crack/pockets in render

[hughesey]

hi, noticed a little crack in the render on the rear of my property tonight, seems its swelled out a bit, and a tiny bit of algae or fungi has grown in it as i can see a stem & small leaf or something like that, whats the best way to repair the render.
remove all the loose bits around it then re-render?
its not like proper render, more like a thin render over bricks with a kind of textured finish (not all that good really) - like a cheap skim of render or something then painted same colour as house. any ideas? what mix? thanks in advance.

 

[hughesey]

anyone any idea's? is it best to treat it or anything? or simply just clear all the cr-p and loose bits of render and try and patch it as it is? the surround area's seem pretty much ok.

 

[roughcaster]

It probably is a "cheap" job that was done years ago and is now showing it's age. If you can get the loose areas off without damaging the rest, then all well and good. Give the area/s a good clean down, and make up some 4 to 1 plastering sand and cement with waterproofer/plasticiser added to the mix. Give the brickwork a damp down, then patch the affected areas. If it's that thin, you probably wont have enough depth for two coats, so put the one on, leave it a while, then float or sponge it over to make it look finished. Maybe the "kind of textured finish" you mention might be a "cheapo" kind of tyrolean . Ultimate way for the future,,,, take it all off and have it re-done.

Roughcaster.

 

[hughesey]

hi RC, thanks for posting. gona have a bash this wkend. i took off all the loose bits left me with about a foot square (ish hole). will do as you say, thanks. (would love to bin the whole lot and have it properly done).