ᐅ Having the facade plastered – which wall construction to choose?

Hello everyone,

I have a question about exterior walls.

We are just about to submit the building permit / planning permission application and need to decide on the facade. Logically, brick veneer seems best because it is very durable. However, personally, both my husband and I prefer rendered facades because we find them much more attractive. On top of that, we haven’t found any brick veneer that we both even slightly like.

In my home street, shortly before I moved out, a number of semi-detached houses were newly insulated, rendered, and painted. They looked great!
Six years later, the facades are not only dirty, but you can also see the polystyrene insulation boards through the render, or the circular spots where the boards were attached.
All the houses were rendered and painted by the same company.

Is this kind of deterioration simply because that particular company did a poor job, or can such rapid and unsightly wear be avoided by using a specific wall construction?
Is render on a single-layer exterior wall made of aerated concrete blocks without insulation more durable than on a single-layer exterior wall with insulation?
Or does the wall structure have no influence at all, and you just have to hope to find a reputable facade contractor?

Thank you very much for your answers.

Just hoping isn’t very effective when building. You simply have to choose a plasterer you trust carefully.
I built without external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS, also known as external wall insulation) and would do the same again, at least considering the current energy saving regulations. There are many reasons for this; the durability of the exterior plaster was not necessarily one of them. I can’t judge whether plaster lasts longer or looks better on masonry, but many people claim exactly that. This also applies to roof overhangs, yet I don’t have any.
In other words: it’s a matter of personal preference, everything has pros and cons. If you don’t want ETICS—for whatever reason—there are many ways to avoid it.

Basically, applying exterior plaster on single-layer masonry without external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) seems to be more demanding in terms of workmanship, which is probably why some craftsmen prefer not to do it. However, this method avoids issues like sagging panels and marks from support props.

For several reasons, I decided against using ETICS and already notice a significant quality difference between my house and the neighbor’s house (which has ETICS). So, it’s not just a matter of time but primarily the quality of workmanship.

Good luck

K1300S

Hello,

bibliophilia schrieb:

We are just about to submit the building permit / planning permission application and need to decide on the facade. My head says brick cladding because it’s so durable. My gut says render because both my husband and I find rendered facades much more attractive. On top of that, we haven’t found any brick cladding that we both even remotely like.

Brick cladding also costs a “pretty” significant amount more; at least with most suppliers. Additionally, keep in mind that for the extra cost of the cladding, you could repaint the house several times. White bricks have the drawback that when it rains and dirt particles fall, the facade dries relatively quickly, but the dirt remains on the brick surface. That’s why white brick facades tend to look quite dirty over time.

With a rendered facade, you can opt for a fungicide-algicide treatment at a moderate additional cost. Most manufacturers then offer a 15-year guarantee before repainting is needed. Personally, I think that’s a bit optimistic – the actual durability depends on the location and weather exposure – but you should have at least 10 years without issues. Now calculate, based on the additional cost of the cladding, how often you would need to repaint during your lifetime and you will have a reliable figure to support your decision for the building permit / planning permission.

What does your contractor say about this?

bibliophilia schrieb:

In my home street, just before I moved out, a number of semi-detached houses were newly insulated, rendered, and painted. They looked great! Six years later, the facades are not only dirty, but you can also see the polystyrene insulation boards through the render, or the circular spots where the boards were fixed. All the houses were rendered and painted by the same company.

Is this type of deterioration simply due to poor workmanship by that company, or can such rapid and unpleasant deterioration be prevented by a specific wall construction?

That sounds like they cut corners in the wrong places. Whether it’s ETICS (External Thermal Insulation Composite System) with render or a monolithic wall construction with render – the outer render layer is always the same thickness (2.5 cm (1 inch)). In the first case, a synthetic resin render is used, and in the second case, a mineral-based exterior render; other than that, there shouldn’t be any significant differences, in my opinion.

bibliophilia schrieb:

Is facade render on a single-leaf external wall made of aerated concrete blocks without thermal insulation more durable than on a single-leaf external wall with thermal insulation?

No, if done properly, there should be no difference.

bibliophilia schrieb:

... and you just have to hope you find a good facade specialist?

If you plan to contract the trades separately, then yes.

If you choose a reputable general contractor or use an architect to manage the contracts – there must be a reason why you signed a construction contract – this should be less of an issue. References are key – talk to them, and you will be better informed, and your “gut feelings” should ease.

Best regards, Bauexperte