Can an old brick and breeze block garden wall be rendered or clad?
Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 3.28 PM
Hello. We are renovating an unattractive pebble dashed bungalow with a part brick and part 'decorative' breeze block front garden wall. Rather than demolishing the wall could it be either filled (with rubble?) and rendered, or clad with wood/slate etc please? The pavement is higher than the front garden level, with the front garden level sloping downwards from the driveway opening, parallel with the garden wall, to a maximum drop of around18 inches into the far corner. We are keen to inject some character into a very hard looking, bland exterior. My dad has suggested railway sleepers with a raised plant bed in between, but any other suggestions also welcome! We do not want to spend too much, and the wall will be around 40ft long. Thank you.
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
There’s no reason why the wall cannot be rendered. Some backgrounds can simply just be covered by a simple two coats of sand & cement render, generally one coat with a water proof additive.
Other backgrounds may need an eml lath pinned to them first which creates a mechanical key which helps the render applied stick. There are lots of other methods that could also be used depending on what is required.
Hope this helps Chris
Thankyou for giving me the opportunity to reassure you of my knowledge understanding of these things and refresh my thinking too.
Yes in my understanding of what you have asked it can be rendered as discussed but could also be glad with wood. It would need to be a relatively smooth surface and sufficiently solid to receive fixings. Without seeing it it’s difficult to know if that is the case but block and brick would suggest it. Not quite sure what backfilling is that is mentioned? Or why that needs doing is it hollow or is that the other side of the wall?
To clad or tiled it may need battens fixing on first then giving the tiles or cladding to those.
It is something that needs to be seen though. There is a lot of detail about the door of the drive / garden and I am not quite sure how that would affect things or why it’s mentioned.
But the principles I’ve mentioned shouldn’t be affected by that.
I hope that reassured you and thanks for the opportunity to answer it.
I am glad your assessments are a bit more rigorous than previously as it helps the quality of the trades registered with you.
Thankyou for the service you provide and your support of the tradesmen and customers that use your site.
Robin Turner
Good answers, I agree! You know what though, if you want cheap and cheerful you could just paint the thing! Sounds nasty but keep your eye out and you will see some painted block walls which look pretty good actually. Also, how about some planting as well? A nicely planted border goes a long way to cheer up a garden.
