Render coats query and a big thank you

[miller44]

Hi Folks

Thanks to this forum I have built and 1st coat rendered a concrete block wall with a water feature in it. The info on here has been indispensable - so thank you to all who have posted.

I was wondering how long you wait between scratch coat and second/final coat - What should the consistency of the final coat be - runnier than the scartch coat?

Gary

 

[roughcaster]

Leave the scratch coat 4 or 5 days or so to dry out and cure. When you're ready to top coat, give the wall a wet down,, let it drain off a while, then put on the top coat. Don't render on a hot sunny day, or at least wait until the sun has moved round a bit,,, you don't want it to dry out before it gets a chance to set and cure. The consistency of the top coat should be more or less the same as the scratch coat. You "don't" want it to be runny. Mixed correctly,,, using a waterproofer/plasticiser, the mix should "stand up",, fluffy,, aerated,, you should be able to stand a shovel upright into it, without it falling over.

 

[Micilin]

Don't render on a hot sunny day,

Excellent advice as usual but -

Obviously when he begins to render, it will start to rain.

 

[roughcaster]

Don't render on a hot sunny day,

Excellent advice as usual but -

Obviously when he begins to render, it will start to rain.

And you could put money on that happening Micilin,,

 

[miller44]

Could I just add that - although I've done/did/had some hard shifts/grafts in my life - rendering that wall with the scratch coat was the hardest shift I've EVER put in. My muscles were screaming the next 2 days. You're managingthe stuff on the hawk and trying to match the thickness of the spread. Toughest work ever.

Cheers

Gary