rendering question....

<TABLE id=INCREDIMAINTABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=INCREDITEXTREGION style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; CURSOR: auto; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" width="100%">i am looking at rendering a besser block unit internally. A friend has mentioned that he used a spac-filla ( plaster mix) to render and says that it is more flexible than concrete based render. is this correct and is it an easier/cheaper option than the other rendering products?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

rayban77
</TD></TR><TR><TD id=INCREDIFOOTER width="100%"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"></TD><TD id=INCREDISOUND vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD><TD id=INCREDIANIM vAlign=bottom align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>oh yeah...... is it a good idea to? :)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Why do you want flexability? Concrete blocks arent flexable!


Al :confused:

i guess that sounds a little odd. let me clarify. there are a few minor cracks in the external walls which i dont want to show through and crack the render and i think this place might be missing expansion joints in the slab because there are some loose tiles and they feel a hell of a lot looser and lift from the floor (tent style) when its cold. i could be wrong, i have yet to have that issue investigated.

but the main thing is, is it a viable product to render with?

Rendering is often not as easy as it looks, if there is cracking in the wall you need to provide some form of bridging material to protect the render. If you are really keen there is a fibreglass mesh you can place over the brickwall, render with a base coat and then use a top coat to finish. Try the Wattyl site if you are looking for material. Don't know about the spakfilla mix, but providing it allows some movement and does not grip to tight to the cracked area there is no reason why it can't work. I've stuck to birdwire and sand and cement mixes as I don't have the skill for a first class finish, but if you've got a good eye and can use a float the worst thing that can happen is the wife making you pull the lot off and get a plasterer in.

I'm sure there will be plenty more to follow this posting, I'll be curious to see if this spakfilla thing has any followers.



JohnC

If you have a problem with cracking slab, lifting tiles etc, flexable render is just a bandaide effect, find out what has given way in the foundation and fix that first.
Otherwise you will be forever bandaiding the render.

Could be that your problem has come about from the drought we are in at the moment, I see a lot of old houses of late that are developeing large cracks in the brickwork.
These houses have been there since the 1920/30's with no problem, and now they are cracking as the ground dryes out and shrinks.

Al :(

the unit i am in is only about 12 years old, i dont know if that has any impact on the cracking. and the cracks are not large, i think it is only from the original settling of the place (I hope).they dont appear to have gotten any bigger in the last twelve months that i have owned the place. i just wanted the flexibility as a saftey net sort of thing, to give allowance for any further minor cracks.

any advice on how i can find out what the cracks are caused by, if u havent gathered...... i am new to all this

Have you given any thought to gluing gyprock on to the walls? Its a bit of work, removing skirtings and 'aves but the finish would be better
Jack ;)

For a tidy finish skirtings etc should be removed anyway, having done both glueing plasterboard to the wall gives an easy finish in a fraction of the time. It also does away with the problem of cracking as the surface will move independantly to the brick work. You will have to put in some thought around doors windows etc as windows and door frames will be short of the finished surface.

John C