When it comes to finishing your home's exterior, choice is abound. You can seal the exterior, leaving the masonry exposed for viewing, paint it, or you can use a special coating to help cover the entire wall. And that's just a starter for ten.

A coating is very different from paint in that it is applied differently and has to be considerably thicker than paint. Exterior wall coatings are used for a few reasons.

They look great: Older masonry doesn't always look very attractive and it may be starting to darken or look iffy. Using wall coating on the exterior will give your home a nice, uniform look and you can add texture as desired. Thanks to the coating being thicker, it can be smoothed or textured as desired.

They cover flaws: If your home is not build quite to the standard you'd like and there are chips or dips in the exterior masonry, a good wall coating will cover this. As long as the irregularities don't affect the structure of the home, you can cover them with a thick layer of coating and smooth it all out.

They last for a long time: Outer wall coatings are designed to last for a long period of time. They're flexible and have a number of adhesives mixed in to ensure the coating will stay on the wall. The coating should last for many years to come, barring any excessive damage.

They're low maintenance: In general, you won't need to do much for your exterior wall coatings, except clean them from time to time with water to eliminate debris. It's natural for textured coatings to collect a little dust or bits of pollen, etc. that fly in on the wind, but these can be rinsed off easily with a garden hose and water.

They come in multiple colours: You'll find exterior coatings in all the standard colours, but you can also have them specially mixed to create a colour that you want, but can't find. If you are trying to match an existing colour scheme, for example, you may need to special order the colour that you need.

They come with multiple textures: While most wall coatings can be textured on application, some come with built in texture. These include gritty pieces to help incorporate a little or a lot of texture. You'll find that there is a wide variety of options here, so you'll want to see and feel examples of each option before you make a decision.

They protect your home. Older walls can end up deteriorating over time, so adding a coating is helpful for preventing further decay. The coating also protects the house against minor damage and still lets the walls breathe. It's important to allow for some circulation, since dampness inside the home needs a way to escape.

They're energy efficient. Exterior coatings provide your home with a little more insulation than usual, which helps keep heat or coolness inside. It also reflects sunlight, to prevent the interior of your home from heating up too much. If you're interested in an eco-friendly exterior, this is a good choice.

Wall coatings aren't for everyone, but they can make a profound difference as to how your home looks and feels. If you don't want to deal with regular paint, then this type of coating can be useful.

How to Apply Wall Coatings

Now that you know the benefits of having a good quality coating on your exterior walls, you need to understand how it is actually applied. While it can be done by yourself, you'll want a professional to handle the job to ensure it's well done.

Step One: Clean the Wall

A pressure washer is the best way to clean a wall before you apply a wall coating. This will spray off any dirt and moss, as well as paint and grime that has collected over the years. If there are still signs of mould, you can use concrete cleaner to scrub it off.

This step is very important, as you need to make sure there is nothing on the wall that will prevent the coating from adhering.

Step Two: Look for Problems

Any wall can have defects or damage. Some of these may be covered up with the wall coating, but others need to be fixed before you attempt to cover them. You should be looking for mortar that is coming loose, holes or cracks in the walls, and any bricks or stones that are starting to crumble away. You can make notes of the defects, or you can mark them with a piece of chalk.

Step Three: Fix Any Issues

Once you've inspected the entire house and have seen exactly where the problems are, you need to go back and fix any that require fixing. This generally includes replacing any bricks that are missing or severely damaged, replacing mortar, and putting putty on the cracks. You want the surface to be as stable as possible for applying the wall coating. If there are any loose pieces, they could fall out later and pull the wall coating with them.

Step Four: Apply the Coating

Follow the directions on your coating to apply it. Usually, you will use a special tool or a scraper to apply it thickly to the wall, then scrape it level. If you want to add texture, this can be done at the end, section by section. Some people even do a second coat after they've done their first coat, adding texture to this one. The resins in the mixture should help it adhere to the wall, but you'll need to be sure all your repairs are completely dry before attempting this.

Adding a wall coating isn't that difficult, but it is certainly time consuming. The exterior of your home is huge and you will need to complete large swaths each session. It's also important that the finish be uniform across the house and that may be difficult if you're not a professional. For this reason, and to speed the process up, many people prefer to hire someone else to do the job for them.

Roof Coating and Roof Waterproofing

When you're working on your exterior walls, don't forget your roof. This is an excellent time to make sure your roof is also in good shape. This is more than just applying waterproofing paint for roof top use. While the coating may help prevent future leaks, it isn't great at repairing existing leaks, so you'll need to find those and repair them first. You can use waterproof roof sealant to seal any cracks that you've repaired, then add the coating.

Keep in mind that waterproof roof coatings are usually meant for flat roofs and are designed to help make your roof water resistant. If you have an uneven roof and water is collecting in puddles in areas, you'll need to fix this, too. It's usually best to fix it before you apply any coating, since it's easier to level out a rooftop before you add coating.

Can You Use Roof Sealant on Walls?

There are specific sealants that are designed for walls, but you probably don't want to use roofing sealants on the walls. This is due to the fact that your walls let liquid and gases pass through them. This is the importance of breathing when it comes to walls.

However, while walls are an essential part of eliminating humidity from inside the home, roofs are in need of complete sealing. After all, if you have water sitting on a flat roof, the last thing you want is for it to get through to the interior. Walls require a different touch, since they'll never have water sitting on them. Rain may drive against the walls, but it certainly won't go through them if there are water resistant coatings.

Your best bet for finishing your home is to opt for a proper exterior wall coating. Exterior wall coatings cost more than paint, but they provide so much more protection, it should be considered essential for every home. With a variety of finishes and colours available, there is something for every decorating taste. Add to this the fact that the coating will protect your older walls and new ones, too, for years to come and you have an essential element for managing your home's exterior.

Are you looking for someone to handle applying your wall coating? Contact Kingdom Coatings today to get a quote on your property.