Thank you so much for this very clear and detailed vid Blaine. As a humble surgeon who loves nothing more than wasting time on projects which annoy my wife ("just pay someone, please just pay someone"), I'm very proud to report that even she was surprised how it turned out. Could not have done it without you - many thumbs up!

good videos... you are a good craftsman. Im in the PNW (Seattle, WA. part currently) U.S. and have been a cement mason for....dang, almost 30 years now. The early years were primarily pouring and finishing concrete with my last few focusing on mostly patching...which covers a broad aspect of work, materials and applications. I'd have to say one of my strengths comes from using great techniques picked up from other people and incorporating into my own methodology, it has set me apart from a good deal of folks mostly for the better...sometimes not, lol. I'm telling my background for reference that I do have a very solid background as a cement mason and you take what I'm saying as real talk. your work is legit... not that you don't know, and its good to see variations from other countries that are similar and also the differences. Good work all around and great tutorials for beginners, giving great basic core techniques and showing craftsmanship at its finest, you sir, are all Aces as far as I'm concerned!! BTW, I shouldn't forget the original reason for the comment now should I, lol. I really can't put enough emphasis on how important of a tool the sponge is, personally. OTJ in this particular area they look at it as a hack tool....IMO, it is delusional to overlook the importance of a good clean sponge and seeing you use it properly as a finishing tool is a great representation of that!

Ok so, rendering is a "trust the process" thing ! During the scratch coat I was like 🤨 Second coat 🤔 Final result 👏👏👏 You did such a nice job! Cheers from France

Nice job. When I saw the condition of the wall and the steps, I didn't think anyone could do much with it. But it turned out great.

Superb job. You have just given me an idea of how to change my garden walls now without knocking them down and building them with something else. Cheers.

Thanks . Very helpful . I'm just sat watching rendering videos in my kitchen preparing to render an old stone wall in my garden . Got some good tips from this video

U wouldn't think that was the same wall and step. Great job.

Impressed with the angles .Class

I'm not a builder nor am I looking to plaster but your videos are pretty interesting. The finishing is top notch.

'Keep the gear' luv it!! as a fellow Manc, the gear never gets wasted. Nice work mate!!!

I’m a ground worker and site boss trying to get me to render some steps.. just been slabbed never done it before and I told him that and he still wants me to do it… hoping I can learn enough from these vids 😂

Spot on..easy to follow the way you have shown, even the novice can attempt it..thanks very much..I've saved your video .top man.

Nice and neat, I know render notoriously doesn't last long due to changing elements when exposed, but I think you did such a fine job the weather should make an exemption 👌

Can’t believe I’m watching render videos while waiting for render to go off( I’m a spray renderer/plasterer) I hate sand/cement with a passion it looks garbage when sun hits but the sand you’re using there looks nice mate! In Birmingham it’s terrible! The best I’ve ever seen is from the west coast- it’s called “Home sand” I was in Somerset and it’s dredged from the Bristol Channel! It’s jet black and rubs up amazing! Well done with that wall lad looks great 👌

This looks the absolute nuts, especially regarding how it began.. you should be proud dude, you're absolutely nailing your trade.

Enjoyed watching the master at work. Will render some steps in a few weeks... cheers

Hi there, this is great craftsmanship - nieve question alert- how long after the main layer did you wait before you did the float work?

That wall and steps job was all angles and corners. How did you prevent the render going off too quickly before you could start to float the render? It would have taken me ages to get the verticals, horizontals and steps all nice and neat. The render would have set long before I was ready to float it up!

Throwing on the first fill coat is called Spritz , I think he’s German 😁 . Sika do a pack for walls , water proof tanking , but that’s another game . Sand &,cement & lime is cheapest option . Well done .

Thanks for this video. It has helped me out loads rendering a planter bench for the first time and I’m well happy! Thanks again 😊

I had never thought of using my level like that. Great work!

Hi Blaine great video I have enjoyed over the years the content and skills you have captured for all to learn from. Thank you Martyn.

