What is concrete rendering?

Hiring a professional concreter or renderer to apply cement render costs between $30 and $50 per square metre. The total cost to render a house can be from $12,000 for a small home to $50,000 for a larger two-storey home.

If you're looking for an attractive and cost-effective exterior finish, one option to consider is concrete or cement rendering. If you're not sure what concrete rendering involves, find out everything you need to know on this page, including:

• What's the difference between cement render and concrete render?
• What is cement rendering?
• Advantages of cement rendering
• Disadvantages of cement rendering
• What are the main uses for cement render?
• Concrete render colours
• How much does cement rendering cost?
• Alternatives to cement rendering

You may see both 'cement render' and 'concrete render' used on products and in how-to guides. Both terms refer to the same product.

If you're looking for other types of render, acrylic render could be an alternative. This offers a longer lifespan, but can be more expensive and harder to install DIY. 

Find out more: Acrylic render vs cement render

Cement/concrete render is made up of three main components – lime, sand and cement. 

• The lime helps the render to avoid cracking when it dries and cures.
• Coarser sand is usually added to the concrete render when applying the undercoats and finer sands are used when applying the top coats.
• The colour of the cement used in the mix will determine the colour of the render itself. The lighter the cement used, the lighter the render will be. To change the colour of the concrete render, you can add a tint to the render itself at the mixing stage or paint it after it's dried.

Cement rendering is a popular finish for homes and other buildings. Some of its main benefits are:

• Wide range of finishes
• Suitable for DIY
• Cost effective

Wide range of finishes

Cement render can be painted any colour and you can create a very smooth or textured finish on your walls depending on the techniques that you use to apply the render.

Cost effective

Concrete render is the most cost-effective rendering option, allowing you to do very large areas without breaking the budget.

Suitable for DIY

Concrete render is easier to apply DIY than acrylic render, as long as your walls and the cement mix are properly prepared in advance.

While cement rendering is an excellent option, there are some things that you have to look out for. 

• Not suitable for all surfaces
• Preparation can be difficult
• May be prone to cracking

Not suitable for all surfaces

Concrete render can be applied to most types of masonry, but it's most commonly applied to bricks. Other options such as acrylic render may be used on a wider variety of surfaces.

Preparation can be difficult

Even if you choose to apply render yourself, you may still need a professional to prepare the outside walls properly. The success of the final rendered finish depends on how well the walls are prepared. The render also needs to be well mixed at the correct ratio before use.

May be prone to cracking

Concrete rendering can be more prone to cracking over time, and it can also show efflorescence (staining from the salt coming out of the bricks). Find out what's involved in repairing render.

Cement render is predominantly done on brickwork, usually the exterior of a home or a boundary wall. Rendering is a good way to protect brickwork, as it keeps the sun and rain away from the bricks.

Some common techniques to apply render including bagging it and trowelling it on. Finishing tools such as sponges can also help to change its appearance, and you can easily change the look of your property by painting it any colour.

You might also like: Rendering FAQs

Concrete render can be coloured in two ways – by painting the finished surface or colouring the cement mix itself.

• Cement render can be painted at any stage after it has fully dried (waiting at least 28 days). You can use any rated outdoor paint, giving you a wide range of colours to choose from.
• If you choose to colour the render itself, your tradie should always do a sample and allow it to dry to make sure the tone and depth of the colour is correct.

Hiring a professional concreter or renderer to apply cement render costs between $30 and $50 per square metre.

The total cost to render a house can be from $12,000 for a small home to $50,000 for a larger two-storey home.

You could save money by applying the render yourself, but it needs to be mixed on site in the proper ratio.

To get a more accurate idea of the cost of your project, get quotes from local renderers. Tell them about the size of your home and any other information they need so they can give you a reliable estimate for comparison.

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If you've not settled on cement render, other options to protect or transform your walls could include:

• Acrylic render – costs more upfront than cement, but it can last longer and is suitable for a wider range of surfaces. Read more: What is acrylic rendering?
• House paint – rendering a wall before painting will help to protect it, but using a good primer and two coats of paint will still offer some protection.
• Timber coatings – if you have timber walls, fencing or other structures, these are not suitable for cement render, but they still need to be well sealed.
• Heat reflective coatings – paint that reflects heat away from your home to help keep it cool in the summer.
• Waterproof coatings – extra protection for stone and masonry walls against moisture damage and damp.

*Costs and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.