Pebbledash involves literally throwing smaller stone fragments onto wet mortar on an external wall, which is then pressed in. Conversely, rough-cast rendering requires the mixing of larger stones or pebbles in with the cement and sand, prior to applying it to the walls. The latter creates a smoother finish which is usually painted or limewashed.
How do you make a pebble dashed wall?
How to Pebble Dash a Wall. 1. Mix up the lime with water according to the manufacturer's instructions and leave it covered to slake, or hydrate, for 24 hours. 2. Mix up 1 part of the slaked lime to 6 parts sand and 1 part cement. 3. Trowel on the mixture onto the wall to be pebble dashed. Keep the ...
Can I replace pebble dash with pebbledash?
This will look awful as nobody can match brand new patches of pebbledash into a wall of old pebble dash, it just cant be done, and if you have had replacement windows or an extension, you will know what i mean. Have it replaced with more pebbledash.
How do builders deal with old pebbledash?
There are two ways a “builder” deals with old pebbledash, and the methods they often use to remove pebble-dash, are both horrendously bad for your house. The first is FORCED REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT.
Do you like or hate pebbledash on the exterior walls?
If your house has pebbledash on the exterior walls, you will either love it or hate it. That’s the thing about pebbledash, however many cases of the Pebbledash plague were created because the home owner had an old house which needed constant painting and the dash was considered a cheap way of avoiding the yearly painting cycle.
How do they Pebble Dash a house?
Popular between the 1920s and 1950s, pebble dash was often used by builders to cover up poor brickwork on new properties. Pebble dash was applied to external brick walls by smoothing a layer of cement over the brickwork and then throwing the stones and small rocks into the wet mortar.
How is pebble dashing done?
Roughcast or pebbledash is a coarse plaster surface used on outside walls that consists of lime and sometimes cement mixed with sand, small gravel and often pebbles or shells. The materials are mixed into a slurry and are then thrown at the working surface with a trowel or scoop.
Does pebble dash devalue a house?
And it can affect the value of your home. "It's fine if it's in keeping with the period of the house," says Daren Haysom, manager of the Islington branch of Foxtons estate agents, "but if pebbledash is done badly, or on a modern house, it can bring the value down."
What do you need for pebbledash?
Pebble Dashing the Wall If you're using lime, sand and cement, first prepare the lime according to the manufacturer's instructions. Then mix 1 part lime, 6 parts sand and 1 part cement. The amount needed depends on the surface area you're covering.
How do you pebble dash exterior walls?
0:464:50Pebble Dashing Rendered Walls - KB#9 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDon't want to start drying it out when you're putting your next bit on and then it just gets in aMoreDon't want to start drying it out when you're putting your next bit on and then it just gets in a right old mess then so.
What sand do you use for pebble dashing?
3 Answers from MyBuilder Plasterers The correct method for pebbledashing is 3.5 to 1. (3.5 plastering sand to 1.0 cement) for the first coat(scratch coat)including feb/addmix and waterproofer. The waterproofer helps control suction. The top coat is 4 to 1.
Why are so many Scottish houses pebble dashed?
In Scotland, the technique is time-honoured and known as 'harling'. It is not always pretty but, for a remote coastal cottage, lashed by wind and rain, pebble dash is far more durable, and far cheaper to maintain, than bricks-and-mortar.
How long should pebbledash last?
around 20 to 40 yearsIt might have become damaged: Pebbledash usually lasts for around 20 to 40 years. After this time, it may start to get damaged, which could expose your home to damp and lead to more costly renovation work later down the line.
Is Pebble Dash cheaper than render?
A render usually works out cheaper than a pebble dash and is easier to maintain and easier to remove and repair, therefore we would personally choose a render over a pebble dash.
Does pebble Dash cause damp?
Does pebbledash cause damp? A common occurrence will pebbledashed properties is the presence of damp. In short, damp comes in two forms; rising damp & penetrating damp. While rising damp occurs from the ground, penetrating damp is caused at any level of the building from water ingress on an exterior wall.
How thick should pebbledash be?
Always be in two coats to a minimum thickness of 16mm as the long term durability of a render is a function of its thickness. It should be thoroughly scratched between coats and be allowed to dry and shrink completely between coats.
What stones do you use for pebble dashing?
Gravels & Aggregates.Slate Chippings.Cobbles and Garden Pebbles.Boulders, Rockery & Water Features.Slate Monoliths & Feature Stones.Horticultural Products.Rubber Chippings.Rock Salt & Sandbags.More items...
How long does it take to Pebble Dash?
Labour Costs and Time Scales Depending on the size of your property, it should take between 3-14 days to pebble dash your home.
How long does pebble dash render last?
around 20 to 40 yearsBut there are a couple of other reasons you might be looking to remove your pebbledash render. It might have become damaged: Pebbledash usually lasts for around 20 to 40 years. After this time, it may start to get damaged, which could expose your home to damp and lead to more costly renovation work later down the line.
