Rendering
Think of house rendering as a type of cladding for the exterior of the house - applied to the exterior of a home, much like plaster is applied to the interior walls.
There are two main reasons for house rendering: To protect the underlying house walls from weathering and rainwater penetration.
To provide an attractive appearance to the house.
House rendering is largely chosen for its aesthetic value. It's a simple texture, and can be applied in any colour, making it a versatile choice for mixing and matching, or using by itself, on a property. However, it can be used to help protect walls from damp caused by adverse weather, and acrylic insulated renders can help to make your home more energy efficient. Render can either be painted or supplied as a through-coloured mix. Although through-coloured render tends to be a little more expensive, it is lower maintenance, requiring no subsequent re-painting.
Dry lining
Dry lining is a form of cladding for internal walls, and sometimes ceilings, to prepare them for painting or covering (for example in wallpaper). Plasterboard is attached to create a smooth surface. Put simply, dry lining is much quicker than traditional plastering and achieves a similar result: a wall or surface that is ready to paint or cover. The plasterboard used in dry lining can hide pipes and wires, create insulation space, and even provide sound boarding. Dry lining is also suitable for a wide range of applications as it can be added to surfaces that include brickwork or uneven surfaces. It can create curved walls too, which allows for creativity or to help manage smaller or uniquely shaped spaces. The difference between dry lining and plastering is that plastering uses a wet substance, called plaster but made from different materials depending on the finish required, to cover a wall. Once it dries it can be painted over or covered in wallpaper. Because it is wet, it takes far longer to plaster a wall or ceiling than to use plasterboard and dry lining techniques, but for some older properties, it is preferred to keep in with the style.
Skimming
Skimming is a plastering technique which involves applying a thin coat to walls to create the smooth surface required for painting or decorating. Either the skim plaster is applied to an existing plaster finish, or it’s used to cover plasterboard. The ‘perfect skimmed finish’ isn’t easy to achieve, it requires a trained professional who has had years of experience as a plasterer. If an existing plaster wall is in good condition - smooth and without major cracks or chips - then you probably don’t need to have it skimmed. If you’ve attached plasterboard, or drylining you have the choice of either painting or decorating straight onto the board, or finishing with a layer of skim plaster. The skim tends to be favoured because it provides a superior finish, and it adds an extra layer of sound proofing. In the end, plastering a wall is all about creating a decorative surface that improves the durability of the structure, and conceals the original masonry. A skimmed wall will ‘finish’ a room and provide the appropriately prepared canvas for the colours and textures to be applied.
