Bellcast beading - Why not timber?

[Biglou]

Hello again to everyone!

Heres the question. Bellcast beading is used at the bottom of rendered walls to give it a nice tidy finish and to give the water running off the wall something to drip off to protect the wall(correct me if im wrong).

Cant you just nail a length of lath or other timber across the bottom of the wall, render up to it and then remove it afterwards? (i dont mean render out the full 12mm or whatever depth your timber is. I mean just use it as a straight edge to work to).

Or is this best avoided? I just thought of the question when reading up about bellcast beading! (on this forum of course). Can it be done?!

Thanks to everyone who contributes!

 

[Chukka63]

it can be done but why bother with all that hassle.more chance of the bottom edge breaking off too.

 

[Micilin]

Use timbers if you can, cheaper, easier to get straight, can be re used. Only place you can't is onto lead flashing etc

Patent reveals, quions ,bands etc all better by far with timber.

Use mould oil if you can (not needed for drips, but essential for ashlar) , and 'nib out' with the scratch coat.

 

[roy c]

I always put 2"x1" batten under my bell beads when I set them on to keep them straight and take them off after the muck has set...

 

[Alastairreid]

Cant you just nail a length of lath or other timber across the bottom of the wall, render up to it and then remove it afterwards?

back of my van is never without a load of straight edges for setting arrises, bellcasts etc.

 

[joe-90]

I always put 2"x1" batten under my bell beads when I set them on to keep them straight and take them off after the muck has set...

I'd like to see a photo of your bell end Roy.

 

[Biglou]

Well thanks for all the good replies guys.

So it is possible then to not use bell beads and just a length of timber to work too instead? Then remove it afterwards?

Or should you always use a bell bead for good results?

Thanks to everyone

 

[1john]

a bell bead does provide a drip edge where the outermost edge is the lowest point, where as with the timber method the water could collect on the bottom of the rendering and come back to the wall.

 

[Biglou]

Thanks 1john and everyone who has contributed.

A bellend bead seems the way to go then.

 

[roughcaster]

a bell bead does provide a drip edge where the outermost edge is the lowest point, where as with the timber method the water could collect on the bottom of the rendering and come back to the wall.

and a neater, much stronger finish.

 

[roy c]

I always put 2"x1" batten under my bell beads when I set them on to keep them straight and take them off after the muck has set...

I'd like to see a photo of your bell end Roy.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!