Silicone-Based Exterior Render Systems: Functional and Attractive

Silicone-Based Exterior Render Systems: Functional and Attractive

Rendering involves applying a coat to your external walls, creating a smooth or textured finish that provides a seamless appearance. This process protects your brickwork from the weather and damage, and you can opt to render every aspect of your home or use a mixture of brickwork and render, depending on the aesthetic you would like.

One of the most advanced exterior render systems is made with a silicone base as an alternative to conventional sand and cement.

We’ll explain the benefits shortly, but silicone may be the ideal option if you would like a durable, flawless finish and a high-performance render.

What is Exterior Rendering?

There are two key reasons to add render to the outside of your property:

  • To prevent moisture and dampness from penetrating your walls.
  • Providing an attractive, uniform finish.

Traditional render is made from a sand and cement mixture, which can be the cheapest solution since the materials are widely available. It can also be patched if the render breaks down or cracks over time. You’ll likely be familiar with some of the finishes applied, such as pebbledash.

The issue with cement render is that it isn’t the most durable material. You’ll often need to regularly paint the outside of your property since exposed render isn’t appealing to most homeowners.

How Do Silicone-Based Exterior Render Systems Work?

Pinnacle Works offers an alternative exterior render system, using silicone render, which is water-resistant and can be coloured as you wish – removing the time and cost of painting.

Silicone-based render systems have superior performance qualities compared even with other newer systems, including acrylic, providing greater breathability and lasting longer. While it may be slightly more expensive to apply, silicone render lasts an average of 25 to 30 years, so it is an investment that pays dividends over the long term. This top of the range render is easy to apply and is inherently hydrophobic, with excellent water repellent qualities that avoid dirt and moisture from accumulating on your property.

We can render most properties with a spray machine and the application process takes very little time if the external walls are carefully prepared.

Rendering requires just one coat of a thin application, although we’ll usually advise using a basecoat to create a stable, level and strong surface. Once the basecoat is dry, the silicone is applied, usually across each elevation in one go, to avoid any lines or patches between adjoining render.

The Advantages of Exterior Render Systems

Silicone-based external render systems have a range of compelling benefits!

Some of the most important include:

  • Waterproofing your property from the outside in – mitigating any potential issues around leaks, staining, damp and mould.
  • Improving the thermal value of your property. Incorporating insulation boards can make your home significantly more energy-efficient.
  • Silicone render can be applied directly onto an existing finish, provided it is in reasonable condition, reducing the application timescale and costs.
  • The uniform render looks stunning once dried, without any need to paint your external walls or touch up paintwork over the years.
  • This render is self-cleaning and gives a contemporary, fresh appearance to properties of any age.

Once your rendering is complete, it is highly unlikely that the silicone-based finish will crack, extending its useful life, and remaining in perfect condition for up to around 30 years.

Can I Choose a Coloured Silicone-Based Render?

Render can be tailored to your style and design aspiration in any colour you wish. A pigment can be blended with the render before application or we can offer a range of pre-coloured renders, creating a far more durable, coloured finish than any external paintwork.

Coloured render lasts considerably longer than paint and provides a beautiful, smooth finish.

Are There Any Disadvantages to Using a Silicone Render System?

The only real downside to silicone render is that it is more costly than acrylic or sand and cement render. Still, it is more durable, water repellent, maintenance-free and self-cleaning, easily offsetting the usual maintenance expenses involved with property upkeep.

Choosing Between Traditional and Modern Rendering

There are pros and cons to both traditional and modern rendering, and the systems operate very differently.

Silicone render is self-coloured, which is one of the popular advantages, and excels above and beyond conventional render, incorporating silicone to make the render more flexible and thus less prone to cracking or damage. Breathability is also important; balancing the trade-off between water resistance ensures the brickwork remains in good condition underneath.

Listed buildings and period homes may have a lime render system used on most properties built before the 1930s. Lime mortar was generally used in construction and matched with a lime render. Issues commonly arise because these older render systems are:

  • Not particularly water-resistant, which can cause untold damage to external walls, and problems with dampness, water damage and rot.
  • Of a basic finish. Silicone render can be applied to properly prepared walls with a base coat to ensure adequate adhesion. A bad quality render may need to be removed if there is any risk of falling away from the wall.
  • Old render usually needs to be painted once every four years (on average) since the colour will fade and stain, and paintwork will chip and crack over time.
  • Lime render cracks as the property moves and settles, which is natural. Cracks must then be patched over or the property re-rendered.

