Here comes the sun?

Tarmac’s Dr Bill is getting his sunglasses ready

Despite spring having officially sprung, summer seems a long way off and there is still time to consider what should be in stock when (hopefully, not ‘if’) it finally happens.

Normally, the sage advice would be to stock items such as patio slabs, concrete pavers and materials that can be used to build barbecues (‘Brexit Burger’ or a simple ‘Romaine’ salad anyone ?), outdoor seating or other features to help us while away the sunny evenings to come.

Conservatories are also at the front of many customers’ minds at this time of year, but what about rendering the outside walls of houses to give them that Mediterranean look and feel? This can build on the patio (itself derived from a Spanish word) theme and create a new exterior feel.

Whilst white renders on both new builds and refurbishments are becoming much more common (at least it appears that way in semi-rural Warwickshire), they can sometimes appear a bit harsh, whereas pale pastel colours (creams or even terracotta) give the wall a warmer look

There is generally a choice for the builder between pre-blended through coloured renders and site batched renders that use sand, cement (often a white cement) and specialist mortar pigments. You could, of course, also make the render using grey cement and simply paint it in a suitably warm colour using exterior masonry paint. Whatever method of producing a render is chosen, remember ancillary equipment (bonding agents, scratch floats, beading, reinforcing mesh/scrim etc) will also be needed for the ‘one-stop shop’.

Create a bit of the south here in more northerly climes, even without the pressure of global warming.