“What’s under the render?”
You may be getting short-changed with many homes built with fibro or even polystyrene sheets or other lightweight backing for the render. Ask your builder and demand the best, demand brick. Here’s why.
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Brick walls are solid and stable
Bricks reduce the risk of cracking. Fibro and polystyrene sheets are prone to cracking at panel joins which in turn causes the render to crack. Worse still, these cracks may allow water entry into the building structure. |
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Render sticks to bricks
Render sits on the surface of fibro and polystyrene sheets. Moisture under the render will cause it to separate from the sheet, leading to a ‘drummy’ wall. Brick is different. Like paint on a plaster wall, the brick surface creates a strong ‘key’ with the render. |
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Bricks are ‘bump-proof’
Bricks resist the bumps and thumps of everyday family life. Stray cricket balls, wayward footballs and out-of-control bikes have no effect. Once damaged, a thin, fibro or polystyrene wall is expensive and time-consuming to patch. |
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Brick walls are more moisture proof
Fibro and polystyrene sheets are fixed directly to the timber frame and, unlike a brick wall, don’t have a drainage cavity. Those thin sheets are the only barrier between your house and a rainstorm. If they fail – and it only needs a hairline crack – water may enter and be trapped in the wall. |
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Brick is economical
Despite being the premium wall material, bricks don’t come at a premium price. You will pay little or no more for the best. (Be sure to ask us about Austral Bricks Render Bricks and Purpose-Made Commons.) |
