# Forum Home Renovation Rendering  Concrete-look render finish...

## Buggermedumplings

Hi all, 
I plan on rendering a besser block retaining wall and seperate blue-board screen.  I would like to finish them in a smooth cement look finish, similar to old buildings of the early 1900's however finding it dificult to locate specific products to do this.  Is it as simple as using a cement mix render and finishing completely smooth?  Any info appreciated.

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## autogenous

Are you talking about Art Deco architecture? 
If you are going to paint you could do a sand face finish render but steel trowel it at the end. 
Have a look at this any rate  http://www.polishedplaster.com.au

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## Batpig

Dear Dumplings, 
I could be wrong, but I don't think you will be able to get a very smooth surface with Cement Render alone, because by the time it's ready to "shave" (ie. you don't get to screed it early like a horizontal concrete slab - you instead have to wait until it's got a bit of a "set" about it, at which time you give it a "shave" with a straight-edge), it's not fluid enough anymore to be able to bring the fines to the surface with a steel Trowel. I believe that the very smooth rendered walls that you see in the older homes here and there have a separate thin "White Set" coating of Plaster on top of the Render. Maybe if you try a small test patch with some Render (you can buy the stuff in bags ready to mix), and see how smooth you can get it. If not smooth enough, let it fully dry and then try going over it with a cement paste applied with a steel Trowel, and if this is still not smooth enough, you could then have a crack at going over it with traditional white Plaster (which you can also buy in a bag). 
All of the rendering which I have done so far has been with a 50/50 mix of bagged Render and Mortar, in order to keep the "stickiness" of the mix to a minimum, but which precludes me from being able to give you a definitive opinion on how smooth you can finish straight Render without any Mortar (which is substantially more coarse than Render) mixed in. 
Best Wishes,
Batpig.

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## autogenous

*Venetian Plaster application. Complete video* 
[ame="http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx_m56XhNn4"]YouTube - Venetian Plaster application. Complete video[/ame] 
There is another method but sorry I'm not letting that one out the bag.

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## an3_bolt

What ever happened to the old technique of doing a normal cement render and then rubbing it with a brick once it has initially set? :2thumbsup:

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## Bloss

> What ever happened to the old technique of doing a normal cement render and then rubbing it with a brick once it has initially set?

  Died with the most of the old blokes who knew how to do it . . .  :Frown:  
There are a number of textured render-look paint finishes that work very well too - Dulux and others -   http://www.dulux.com.au/html/plannin...r_effects.aspx 
There are also resin-cement render finishes especially for blue-board and styrofoam surfaces such as -   http://www.riversands.com.au/templat...20Skimcoat.pdf 
and  http://www.bianco.com.au/public/download.jsp?id=2055

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## an3_bolt

> Died with the most of the old blokes who knew how to do it . . .

  ... didn't think I am getting that old......getting a few grey bits though..... :brava:

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## autogenous

> _What ever happened to the old technique of doing a normal cement render and then rubbing it with a brick once it has initially set?_
>                                  Died with the most of the old blokes who knew how to do it .

  Burnishing? 
Its done with a fine carborundum block these days. 
The old bricks were probably red rubbers?

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## Bloss

> The old bricks were probably red rubbers?

  Keep it clean . . .  :Biggrin:   :Biggrin:

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## Joister

have seen the acrylic type renders give a pretty smooth job (was a couple of years ago) - not sure of the brand but it was one of the pre-mixed 20kg bags (definitely not the cement australia brand but not sure if it was blue circle?)

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## Blocker

An acrylic texture paint like Haymes Rendercoat ,Dulux Medium Texture or Solagard Bagged Finish will do a good job.They can be tinted into a big range of colours and will stick reliably to most masonry substrates without a lot of prep.Applied with a painting mitt then trowled smooth as it "tacks off".Talk to your nearest Paint Specialist outlet for detailed advice.Generally a lot more durable then DIY cement render. 
Regards,
Blocker :2thumbsup:

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## Cubbie

Rather than create a new thread I thought I would drag up this one. I have a large 2 storey arch in my house renovation that was originally meant to be in formed concrete, due to access, cost etc the arch is now brick and I would like a finish that will look similar to formed concrete if not a little more polished. 
The arch is at a doorway so the finish required needs to be suitable for internal and external applications. 
Two that I have looked at include  
Bauwerk Marmorino or Stucco 
Glass faced concrete dado render 
The polished plaster company in the link above may offer a solution are there any others that are now available? 
Cheers.

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## Barnoll

www.rollonrender.com.au

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