Much depends on your home, budget, and the finish you wish to achieve.

Expert Advice Choosing a Render System for Your Home

If you’re unsure which type of rendering would suit your property and provide the right finish, please contact the Pinnacle Works team.

Properties with underlying challenges such as damp or cracked render may require remedial work beforehand to ensure your external walls are ready for the new render application and provide a perfectly smooth appearance. It’s advisable to seek guidance before investing in a render system that may not last as long as you expect.

Our experienced professionals can discuss the various types of render and suggest the right solutions to fit your requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

Customise Your Own Home Bar – Indoors or Out!

Customise Your Own Home Bar – Indoors or Out!

Over the last year, we’ve all spent a lot more time at home than usual. Among all the challenges, it’s also been an opportunity to make the most of the sanctuaries that we call our homes. The Pinnacle Works carpentry teams have been hard at work creating bespoke timber creations for properties across West Sussex. Our number one requested design? Home bars!

Here we’ll run through some of our favourite ideas, and inspirations for unique home bars that bring a sense of fun and family to any property.

For help with bringing your imagination to life, or designing a bar that reflects the style and decor of your house or apartment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

A Social Summer Is Coming!

As the weather slowly warms, and the first green shoots of spring appear, the promise of a glorious summer is on the horizon.

Nobody yet knows quite what that will look like this year; but with hopes of pandemic restrictions lifting, we’re all anticipating social occasions, warm hugs and laid back BBQ days enjoying the sunshine, friends and family. Garden projects have increased by almost 50% during the pandemic!

Now is a great time to think about new planting, and restoring joy to your outdoor spaces after a long, cold winter. Along with cleaning off the grill, dusting off the paddling pool and getting the lawn back into great shape, installing a high quality, timber bar will transform your home into an entertainment venue like no other.

  • Outdoor home bars can be as large or small as you like, with tailored designs to fit neatly into any unused corners of your outdoor space and give it fresh purpose.
  • Customised finishes mean that, if you can visualise it, we can create it!
  • High-quality carpentry creates home bars to withstand the elements.
  • Bring an injection of colour, style and energy to empty patios – think twinkling lights, Hawaiian leis, or slick, pared-back contemporary city styling.

Staying in is the new going out; and whether you’re thinking of colour blocks and martini glasses or an all-out summertime fiesta, the skilled Pinnacle Works carpentry team can build it.

Lighting Solutions for Outdoor Home Bars

When you’ve got an idea about your bar’s theme and position, the next consideration is lighting. We have a range of suggestions from previous designs!

There are limitless options, and it’s well worth looking at other home bars since well-placed lighting can add ambience, fun, mood and atmosphere – and mean you’ll be out enjoying the fresh air long after the sun has set.

  • Fairy lights are a traditional outdoor bar lighting option, with a calming effect and multiple battery-operated options.
  • Wired light bulbs bring a sense of cool loft lighting, and can be bright and welcoming or dimmed and relaxing depending on your event.
  • Outdoor LED lights are an excellent solution for eco-friendliness and require very little installation time or running costs.
  • Hardwired lighting is available through the Pinnacle team, creating a long-term outdoor lighting solution suitable for year-round use.

Indoor Home Bar Designs

Of course, your entertaining doesn’t have to be reserved for the garden; and we’re all well aware that the British summer doesn’t make a lot of guarantees regarding the weather…

Through our established team of joiners and carpenters, Pinnacle can design home bars for kitchen and living areas as well as the outdoors. There are lots of great benefits to opting for a home bar design:

  • Space-saving entertainment area, which can slot into even tiny places.
  • Make the most of the footprint of your home by utilising every corner.
  • A cost-effective option, and suitable for kitchens, living rooms, conservatories and outdoor spaces.
  • Bespoke designs create a bar that aligns with the decor and theme of your home.

Our recommendations for the highest quality materials, finishes and construction methods are always adapted to the type of bar you would like, and where in your home this is to be fitted.

Bringing the Outside In

When you think of a home bar, it’s essential to understand that this doesn’t have to be a typical open top, rectangular construction.

Timber is a versatile, natural material with few limitations!

  • Covered bars can be used year-round as a dynamic outdoor space.
  • Weatherproof roofing protects your bar area whatever the weather.
  • Adding fire pits, seating areas, grills or an outdoor kitchen makes an outdoor bar so much more than an occasional entertaining space!
  • You can use trellises to encourage climbers to grow, blending your outdoor bar in with your landscaping.

