Advice for very rough garden wall

[thewoodburner]

I have this very very rough garden wall. I cant pull it down so I just want to tidy it up a bit.
I don't want to get a nice smooth flat finish I just want to fill in some of the voids with some light coloured mortar/render and brighten it up a bit.

My plan is as follows - would appreciate any criticism or helpful tips:-

1. Jetwash to get any loose crap of it.
2. Spray it with a light coat of SBR - the thinking being to make sure whatever I put on sticks.
3. Just work in some mortar mix - maybe a couple of layers for the deeper voids.

My intended mix:-

1 part white cement - I was going to use hydraulic lime but then discovered my local merchant has white cement and I thought there is maybe less chance of me messing up the mix than with lime which I have never mixed. I want a light coloured finish.

4 parts sharp sand - if I apply it in layers in places then each layer should get progressively weaker right?


Some specific questions I have:-

- Is sharp sand ok or should I use soft (mortar) sand? Im not rendering as such (more massive pointing) to thought I should not use plastering sand.
- Should I maybe apply a slurry coat of the mortar after spraying with SBR before the thicker pointing begins?

 

[StephenStephen]

I'm speaking as an amateur here: I'd personally use NHL lime mortar - it's more flexible and easier to use than cement, and won't put a hard more brittle surface over a softer wall construction. It takes longer to go off so you can be more relaxed with it. It also doesn't pump as much CO2 into the atmosphere in its production.
The only downside is that it's a bit more expensive, and it's not always as easy to get hold of.
Don't get confused and use hydrated lime - that's something quite different.
Having said all that - most people just use cement...

 

[thewoodburner]

I'm speaking as an amateur here: I'd personally use NHL lime mortar - it's more flexible and easier to use than cement, and won't put a hard more brittle surface over a softer wall construction. It takes longer to go off so you can be more relaxed with it. It also doesn't pump as much CO2 into the atmosphere in its production.
The only downside is that it's a bit more expensive, and it's not always as easy to get hold of.
Don't get confused and use hydrated lime - that's something quite different.
Having said all that - most people just use cement...

Thanks for the advice.

What sand would you use - I was thinking of using sharp but not sure if it should be softer building sand - or a mix of both?

 

[StephenStephen]

Thanks for the advice.

What sand would you use - I was thinking of using sharp but not sure if it should be softer building sand - or a mix of both?

To be honest it's been a while, and I just can't remember, sorry!