Low-pressure wall treatment across Maker

What Maker walls are usually finished in

• Cracks in render change the staining pattern, because water then sits behind the face as well as on it.
• Bead edges and stop ends on a rendered elevation are the details worth protecting from driven water.
• Painted masonry can be cleaned, though a paint film that has already lost adhesion will lift where it was going to fail anyway.
• A weaker mix and a longer wait suits paint better than anything stronger and faster.
• Granite cills and thresholds collect the heaviest lichen because they stay wet longest.
• Iron staining from old fixings in granite is a separate problem from growth.

Low pressure, longer dwell

1. 1.Curtains and blinds behind a treated elevation are best left closed, and we say so before starting rather than afterwards.
2. 2.Guttering above a worked elevation is checked for standing water, because a drip mid-treatment ruins an even finish.
3. 3.Where growth has spread onto a UPVC panel or door surround, it is wiped rather than sprayed.
4. 4.Sheeting comes off from the top down so nothing collected on it lands on cleaned work.
5. 5.Access equipment is footed on boards where the ground is soft, so nothing sinks into a lawn.
6. 6.Expected rain is considered before application because the treatment needs suitable dwell time on the wall.
7. 7.Rainwater goods are checked while the elevation is being worked, since a blocked hopper explains most single-strip staining.
8. 8.Where a property has solar panels on a wall-facing slope, the array is sheeted before treatment starts below.
9. 9.Any window left open is closed, or that section is skipped and left for a second visit.
10. 10.A wall with a visible damp patch inside is treated on the dry areas only until the cause is found.

Small things that make the visit smoother

• Point out where the render was patched, since patches clean differently from the original.
• Note where hoses can be run without crossing a doorway.
• Mention shared access or a right of way that we will be crossing.
• Point out ground-floor windows that are painted shut, as they need different masking.
• Flag any recent repair or repaint, because fresh work is treated more gently.
• Let us know if scaffold or a tower is already up for other work.
• Say whether the property is occupied during the day, since that changes nothing technically but helps the plan.
• Let us know if the property is listed or in a conservation area, as it affects method choice.

Also covered near PL10

• Darite (PL14)
• Freathy (PL10)
• Tregantle (PL11)
• Polbathic (PL11)
• Talland (PL13)
• Hannafore (PL13)

Before you get in touch

Is the finish even across the wall?

That is the main reason we work bottom-up and one elevation at a time.

How long before I can repaint?

Several dry days after the wall has been treated and rinsed.

Is the method different on a listed building?

The approach is gentler still, and lime finishes are treated with the lowest strength that will work.

Do you clean stonework?

Yes, with the method set by the softest part of the wall, which is almost always the mortar.

Can the whole outside be planned in one go?

Yes, and getting the order right matters more than doing it all at once.

Should the gutters be done at the same time?

Usually. Overflow is behind a large share of wall staining, so clearing it protects the work.

Can you work in cool damp weather?

Yes. Wall softwash is fine in cool damp conditions. Heavy rain during application is the only real blocker.

When does a treated wall show its final appearance?

Some change can be visible after treatment, while remaining dead growth may continue to weather away over the following days.

The short version

Textured finishes hold damp because of their shape, not because of neglect. The best time to book is before the wet months, not after them. The difference between rinsing and treating is invisible on the day and obvious six months later.