Exterior Rendering and Facade Plastering

What is exterior rendering?

Exterior rendering is a layer of plaster on the outside of your wall: cement-based, smooth or lightly textured, and built to handle wind, rain and frost. In the Netherlands it’s called gevelstuc, or stucwerk buiten. I apply it to new brickwork or sand-lime block, and to existing render that has weathered and needs replacing.

The difference with interior plastering is in the material and the build-up. Inside, a plaster layer can stay thin and fine, because there’s no rain, frost or sun hitting it. Outside, the layer has to be thicker, bond well to the wall, and stop moisture getting in. That’s why I finish a facade with a different mix than a living room wall, even when the end result looks the same: flat, even, no rough patches.

Exterior rendering can cover a whole house, one wall, or just the damaged part. A lot of clients want an old, uneven facade rendered smooth in one go, for example before selling the house, or simply because the wall is overdue for it.

I’ve done this work, like all my plastering, for almost 20 years in the trade. My company is called Sterk Stukadoor, Dutch for “strong plasterer”, and I’m Osman, the one who actually turns up and does the job. Indoor and outdoor work call for different know-how, but the approach is the same: get the surface right first, then the finish that people see.

Rendering with cement

For exterior rendering I use a cement-based render, not the lime plaster I sometimes use indoors. Cement render is harder and holds up better against rain and frost, which is exactly what an outside wall needs. The downside is that cement render is less flexible than lime: on a wall that moves, because of settling for example, a hairline crack can show up sooner than it would on a softer finish.

That’s why I look at the wall first, before I choose a mix. A straight, stable wall can take a thicker, harder layer. On a wall with known cracking, I build up the render in a way that accounts for that, so you’re not looking at a fresh crack in your newly rendered wall a year later.

Why render an exterior wall

Most of the questions I get are about a facade that’s stopped looking good: weathered brickwork, discoloured bricks, or a wall left with mismatched surfaces after a renovation. Exterior rendering fixes that in one layer. You get a flat, even facade without waiting for the bricks themselves to be replaced.

I also often render an extension or a bricked-up window, simply because it gives a matching result faster than trying to get new brickwork to line up with the old exactly. The new section never quite matches, and rendering pulls the whole wall together in one go.

And if you’re planning to paint the facade afterwards, a rendered surface takes paint more evenly than bare brickwork. The paint goes on more consistently, and joints that would otherwise show through the paint layer disappear.

The downsides of a rendered exterior wall

I’d rather tell you honestly what you’re getting into than make it sound better than it is. A rendered exterior wall does ask something of you over time. The layer can develop hairline cracks if the wall settles or shifts, especially on older houses. After a number of years you’ll want to repaint the facade, because a rendered wall picks up dirt and discolours faster than bare brick.

It also changes how much the wall can breathe: a dense cement render lets through less moisture than open pointing. For most houses that’s not an issue, but on an old property with damp-sensitive walls, I want to look at that first before I commit to the job. I’d rather say that upfront than have you dealing with surprises afterwards.

Think of it this way: exterior rendering isn’t a job you do once and never think about again. It is the fastest way to a facade that looks flat and cared for again, and with normal upkeep the layer lasts a long time.

Exterior rendering or a full facade renovation?

These aren’t the same thing. Exterior rendering is a new or refreshed plaster layer on your wall: it makes the facade flat and even again. A facade renovation is much broader and can include repointing, facade cleaning and insulation. I do the rendering. Pointing and insulation are a different trade, and I won’t send you home with half a job pretending it’s the whole thing.

Not sure whether your facade just needs a fresh render, or whether there’s more going on? Send a few photos. I’ll quickly tell you whether rendering is the answer, or whether you need someone else for part of the job first. That way you get the full picture, and you know straight away who to call for the rest.

How I approach an exterior rendering job

I work through the same steps every time, so the render bonds properly and stays looking good. Skipping a step is usually why a facade looks tired again after a couple of years, so this order isn’t for show.

1. Photo and first look. You send a photo of the facade, and I can see straight away what state the surface is in and how much wall we’re talking about.
2. Price. Based on the photos and a few questions, I get back to you quickly with a price.
3. Preparation. Loose or damaged render comes off first, and cracks and holes get repaired before anything new goes on. If that’s most of the job, it’s really plaster repair rather than a full new render, and worth mentioning when you send your photo.
4. Scaffolding, if needed. For a facade with more than one storey, I put up scaffolding first.
5. Rendering. The render goes on in layers, straight and flat, with sharp corners around window frames and transitions.
6. Finishing and clean-up. The final layer leaves the wall smooth or lightly textured, and I clean up properly before I leave.

For smaller jobs I work alone. On bigger ones, a colleague joins me so it’s done faster.

Colour, paint-ready, or painted straight away

Rendering a facade can end in two ways. I can apply the render in a colour, so you’re done in one go. Or I finish it white or grey and paint-ready, so you choose the colour later and have the facade painted, whenever suits you. Most clients choose the second option, usually because they want to decide on a colour later, or want to live with the house for a while first.

If you’d rather I get the facade painted straight after rendering too, that’s part of what I do as well, and I plan it in right after the render job. That way you only need one visit instead of two, and the planning stays in one place.

Mind the drying time if you paint it yourself: paint on a render layer that’s still damp underneath won’t hold. I’ll tell you at handover how long to wait, since that depends on the season and how thick the layer is.

What affects the cost of exterior rendering

I don’t work with a fixed price per square metre, because every facade is different. What does matter: the size of the facade, whether the surface needs repair first or I can render straight away, whether scaffolding is needed, and whether you choose colour or paint-ready. Send a photo and I’ll get back to you with a price that matches your wall.

Rendering a whole facade in one go is usually more efficient than doing a small patch now and another later: the scaffolding or ladder is up either way, and the preparation only happens once. If you’re torn between doing it all now or just the worst part first, just mention that when you send a photo.

Exterior rendering in Gorinchem, Dordrecht and Utrecht

I work out of Gorinchem and drive across the wider region for exterior rendering, covering the Alblasserwaard and Land van Altena and further out too. Utrecht and the surrounding area is roughly three quarters of an hour’s drive, Dordrecht about half an hour. I’m also regularly out towards Breda. Where I work lists the full area.

The further the drive, the more I want to see photos upfront, simply so I know the job matches what you’ve sent me before I plan it in.

What clients say about my exterior work

Reviews are in Dutch, from Werkspot, since that’s where Osman’s clients leave them.

“Zeer goed gedaan, vriendelijk en behulpzaam. Harde werker en prachtig resultaat. Ik beveel Ousman van harte aan!” (Luc Geraats, Veenendaal)

“Erg netjes gedaan plafond buiten” (Werkspot-gebruiker uit Utrecht)

“Eerste fase heel goed.” (Werkspot-gebruiker uit Breda)

These are three of the reviews specifically about exterior rendering, covering Veenendaal, Utrecht and Brabant. I’ve got all my reviews in full and unedited, exactly as clients left them on Werkspot: 4.9 out of 5 across 34 reviews in total.

Got a facade that’s due for a fresh layer? Send a photo and I’ll take a look at what it needs.