acrylic render Vs grout

[wildthings]

G'day, I'm in the process of a diy (first timer ) for my jungle, at the cutting out of foam stage and am almost ready to start covering it with tile grout or acrylic render. Have tried a bit of grout, think I may have made it slightly to thin, but don't really like it, takes a while to dry/set and I'm wondering if the acrylic render is a better option, and is spakfilla okay to use to fill in little holes in the cut out foam.... any info would be great

 

[smileysnake]

gday mate i use the render i like how it dries rough and looks more natural,but other people will use grout and say its just as good so its up to you what you like.be sure to post pics of progress

 

[Rogue5861]

I have found render alot easier to use then grout, i wont go back. Mixes alot easier and applies to foam with less dramas then grout (doesnt need to be thinned as much).


Rick

 

[wildthings]

gday mate i use the render i like how it dries rough and looks more natural,but other people will use grout and say its just as good so its up to you what you like.be sure to post pics of progress

iCool thanx.. is the render fast drying or does it take as long as grout, and do u think there's a difference in the way they hold heat? I will as soon as I find the right cable for the camera

 

[wildthings]

I have found render alot easier to use then grout, i wont go back. Mixes alot easier and applies to foam with less dramas then grout (doesnt need to be thinned as much).

Rick

okay so u have tried out both which of the two will not fill in too much of the detail I have so time consumingly cut out, as I understand, one needs several coats at least ..haha

 

[Rogue5861]

okay so u have tried out both which of the two will not fill in too much of the detail I have so time consumingly cut out, as I understand, one needs several coats at least ..haha

Render is alot easier to get on thinner, then can add detail using end of a paint brush. The foam is really only their for a base then add texture/detail into the render as it dries.

I used a 20kg bag on my 1200x700 background.

First coat, added bondcrete.

Final coat before sealer.


Rick

 

[wildthings]

Render is alot easier to get on thinner, then can add detail using end of a paint brush. The foam is really only their for a base then add texture/detail into the render as it dries.

I used a 20kg bag on my 1200x700 background.

First coat, added bondcrete.

Final coat before sealer.


Rick

holy cow 20kg, mine looks around the same size, have to fine the cable, looks really cool btw

 

[wildthings]

still some more polystyrene rocks to put in

 

[smileysnake]

not sure about the holding heat better but i presume the render would.and yeah easier to apply and better texture i use a sponge sometimes to get more texture i also use a soldering iron on the foam to get a bit more detail just mix up render thinner more coats needed but looks great when finished

 

[wildthings]

not sure about the holding heat better but i presume the render would.and yeah easier to apply and better texture i use a sponge sometimes to get more texture i also use a soldering iron on the foam to get a bit more detail just mix up render thinner more coats needed but looks great when finished

Thanx so much, I thought the little bit of grout that I tried out seems very cold and seems like it would prefer to hold the cold too haha and yes I know he's a reptile and doesnt mind the cold now and then haha.

 

[Rogue5861]

Render also set alot quicker then grout i have found, around 3-6hrs for render depending on how cold it is.


Rick

 

[Bart70]

Render also set alot quicker then grout i have found, around 3-6hrs for render depending on how cold it is.


Rick

Rick,

In your pics above...One pic is after first coat of render, last pic is after last coat before sealing.

How did you colour your final coat?....Did you add oxide to the render or did you paint?

I am guessing that you used plain render without any colour until you got near your final coat.....How many coats of render did you end up doing?

You used a 20kg bag.....I am guessing that your wall ended up weighing 20kg?

Did you use a backing board of any type? I am thinking of using either 3mm or 6mm craftwood (sealed) as a baking board to work on, then affix it to the back of the enclosure when completed.

Sorry about all the questions......Just thinking of embarking on a wall building exercise and if I do I have 3 large walls to build!

 

[Rogue5861]

Rick,

In your pics above...One pic is after first coat of render, last pic is after last coat before sealing.

How did you colour your final coat?....Did you add oxide to the render or did you paint?