We have created timber outdoor home bars with multiple functionalities; from outdoor games spaces for kids to relaxing lounge areas to sit down with a good book and enjoy the fresh air.

Canopies and roofs are an excellent idea if you’re looking for a cost-effective home bar that will add value to your quality of living, and allow you to spend time outside, even in the rain. Adding quality lighting, soft furnishings and perhaps even an outdoor music system truly creates a new living space – that can increase your garden’s usability and improve the saleable value of your property.

Outdoor Home Bar Design

There are all sorts of ways to adapt your outdoor home bar to your home:

  • Bars on wheels are a convenient storage option and can be easily packed away in the shed or garage when not in use.
  • Plant stands on bars add shelving for all of your barware and provide plenty of room to decorate your bar with some greenery to tie in with your garden.
  • Buffet stands or tiled bars are long-wearing and perfect for entertaining.
  • Using blackboards or blackboard paint is an excellent way of creating a unique bar menu for special occasions or themed family evenings.
  • Building a bar into a deck area can transform its uses, and be a fantastic spot for summer evening dinners.

If you’re considering an outdoor home bar, aren’t sure of the design options to fit into your space, or need some style inspiration to capture the right mood, get in touch with the Pinnacle Works team for everything from design tips to construction solutions.

Let’s make it a summer to remember!

Ideas to Transform Your Outside Space

Ideas to Transform Your Outside Space

Our outside spaces are an area of privacy and relaxation, where we both play and entertain, and can make the most of our family time.

Lockdown has given us a renewed appreciation of the value our gardens bring to our homes, and how by making the most of the design of outside spaces, we can transform the way we live.

Let us share some of our ideas to transform your outside space, renovation ideas for reimagining your garden, be it through the creative use of design, innovative building placement or smart functionality.

Why Redesign Your Outside Space?

Our team works on a wide variety of construction and renovation projects; from groundworks to decor and roofing to extensions. We know that even small gardens and courtyards can be adapted to deliver dynamic, beautiful and tranquil outside spaces that extend the footprint of your home.

By using weatherproof materials, outdoor eating areas and family-friendly design, you reconnect your interior with the outdoors – making your home feel more spacious, adaptable, and provide contemporary entertaining spaces that are sure to impress.

Here are some of our favourite ways to transform your landscaping and garden design!

Garden Rooms

We love the flexibility and space-saving a garden room offers. If you’re short on space, need somewhere to work or relax, a garden room is a fantastic way to make use of that empty space at the end of your garden – use them for:

  • Home office
  • Gym
  • Kids playroom
  • Craft area
  • Weatherproof entertaining
  • Guest accommodation

The beauty of a garden room is that they don’t have to be large to bring a new aspect to your garden, and a new, usable space, to your family living. Pinnacle Works installs bespoke garden rooms that are fully insulated, glazed, weatherproof and can have mains power supplies and utilities as required.

Rendered Seating Areas

Render is a chic way to add texture and shape to your garden, and is a whole lot more visually compelling than any old garden furniture! Choose from colours, styles, and create dramatic curves or sharp contrasting edges – whilst installing unique furniture that is as eco-friendly as it is beautiful.

Outdoor rendering is sturdy and durable, adapted perfectly to the shape and flow of your garden, and can seamlessly integrate with planting areas and walls to slot perfectly into your outside space.

Jacuzzi Bases and Surrounds

Nothing says opulence like your own Jacuzzi; and you’ll not mind the winter cold when you have a luxuriously warm pool to enjoy, entertain in, and use as your personal haven from the world!

From insulating bases to slip-free matting, chic timber gazebos to contemporary stone seating and scandi-style spa bases to modern slate finishes, Pinnacle Works offer an incredible range of Jacuzzi bases and surrounds to take your outside space to the next level.

Outdoor Kitchens/BBQs/Pizza Ovens

One of the most popular ways to renovate your garden design is to move your kitchen – outside! Alfresco dining makes the absolute best of warmer weather, and with a couple of well-placed heaters and a gazebo or overhead rain cover, can be a delight to entertain in throughout the year. Imagine having your own beautifully tiled pizza oven, and perhaps an outdoor cocktail bar, or the ultimate fitted charcoal BBQ with a herb garden at your fingertips!

We love an outdoor kitchen and can advise on the best finishes such as marble countertops, stainless steel finishes and acrylic-sealed flagstone paving to make cooking outdoors a joy. 

