When it comes to home repairs, parging is often a vital part of the overall process. Simply put, parging is the process of covering the surface of a masonry wall by applying mortar to the exterior and interior block and stone surface. Its ultimate goal is to shield and protect the foundation of your house against the harsh outdoor elements.
However, did you know there are things that impact the parging’s longevity? In this article, we’ll discuss five common factors that affect its integrity:
1. Use of low-quality or old materials
Parging consists of a mixture of water, sand and cement. For this reason, only quality materials from a highly reputable supplier must be used to ensure quality. First, low-quality substrates can significantly impact the lifespan of your parged walls; even the use of bonding agents and lath materials will make a difference. Second, old materials that have been tampered with several times may affect the parging. As much as possible, contractors must only opt for quality and durable materials to ensure parging will last longer than usual.
2. Improper mixture preparation
Apart from the materials used, the mixture preparation can ultimately affect your parging quality. As mentioned above, it must have the right blend of water, sand, and cement. The problem begins when there’s too much or too little air, water, or sand that will affect the technique’s overall quality. That said, be sure to have the right water amount, sand amount, air entrainment, and chemical additives, and hire a contractor to do the job for you.
3. Poor installation
Once the mixture is ready, only then does the actual installation ensue. The parging application starts by applying the mortar to a wet wall, which must be done with precision. This goes as simple as preparing the mixture, grooming the surface (getting rid of dirt, dust, and other debris), or applying the mortar. However, the problem starts if the mortar is applied haphazardly because it can make the wall easily and quickly subject to wear and tear as your property gets older.
Here at Gillespie Handyman, we have experienced crews that offer concrete solutions for any parging repairs. The team will ensure the proper mixture and the right application with the impact of expansion and contraction in mind. That way, you’ll have a successful parging project that will give you the utmost peace of mind!
4. Extreme weather condition
When it comes to the actual parging application, remember that the weather condition has an impact as well. Keep in mind that parging requires a surface temperature of at least 5C for a few days. This ideal temperature must be properly maintained until the applied mortar is completely installed. While the cold temperature causes the frozen water to expand and crack the surface, a hot one makes parging dry quickly. For this reason, having the right temperature can make a difference in your parging quality.
Conclusion
At this point, you now know the four factors that negatively impact your parging’s longevity—use of low-quality or old materials, improper mixture preparation, poor installation, and extreme weather conditions. To that end, it’s best to obtain your materials from a highly reliable supplier and work with an expert contractor who can do the job for you. By doing so, you can ensure that your parged walls will last longer for the overall protection of your home foundation!
We provide handyman services in Ottawa for your home improvement project to bring out the best in your property. If you need parging that will last for as long as possible, get in touch with our expert handyman or request a quote today!