1. Get Some Inspiration
You might not be familiar with all the different exterior finishes and options available to you. If you’re struggling to choose a finish for your home or project, you can gain inspiration from around the neighbourhood.
Look at the homes in your local area. They’ll often look-alike while some look more bespoke and will give you a good idea of how your project could look.
2. Choose Your External Finish
Once you’ve done some research, been inspired and have a feel of what will match your neighbourhood and house, you’ll be keen to choose the perfect finish.
Render / Topcoat
Renders come in a variety of standard colours and can be colour matched to your liking. By selecting a colour from a swatch which are grouped in different colour tones will help narrow down your decision. You can also choose from a variety of textures which come smooth or with different grain sizes ranging from 1mm to 6mm.
Brick Slips
If you decide on a brick finish, you have a choice of brick render, flexible or clay brick slips. Each has its advantages and uses. SPSenvirowall has a standard range of colours to choose from so if you have a specific look in mind, we offer a colour matching service for bespoke projects.
Once you decide on the colour of your brick, you can then decide on a style whether that’s a distressed look, smooth, textured or irregular shape such as the saw-toothed brick we created for the Premier Inn Hotel in Cardiff Bay. Finally, decide how you would like the mortar to look. Mortar comes in different colours which can drastically impact your finish – choose a mortar colour and style carefully.
3. Pull Your Design Together
Once you’ve selected your finish, put your design together and lay it out for a final look. Make sure all your design elements complement each other – from the façade choice to window frames and external fixtures such as guttering.
For retrofit projects, SPSenvirowall can provide design options in a CGI format so that an appreciation of the completed project can be made to assist your design process.
4. Caring for Your Façade
The amount of maintenance your home’s façade requires may be a factor in your decision to choose between brick, render or cladding. All SPSenvirowall’s façade finishes require little to no maintenance.
All renders will experience some form of discolouration over time – always follow the manufacturer’s guidance on how to maintain your façade. Our topcoats have technology giving them self-cleaning properties and are designed to be breathable and resistant to environmental pollutants and micro-organisms.