What Are The Best Tools For Rendering?

Advice For Rendering
Rendering, otherwise known as external plastering, refers to the process of applying a coat of cement on the exterior walls of a property to give it a smooth or textured finish.
The main difference between plastering and rendering is that plastering is carried out on interior surfaces, whereas rendering is carried out on exterior surfaces. Render material has the same ingredients as plaster but features a heavier cement base, making it the ideal choice for external projects.
Undoubtedly, outdoor render must withstand moisture and temperature changes, be weatherproof, and protect against driving rain. This is why cement-based and lime-based plasters and synthetic resin are widely used for rendering.
When it comes to rendering in plastering, several tools are commonly used to achieve a smooth or textured even finish. We’ve handpicked some of the best-performing tools for rendering for you to consider.
What Tools Do I Need For Rendering?
1. Rendering Trowels
Trowels are a crucial piece of equipment and are essential for all renderers. They are used to apply and spread render on the walls, so the higher the quality of a trowel, the better your finish will be. Trowels also come in various shapes and sizes, and thanks to their versatility, they can be used on other projects such as drylining, airless spray plaster installs and traditional finish plaster projects.
What is the best size trowel for rendering?
We recommend the 14″ FINATEX-1 trowel. They’re lightweight and offer great control overall, though this is typically a personal preference and you may prefer a smaller or larger sized trowel depending on the application.
The full range of sizes available:
- 11″ (280mm)
- 12″ (305mm)
- 13″ (330mm)
- 14″ (355mm)
- 16″ (400mm)
- 18″ (460mm)
What We Recommend:
2. Straight Edges & Rules
A straight edge is a multipurpose precision tool used for smoothing the layers of the render. Without the use of a straight edge, the wall you are rendering may become uneven.
Additionally, I-section scrapers are used for scraping back polymer and colour through renders. They’re designed to reduce high spots, remove air pockets and help achieve a flat, even surface.
What We Recommend:
Length: 1.0M – 2.50M
Precision grade aluminium extrusions
Finishing and levelling plaster & render
Length: 1.0M – 2.50M
Precision grade aluminium extrusions
Levelling and ruling off plaster & render
Length: 0.50M – 1.50M
Precision grade aluminium extrusions
Scraping back polymer & through-colour render
Length: 1.00M – 2.00M
Precision grade aluminium extrusions
Ideal for removing air pockets and identifying hollow and low spots
The serrated feather edge is used for manipulating the rendered product once it’s been applied to ensure the surface is distributed evenly without any air pockets and to identify hollows and low spots throughout.
3. Heavy Duty Mixing Buckets
Large, thick gauge mixing buckets are ideal for mixing large gauges of render thanks to their tall sides that help eliminate splashing and contain the mix to make applying easier. Heavy-duty buckets can be used to mix render, mortar, and water. They’re undoubtedly a piece of convenient equipment and can be used more than once!
What We Recommend:
Capacity: 35L – 100L
Heavy duty gauge walls
Durable moulded recycled plastic
Capacity: 12L – 18L
Moulded internal measuring gauge
Ideal for patching and repair mixes
4. Bucket Trowels
A bucket trowel is ideal for mixing and scooping plaster, adhesives and cement. They’re an indispensable tool that makes it easier to carry render from your mixing bucket to your workplace. Bucket trowels feature a square end and tapered shape, making them easy to use while not damaging your bucket.
In addition, they also feature other benefits:
- Scraping extra adhesive off other trowels back into the bucket for further use.
- Scraping adhesive off the edge of a bucket.
- Great for mixing adhesive in the bucket during application.
What We Recommend:
Size: 8″ – 10″
Heavy duty gauge stainless steel
High quality fusion welded bracket
Size: 8″ – 10″
Heavy duty gauge stainless steel
High quality fusion welded bracket
Size: 7″
Bent blade design to aid material pick-up
Reach the bottom of the bucket with ease
5. Sponge Floats
A sponge float is designed to remove air pockets and trowel marks and create an even textured surface before final troweling, applying a top coat or finishing a surface once it has been floated.
They are available in fine and coarse finishes, as detailed below:
- Fine-grain sponge floats leave a smoother finish than coarse-grain sponges.
- Medium-grain sponge floats leave a medium smooth finish and can be used for extended periods between rinsing.
- Coarse-grain sponge floats provide a medium finish and can be used for extended periods between rinsing.
It’s highly recommended to clean the sponge out before lumps of material dry to it to ensure it provides long-lasting performance after every project.
What We Recommend:
Sizes: 11″ & 16″
Ideal for opening up the surface
Great for remove trowel marks & small air pockets
Size: 11″
Premium cellular sponges that out perform car sponges
Ideal for floating render materials
Sizes: 7″
Ideal for opening up the surface
Great for remove trowel marks & small air pockets
Size: 18″
Ideal for opening up the surface
Great for remove trowel marks & small air pockets
6. Render Scrapers
Render scrapers give monocouche a scraped textured finish and are used before the final set. The surface is scraped back, removing high spots, improving uniformity and preserving the exposed aggregates leaving a more decorative finish. Monocouche render has become one of the best solutions for rendering because of its flexibility, and affordable cost and unlike traditional sand and cement render, monocouche is entirely pre-coloured and doesn’t require painting.
What We Recommend:
Length: 0.50M – 1.50M
Precision grade aluminium extrusions
Scraping back polymer & through-colour render
Sizes: 11″
Tooth: 8mm
Agressive or progressive surface removal
Durable construction
7. Plastic Floats
Plastic floats are essential hand tools used for ‘floating up’ render systems once applied to the surface. They help to compress the render material after it has been scraped back and should be used in a figure of eight pattern to create a solid, uniform coating. Though most plastic floats can be used in a variety of applications, we recommend the following:
- Diamond face ABS plastic floats are hard wearing hand tools that can be used to float up various materials such as OCR renders, sand and cement and base coats ready to install silicone renders. Thanks to their unique diamond patterned face, they help to evenly distribute material, remove trowel marks and compress material equally to create a uniform flat surface.
- Poly plastic floats and darbies are lightweight cross grain face floats that are ideal for sand and cement render installs, as well as traditional lime render applications. These floats help to compress the material which is a crucial part of the installation process and helps to create a flat uniform finish ready for the final sponge stage.
- Plastic texture floats are used for finishing silicone thin coat render systems that vary between aggregate grain size and application thickness. REFINA manufactures different thickness texture floats to help suit the render system, as well as different colours to help aid against discolouration during flattening. Thanks to their bevelled edges, these texture floats help to achieve a professional finish with minimal drag lines.
What We Recommend:
Sizes: 11″ – 17″
Hard wearing, durable ABS plastic
Chunky easy-grip handle
Sizes: 7.5″ – 20″
Super lightweight
Cross grain face ideal for sand & cements
Sizes: 11″
2mm gauge ABS plastic blade
Ideal for working with 3-4mm render grain installations
Perfect for working with white renders
Sizes: 11″
3mm gauge plastic blade
Ideal for working with 2mm render grain installations
Perfect for working with white cements and special colour renders
About REFINA Tools
REFINA Tools is a leading UK-based manufacturer of high-quality plastering and rendering tools. We are a trusted brand in the construction industry and highly regarded by plasterers, builders, and tradespeople alike. We pride ourselves on using the latest technology and design to create practical and durable products to the highest standard, making them ideal for any plastering job, large or small.
Explore our product range in full online or contact us if you require further information.