DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi...tried this on the Masonry forum without success...wondering if might be more appropriate on here.

Decades ago my neighbour built an ugly breeze block wall between my back garden and hers. I think the blocks are the high density type that have the rough grainy texture.

I've considered painting them to make them look a bit more attractive but think it would be nicer to put a rough render over them. So....

1. Is it possible to render breeze blocks?
2. Would I need to prepare the existing surface in some way?
3. Since I'll only be rendering my side of the wall, is there a danger that damp getting in the other side will end up blowing all the render off, and can I mitigate this in some way?
4. What mix should I use?
5. Any advice on technique? Can I just get one of those rectangular plastering trowels and just slap it on?

Cheers for any advice....

Steve

[quote="pipedream72"]Hi...tried this on the Masonry forum without success...wondering if might be more appropriate on here.

Decades ago my neighbour built an ugly breeze block wall between my back garden and hers. I think the blocks are the high density type that have the rough grainy texture.

I've considered painting them to make them look a bit more attractive but think it would be nicer to put a rough render over them. So....

1. Is it possible to render breeze blocks?
2. Would I need to prepare the existing surface in some way?
3. Since I'll only be rendering my side of the wall, is there a danger that damp getting in the other side will end up blowing all the render off, and can I mitigate this in some way?
4. What mix should I use?
5. Any advice on technique? Can I just get one of those rectangular plastering trowels and just slap it on?

Cheers for any advice....

Steve[/quote]1.yes
2.mix 1 part pva with 3 part's water then brush it on breeze block's
3. no it won't blow providing the top of the wall is protected with,creasing tiles or a coping stone,make sure it over sails your rendering by 20mm.
4.mix 5 sand,1 cement,1 lime
5.use portland cement in the mix,get your self some 12mm x 25mm batton nail a leanth to the wall 4 foot from your house,also nail a batton next to house wall, then fill that section in with your render mix lay it on with a steel plastering trowel no thicker then the batton's then cut a straight leanth of batton 5 foot long use this as a straight edge lay it on the to wall battons and with a sawing motion move it gently up the battons after repair any render that has moved then leave for a while till it starts to dry and with a wooden or plastic lpasters float gently with little preasure on the float rub it over the wallwhen done move batton 4 foot and start again.PS render from the top down,when finished and dry after a few days give a couple of coats of the PVA mix it'll stay there longer the her wall good luck.