What stones do you use for pebble dashing?
Gravels & Aggregates.Slate Chippings.Cobbles and Garden Pebbles.Boulders, Rockery & Water Features.Slate Monoliths & Feature Stones.Horticultural Products.Rubber Chippings.Rock Salt & Sandbags.More items...
What are the benefits of pebble dash?
What Are the Advantages of Pebble Dashing My Property?It is a low maintenance finish, with little upkeep required.It's very hard wearing, and will last a long time.It is an easy way to cover old, tired, or poor quality looking brick work.More items...•
What Is Pebble Dashing?
Pebble dashing is a modernized version of a Roman-era rendering technique that involves stippling exterior walls with a mixture of quicklime and sand.
What Is Pebble Dashing Used for?
Pebbledash is a form of rendering used for building exterior walls that has a rough finish created by pebbles and stone fragments in the topcoat. The pebbledash material is thrown and pushed in while the render is still damp on the wall surface.
How to Apply Pebbledash on Your Wall?
Pebble dashing is a form of wall covering that is most commonly found on exterior walls. Pebbles are tossed and pushed into two coats of a lime and sand "foundation." As a consequence, a wall covered in small, smooth pebbles can be formed. Some masons consider pebble dashing to be an art form, and they can create their base coat blend.
Can You Remove Pebbledash from a House?
If you already have a pebble dash on your property but want to change it up, you have a few choices. One of your choices is to forcefully cut the dash and strip down to the house's foundation.
Can You Render Over Pebbledash?
It is possible to render over pebble dash, as stated in the previous issue, but typically not directly. Pebble dashing is normally not ideal for straight render on top of it due to its rough finish, so it should either be removed/smoothed over or covered with external wall insulation boards first.
Is It OK to Paint Pebbledash?
Painting pebbledash with conventional painting tools is possible, but it can be difficult. Because of the texture of the dash, it can be difficult to cover the entire wall, but it is possible with the right knowledge, application, and patience. External wall rendering, on the other hand, can be added and painted in any colour.
Is Pebbledash Waterproof?
Pebbledash seldom lets water in as long as no damp proof courses are crossed. To further minimise the chances of a water leak, a waterproof additive is often applied to the render. In case you don’t know, pebbledash was originally used to shield homes from water damage in many situations.
Why did the pebbledash plague happen?
That’s the thing about pebbledash, however many cases of the Pebbledash plague were created because the home owner had an old house which needed constant painting and the dash was considered a cheap way of avoiding the yearly painting cycle.
Can stones be replaced in a pebbledashed house?
The stones which fall off the wall, cannot be replaced. This is also evident where a pebbledashed house has had previous repairs or alterations, the 2 areas of wall NEVER match up and in some cases, it looks awful!
Can you open windows with pebbledash?
If your builder does this, they will almost certainly render over the top of cracks, locking damp and other problems in, plus adding more pebbledash to window reveals, often means that you can never ever open your windows properly again.
What is pebbledash made of?
In the twenty-first century, however, is it more of an acquired taste. Pebbledash is made up of a layer of sand and cement mortar, onto which pebbles are attached.
Can pebbles fall off?
Well, the key thing is that it looks dated, but it’s also a nightmare to paint and eventually the pebbles – and even the mortar into which they are embedded – can fall off and leave you with unsightly holes. These holes let water in, which can create a problem with damp.
Can you remove mortar from a pebbledash?
There is a real risk of causing structural damage, and it could even invalidate your home insurance: it is easy to remove not just the mortar that is holding on your Pebbledash but also the mortar between the bricks that are holding up your wall!
Is pebbledash paint bad?
Believe it or not, Pebbledash is not all bad. As we explained earlier, it covers up any walls that were sloppily built, and it is hard-wearing. Paintwork applied to Pebbledash does not peel off as quickly as it does on exposed brickwork – which means that Pebbledash can be handy in those more exposed areas.
What is pebbledash in construction?
What Is Pebbledash? Pebbledash involves literally throwing smaller stone fragments on to wet mortar on an external wall, which is then pressed in. Conversely, rough-cast rendering requires the mixing of larger stones or pebbles in with the cement and sand, prior to applying it to the walls.
How long is pebbledash good for?
Pebbledash is usually good for around 20-40 years, so it’s possible that it’s beginning to crumble away, which will need rectifying. Pebbledash rendering is designed to protect the outer shell of your house. Which means if it’s cracking or dropping off in patches, it’s exposing the house to potential problems with damp.
Is it easy to remove pebbledash?
Removing pebbledash is not easy. But it isn’t impossible. It’s a labour-intensive process using hand tools, and the brickwork would need to be cleaned in order to restore it to its original state.
