to be damaged or damp, be it through existing render or otherwise, you will likely be instructed to repair the damage prior to having silicone render applied. Even premium bio silicone render cannot handle a damaged or structurally damp wall.
You may also find that the brand of silicone render used by the renderers may impact the cost of having silicone render applied to your property. Some more popular brands like Nano Drex Silicone Render may cost more than other, cheaper silicone render brands.
Likewise, if you choose to have coloured render applied to your property, the colour you choose may impact the cost of the render itself and thus the overall price of the job. There is a vast range of colours available when it comes to through coloured silicone finish render, but getting a perfect colour match may take some time and expertise!
Check out: Can You Apply Silicone Render Over Existing Render
For a professional renderer, like the team at WeDoRender, silicone renders offer an easy application process, even if there is an existing render. It is a one-application thin coat render that can be applied to a stable base coat. The base coat is essential for silicone render though, as it creates a strong stable surface for the render to stick to. This base coat can be applied on brick, cement, concrete, or render carrier boards designed to further the hydrophobic qualities of render.
Once the primer application is complete, the silicone render should be applied using a plastic float, and the silicone top coat should only be as thick as the grain size of the silicone render. Due to the nature of silicone render as a thin coat render, it is quick to apply. The thin-coat silicone render can be applied in just a few hours, which is much faster than many other render materials.
When properly applied to a property's exterior by professionals, silicone is one of the longest-lasting render systems. It can provide thermal insulation and make a property's walls more energy-efficient for as long as 25 to 30 years when maintained well.
In some cases, this may be shorter. This usually happens when the silicone silicate render systems have been installed badly or the base coat was not correctly applied to the external walls. Likewise, however, there have been cases where silicone rendering has been known to last up to 50 years. It all depends on external factors such as your climate, location, how well the render was applied, and how well you have maintained the silicone render.
Other render materials, particularly concrete renderings, do not last quite as long.
