Silicone Rendering in Southport
A full silicone render system — insulation or bare substrate, Atlas basecoat, alkali-resistant mesh, primer, then a breathable through-colour top coat that never needs painting.
Silicone Rendering in Southport
Silicone rendering is the system we fit most often along this stretch of coast, and for a simple reason: it is breathable, it is through-coloured, and it copes with salt-laden wind far better than the sand-and-cement render it usually replaces. The colour runs all the way through the top coat, so there is no paint film to blister, flake or need redoing every few years.
It suits solid-wall Victorian and Edwardian property, tired pebbledash, and anything where the existing finish has cracked, blown or gone patchy. It is equally at home over insulation board on a house that is cold and expensive to heat.
What a silicone render system actually is
A silicone render is not one product, it is a build-up, and each layer has a job. Where insulation is going on, Atlas boards are fixed and pinned back to the substrate first. Then comes the Atlas basecoat, and while it is still green, alkali-resistant mesh is bedded into it so the wall has a reinforced skin that can move without cracking.
Once that has gone off, the wall is primed — the primer is what the top coat keys to and it also evens out suction across a patchy substrate. Last comes the silicone top coat, floated to an even texture in a single continuous pass across each elevation so there is no join line halfway up a wall.
Skip the mesh, skip the primer, or rush the basecoat and the system stops being a system. That is where most of the failed render we get called out to strip off went wrong in the first place.
Why it suits Southport and the Sefton coast
Salt air is relentless here. Wind coming in off the Irish Sea carries salt and moisture onto west and south-west elevations day after day, and it is brutal on a finish that cannot breathe. A cement render with paint over it traps moisture behind the paint film; the film lets go, and you get the blown, flaking, patchy walls you see all over the older stock near the front.
Silicone render is highly water-repellent but still vapour-open, so driving rain sits on the surface and runs off while moisture from inside the wall can still escape. It is also self-cleaning in the practical sense — rain carries surface dirt off rather than soaking it in, which matters on a north-facing gable that never sees much sun.
Colours, textures and getting it right first time
Through-colour means the shade is in the material, so it is worth taking time over. We work in the standard white and off-white creams most people picture, and in the greys and anthracites that suit a modern rebuild or a house with dark grey windows.
Texture grade changes the look as much as the colour does. A finer grain reads sharper and more contemporary; a coarser one is more forgiving on a wall that has had a hard life. We will show you the difference on the actual wall before anything is mixed, because a colour chip in your hand and a whole elevation in flat coastal light are two different things.
Weather, timescales and how a job runs
Rendering is weather work and there is no honest way round it. We will not put a top coat on with frost or driving rain forecast — a finish that gets rained on before it has cured will craze or bloom, and no amount of goodwill afterwards fixes it. We would far rather move you a day than hand you a wall we already know is compromised.
As a rough guide, a typical three-bed semi is usually a one to two week job once scaffold is up, allowing curing time between the basecoat and the top coat. Bigger properties, full insulation systems and anything needing the old render hacked off first will take longer. You get a realistic date at estimate stage, not an optimistic one.
When to consider silicone rendering systems
- Painted render that blisters, flakes or needs redoing every couple of years
- Pebbledash that sounds hollow when you tap it, or is coming off in patches
- Cracking that keeps coming back however many times it is filled
- A cold, expensive-to-heat solid-wall property with no cavity to fill
- Damp patches inside on a wall that faces the prevailing weather
- A house that has been repainted so many times the detail has disappeared
Our work — silicone rendering systems
Questions we get asked about silicone rendering systems
How long does silicone render last?
A correctly installed silicone system on a sound, well-prepared wall should give you 20 years or more before it needs anything beyond a wash down. Because the colour is through the material rather than painted on, there is no paint film to fail, which is what usually dates a rendered house after five or six years.
Does silicone render stop damp?
It stops wind-driven rain soaking into the wall, which is the cause of a lot of damp on exposed coastal elevations. It will not fix rising damp, a failed damp course or a leaking gutter, and rendering over those problems hides them rather than solving them. We will tell you straight if that is what we find.
Can you render over existing pebbledash?
Sometimes. If the pebbledash is sound, well keyed and rings solid when tapped, it can be overclad. If it sounds hollow, is cracked or is lifting in patches, it comes off first — putting a new system over a failing one just buys you a few years before the whole lot lets go together.
What time of year can rendering be done?
Most of the year. What matters is the forecast rather than the month: we need the temperature above about 5°C and rising, no frost, and a dry enough window for the top coat to cure. Winter work happens regularly here, it just needs more flexibility on start dates.
Will scaffolding be needed?
For anything above single storey, yes, and it is included in the written estimate rather than sprung on you later. Bungalows and single-storey extensions can often be done off towers. Scaffold usually goes up a day or two before we start and comes down once the finish has cured.
How much does silicone rendering cost in Southport?
It depends on the wall area, the access, whether insulation is going on and whether old render has to come off first — which is why we do not publish a square metre price. You get a free written estimate after we have actually looked at the walls, with the scaffold and the prep priced in.
What customers say
4.7 out of 5 from 12 reviews on Google. Every review below is verbatim from that profile.
Anthony's just finished skimming the lounge. He prepared it all thoroughly and was so conscientious throughout. He arrived punctual in the mornings and never stopped until it was finished. He's done a brilliant job the room looks immaculate. He left it so clean and tidy afterwards. We would recommend him to anyone.
Anthony has done a fantastic job on our rendering. Excellent communication from start to finish and has always been responsive. He has turned up every day early and has left the place spotless. Couldn't fault the service and would use again and recommend to others. Thank you so much.
Anthony rendered the gable wall and single storey kitchen of my house. He did an excellent job of the work. Anthony fully explained the process and where he was up to as it progressed. He made sure that surrounding area and walls were protected from any debris or render during the process and did an excellent job of cleaning up both as it progressed and at the end. Anthony was also a pleasure to deal with as a tradesman. In addition his price was really competitive compared to other renderers who quoted. When I get the rest of the house re-rendered I will certainly be using Birkdale Plastering and Rendering.
I recently had the front of my house rendered by birkdale plastering and rendering, and couldn't be happier with the results. From start to finish Anthony was professional, friendly and highly skilled. The quality of the rendering is outstanding, giving my home a fresh, modern look. Anthony paid great attention to detail, kept everything tidy and completed the job on time. If you're looking for expert rendering services I highly recommend birkdale plastering and rendering. Fantastic workmanship and excellent customer service. Thank you Anthony!
Anthony did an amazing job re-rendering our bungalow. The finish is flawless, and our home looks brand new! Professional, tidy, and efficient from start to finish. Highly recommend Birkdale Plastering and Rendering. Thanks again!
Anthony is prompt, professional and friendly in nature. He arrived when he said he would and completed all plastering work to an excellent standard. He also did an amazing job with my coving. I would 100% recommend him for all plastering work 😊 ...
Related services
External Rendering
Re-rendering tired, cracked and blown elevations — including stripping off failed pebbledash first.
Read moreInternal Plastering
Skimming, float and set, ceilings and repairs. Flat walls that take paint evenly and stay that way.
Read moreHouse Extensions
New work rendered into old without a visible seam, and boarded and skimmed flush inside.
Read moreGet a free written estimate
Tell us what the walls are doing and we will come and look. You will get an honest assessment and a written price, with no obligation and no pressure.
Get in touch
Tell us what the walls are doing and we will come and look. Free written estimate, no obligation.
- Phone 07923 545449
- Email anthony9thompson@yahoo.co.uk
- Address 2 Sheepfold Cl., Southport PR8 6RL
- Opening hours Every day, 7am – 8pm