So no adhesive needed! I like it. I've got an old wall like this to render at the weekend. I only need to pick up some lime so winning! 💪

Superbe travail. Je fait le meme métier que toi depuis + de 30 ans c est le plus beau métier du monde. Continu ton bon travail j adore regarder tes videos. Salutation du Canada. Québec.

Loads of plasterers out there but not all have that kind of finesse when it comes to freehand. Brilliant work I love watching the videos. ;)

Finished rendering my first wall today, thank you so much for taking the time and effort in making these videos to help others. Big 👍 thumbs up!!!!!

Im gonna give my small wall a go now. Brilliant vid.

You're a better man than me. I tried not using beads and just couldn't get all three edges straight! As soon as one was right, the other got messed up :O

Typical Pommie can't do anything without a cup of tea! Great to watch a pro at work with explanations. I feel like you left some things out like what sort of mix? Was it just sand and cement with no additives? Not even, what we call in Australia 'Bondcrete' (PVA) helps it stick better to the substrate? Anyway very helpful for this chippy thank you

Absolutely amazing job....and really well tutorialised (thats not a word - but it should be) - I actually feel I can do this now.....Ill still probably destroy the place and more than likely have to throw the whole garden in the skip but.....nothing ventured.....

This is an excellent beginner video, thanks mate!

Using the level as your bead, a good tip there and one il be using

Any chance of a show of how you mix your mortar for the base coat and top coats?

No beads, now we're talking! Could never get used to those refinas, messed up my work with it and havent had the confidence to give it another go! Nice job 😎👍🏻😂

Very informative video. Like the way you use a spirit level to get accurate edges, without having to use beads.

Lovely job. Am inspired to get my broken garden walls like this as look fab

I love every moment of your video Mac Thank you and I learned a lot

I use both those plastic floats to sand cement screed wet area floors, they’re real good.

This video has give me confidence to try it myself. Thanks Wish me luck

Nice. I’ve got to do rendering next week so thanks for the tips.

You are an absolute diamond! I used all these tips today topcoat rendering a few walls and it turned out great. I thought having no beading it would be rubbish but your great advice kept me on track. Subbing fo sho!

Was dreading doing it myself but with this easy to watch video and easy instructions I’m going to have a go

Classy bit of work

Great job Finishing product was amazing !!

Nice crisp angles, a really nice job.

Excellent result but then again you are a professional👌

Thank you.

Great job but I would be concerned about the front edges of the steps breaking when people walk up and down

Superb video! I tried to form an angle using the level as shown in the video but the render each and every time sticks to the level and I can not remove it without ruining my corner. Any suggestions?

Hi, So it was Your garden wall !! Any normal man would have taken a sledge hammer to that wall and rebuilt it. I was amazed by the finished result, you worked a miracle there! I would never ask a professional tradesman to fix a wall as bad as that...I would be embarrassed. Why didn't you throw a cloth over that nice piece of black fence ? You've made a right mess of it now with all the splashes. I hope you cleaned it off. I think you should do a video about cleaning up after a job. Also how would you fix a crack on some render if it was on a wall up on the front of a house and you needed a ladder to reach it? You could do a whole series on fixing a mess in Carol's house, I have probably everything gone wrong here. lol You could do with a few more plants in your garden too, I will fetch you something nice in the autumn, when it's the best time to plant, from my garden xxx

Great new music, Blaine. And a lovely job as always. If you ever have to render a house, can you do a video on that please :D

Awesome skills, you have Blain my mind! Just wanted to ask about any problems with rendering right to the bottom of the floor here and if you would advise stopping short with a plastic stop bead? Cheers

That was brilliant!! So many questions ,i apoligise if they,re obvious to a pro tradie,, 5 to 1 mix for the top coat ,5 fine sand / 1 cement ?. Do you wait overnight b4 floating ? Is the sponge finish a dry sponge ? Many thanks ,George

Looking forward to giving it a go.

Great work. Thanks for the tip on building out by throwing it on.

Stunning work mate

Lovely job!