I am guessing that you used plain render without any colour until you got near your final coat.....How many coats of render did you end up doing?

You used a 20kg bag.....I am guessing that your wall ended up weighing 20kg?

Did you use a backing board of any type? I am thinking of using either 3mm or 6mm craftwood (sealed) as a baking board to work on, then affix it to the back of the enclosure when completed.

Sorry about all the questions......Just thinking of embarking on a wall building exercise and if I do I have 3 large walls to build!

Yep, first pic is first coat with bondcrete and second is final before sealer.

Final colour was using oxide, im hopeless at painting. I alternated coloured and non coloured render so i knew what parts i had covered and what wasnt.

I didnt weigh it but it would have to be around 20-25kgs.

No backboard at all as i used a 20mm foam sheet and build up off of that, after a few layers it was strong enough to hold shape without cracking.


Rick

 

[wildthings]

Yep, first pic is first coat with bondcrete and second is final before sealer.

Final colour was using oxide, im hopeless at painting. I alternated coloured and non coloured render so i knew what parts i had covered and what wasnt.

I didnt weigh it but it would have to be around 20-25kgs.

No backboard at all as i used a 20mm foam sheet and build up off of that, after a few layers it was strong enough to hold shape without cracking.


Rick

just wondering Rick, how much difference is there using bondcrete, is it necessary?

 

[Rogue5861]

just wondering Rick, how much difference is there using bondcrete, is it necessary?

Hasnt tried render without bondcrete but it is used to help with adhesion to the foam. Could always trial it on some foam prior to committing to not using on your background, i mix it 50/50 water/bondcrete to get a cream (thickened, not whipped) like consitancy.


Rick

 

[Bart70]

Rick - Thanks for the reply. I have made a couple of 'rock ledges' using coloured grout and did as you suggested and changed the colour slightly by mixing coloured grout in between coats. I did my 'weathering' by flicking dark grout onto the wet terracotta grout, then after it set, using some light terracotta brush strokes to lighten the exposed surfaces to the terracotta colour - giving the 'hollows' a dark weathered look - came up great.

Wildthings - I have done concrete rendering using Bondcrete (bought in 25 litre pails) and I tell you it will make any masonry product strong as nails, and help with sealing. If I dropped any 'blobs' of render while rendering a wall, and did not clean them up before they set, it would be a very determined effort with a hammer and chisel to remove it from a concrete path!!

Bondcrete in the mix definitely makes for a harder and stronger end product.

 

[wildthings]

hmm okay will have a try out on some of the left over foam, and do you mean the polystyrene foam of the expanda foam ?

 

[Bart70]

hmm okay will have a try out on some of the left over foam, and do you mean the polystyrene foam of the expanda foam ?

I have used it on both - it will help with adhesion and strengthen the render. I don't go as far as 50/50 - I don't measure it as such but a couple of tablespoons of Bondcrete to about half a glass of water (My jobs with rock walls/ledges thus far have been small hence the small amounts I mix).

 

[wildthings]

thanx bart70 thats want I wanted to hear haha, don't want my jungle to break things especially his neck :/.. didn't really have a clue what I was doing when I started this project, so glad I found this site... so so helpful hahaha hopefully now it won't be a disaster...

 

[Sparky85]

Just out of interest, what are the dimensions of your background? How many coats did you add?
A couple tips for painting your background with acrylic paint is to use a sponge to lightly dab paint onto the rocks. This can help to highlight the detail, especially if you have couloured your render/grout. Also using a paint brush and wiping 90% of the paint off on some newspaper. If you use a lighter colour or tone, this can help to highlight areas of rock.
Also as a side note, bondcrete is essentially just glorified pva glue. Render is pretty much concrete with pva glue added. Save a litle money and just buy a bag of concrete and a bottle of pva glue. I have found grout to be pretty good to use because of how thin you can make it. if you build up your layers slowly, as it dries, use a paint brush to puncture the surface by dabbing the paint brush all over your background. Helps to rough up the surface and takes away the unnatural smooth look. Ill post a few pics of my progress once i get home from working away.