ABSTRACT
Renders, in one form or another, have been used for hundreds of years to decorate or weatherproof buildings. During the Regency (early 1800s) rendering became a very popular finish (it was known as stucco) used, in the main, on cheap speculative brick buildings to emulate stone. Cheltenham and Brighton have hundreds of examples (the picture on the right shows a terraced house in Weymouth — late 18th century). Stucco was made from lime and fine aggregate. The type of lime varied but weak hydraulic limes were preferable to ‘pure’ limes. They had a faster set and better waterproofing qualities. Local aggregates would have been used; these might include sand, grit, and ash. During the next hundred years, building technologists experimented with various mixes of lime and clay, and produced a range of cements of varying strength and quality. The one most commonly used today is Ordinary Portland Cement.