Outdoor Plumbing and Electrics

We work with clients all the time who want to make better use of their gardens, and elevate the value and style of their home – and often, this comes down to the convenience of having amenities and reliable plumbing in an accessible place.

Here at Pinnacle, we offer the full range of construction and renovation skills; whether you need a bespoke seating area crafted by our carpentry and joinery team, a rainproof cover constructed over your outdoor seating area, or full mains plumbing and electricity.

Garden plumbing and electrics can be used for:

  • Having running water and electrical points in a summerhouse or garden room.
  • Bringing convenience to outdoor kitchens.
  • Running water features, light installations, or security fittings.
  • Powering appliances.

Cedar Cladding

Cedar cladding brings a rich, natural material to your outside space, and is the ultimate blend of traditional wood with a contemporary feel. This material lends itself to multiple garden features – such as garden rooms, fencing, seating and feature panels.

Our carpentry team love working with cedar cladding for the honesty of strong, reliable timber, as well as using outstanding design to incorporate vapour barriers and air vents for a cedar-clad space that will last for years to come.

Artificial Grass

Artificial grass, or all-around grass, is an excellent choice for gardens with high traffic, where soil quality or concrete foundations make planting a lawn difficult, or for homeowners who don’t have the time to maintain that perfect green lawn!

Whether you have busy kids who love to play football or want to avoid the need to mow and tend to a lawn, AstroTurf or artificial grass is cost-effective, zero maintenance, and remains bright and lush all year round. It’s also a fantastic way to bring a splash of colour to smaller spaces!

Fire Pits

We all want to be able to use our gardens year-round, and a fire pit is both elegant and functional.

Create a cool entertaining space by combining a fire pit with a sunken seating area, and install a waterproof cover or decking space to make your fire pit the heart of your outside space. 

Sunken Seating Areas

A fantastic way to make great use of a tight space, or to add depth and levels to your garden is to use a sunken seating area.

The Pinnacle groundworks team make light work of crafting a usable, dynamic space, and you can install any style or finish of seating that fits the aesthetic and ambience of your outside space.

Swimming Pools and Surrounds

Perhaps you think your garden isn’t quite big enough for a swimming pool, but would love to develop your landscaping to incorporate a fun, stylish dip spa? There are thousands of choices when it comes to home pools, and Pinnacle Works are experienced in installing tailored pools with surrounds and features to complement your outside space perfectly.

Options include:

  • Conservatory swimming pool extensions
  • Plunge pools and swim spas
  • Sunken swimming pools to sit flush with your patio
  • Curved, cubic or custom-shaped pools

Outdoor Glass Balustrading

Glass is an excellent material choice for a garden renovation – and can transform smaller spaces with the power of reflection and crystal-clear sightlines to make the tightest corners appear dramatically bigger.

Glass balustrades incorporate lateral angles, elegance and create a focal point while delivering uninterrupted views and security for seating areas, balconies, mezzanines and pool areas.

Outdoor Lighting to Transform Your Space

Illuminating your outside space is one of the fastest and most cost-effective options in outside space renovation.

Building lighting into your garden design can be used in any number of ways, to:

  • Highlight pathways, features and focal points.
  • Illuminate pools, ponds and water features.
  • Add romantic lighting and ambience to dining areas.
  • Bring colour and soft illumination to fencing, stairways and walls.

Slabbing, Tiling, Porcelain, Sandstone

Alternative ground materials and finishes can have a profound impact on the feel and style of your outside spaces! From using colour and texture to define each area, to creating visual impact and a statement focal point, using contemporary and eco-friendly materials breathes fresh life into patios and pathways.

Mixing materials, creating pattern through diagonal paving or contrasting slick, high-shine porcelain against a cool, textural sandstone delivers a modern look even on a tight budget.

Decking – Composite or Real Timber

Deck construction is one of the most popular garden finishes – raised decking can create new levels and add shape to your garden. Whether you choose a durable, sustainable composite finish or a treated real timber wooden deck, Pinnacle Works can install your new garden feature in any style, shape or area of your garden.

Timber decks are ideal for dining areas, entertaining spaces or children’s play areas, and are a low-maintenance option that visually offsets grass and planting while being easy to use all year round.

We hope these ideas and construction suggestions are useful! If you have a design idea and need a professional, friendly team to make your garden renovation a reality, get in touch with Pinnacle Works. As a family-run business with a passion for outstanding design, our craftspeople are always on hand to help create your ideal outside spaces to bring a fresh new feel to your home.