Your work is beautiful and inspiring to watch, many thanks for a great video. I love you channel. Please when you built up the first coat of render, you threw the render on and left it to rest undisturbed, for how long? Please also, you did not try to flatten or compact the first coat to the bricks, so was the force of throwing the mix enough to ensure it was compacted enough to the brickwork, rather than laying it on with a trowel? From experience my friend and myself both laid bricks for a small piers, I kept touching up my render after laying it and he laid his bricks and render one time, it looked ugly and mine looked lovely. His brickwork is solid, has lasted and mine has all the cracks. Knowing when to leave? Kindest regards..

Your videos are great and really helpful. I am a landscaper and one of the most annoying things is finding a plaster every year to come and render block work. They always let me done and always do a rubbish job. I need to learn myself, it will only be nice blockwork that we build. Will give it a try with your videos as help. Would you ever consider a few days work in London , at maybe teaching and doing some work Thanks Blair

Good stuff. Re that middle step:- why not take the bottom step up a little? It would be safer.

Hi m8 what all your videos that's give me to confidence to plaster outside and in I'm on a big wall that I have built with block and iv watch all your steps on everything even rule the scratch coat but I'm having trouble with the floating it just wants to pull and if I leave any longer it's to dry if you get this message do u have any recommendations thanks

Great video, just a couple of questions, is it just sand and cement or are there any additives needed ? And how long to wait after top coat before floating ? Thanks

Hiya! Great video. Sorry to ask... but what Render did you use (I got the ratios I think)... is there a brand/model you used for this. I have a VERY similar front door step project to do. Thank you again! M

Gosh that looks so good!

Lovely work

Would you say this is still the best way to finish a small garden wall or are there better products? Just about to build a breeze block garden wall that I want I rendered finish on, only difference is the wall will be capped with a stone block.

Fantastic job !

Was not expecting to hear " it's like being in Melbourne" 😂😂

Hey what mix do you use for each coating? Fine sand/ cement?

Nice Job thanks for sharing. I'm a Sydney sider so the word your looking for when describing Melbourne weather is.... RUBBISH! Cheers Mate

Amazing transformation - top class!

Nice job but will all the corner not chip of on the steps with people walkin on them. A wee round over wood have been a good add on

Love your vids. I was wondering How does render hold up on steps? I want to have a go on my garden walls which have steps like that but would rather not have separate treads/coping. All blockwork. Also would you ever just use a sponge float instead of the plastic float or do you always need the plastic one first?

Love your vids... love watching you work.. thanks for the upload.

If was me I would SBR the bricks & SBR In the scratch coat. Make it nice a sticky & it will dry rock solid. I’m shocked that scratch coat isn’t cracked from just being wet down with water

Wow. Fab job 👏🏼

Would you add paving stones to the steps? As pretty sure they’ll crack under foot traffic over time?

EXCELLENT WORK.

Hi This is great, I'm doing an old chimney and got rid of the loose render then filled in the voids. It worries me how I'm going get the render the stick good on so do you bond after stretch coat or not? Many thanks Steve

Enjoyed that mate, good skills thanks

Some videos or a video on how you mix render for different stages would be really helpful. 👍

Excellent job 👍

Great video. Thanks for sharing..

Excellent job my friend

What does the lime do? Does it help the adherence of the cement? Thanks

great video. could i render my main garden raised path, walls and treads and risers? would it stand the test of time with use ?

Would you ever prime with SBR mixed with cerment? Old Wall and New? Thanks for your videos!

Nice one fella.Great work.

Thanks for all of your videos. You have helped me so much with my DIY projects. How long do you wait before rendering on those newly laid bricks

Impressive.

Thanks very much for posting this, it has been educational for me and will likely save me some money. I don't know if you're a professional renderer but hats off to you for the render, it looks great, but why didn't you take that middle step down a couple of inches? Would have been easy to do and left you with 3 nice equal sized steps.

Great work! Thanks for sharing

This guy is really good

Nice video.. I followed the steps.

Great job. Very interesting

Nice tidy job that mate

Awesome

Thanks for the video it's exactly what I am looking to do for my 2ft retaining wall. Any advice for the face contacting the dirt? I'm just wondering about the transition from render to earth, is there anything to consider or am I overcomplicating it?

Great work

Do you not need to use angle beads? Will be using new concrete blocks