Exterior Rendering to Battens

[PaulfromBristol]

Hi all,

I'm rendering the outside of the 1920s terrace.

I did all the garden walls sometime ago, 5mm ish scratch coat to level, then a 10mm top coat.

However the only way I can do it and get it flat; is 5mm battens approx 1m apart, use them to get the scratch coat flat, let it dry a bit, remove the battens, fill the gaps. Then repeat the process for the 2nd coat with 10mm battens. It takes a lot of time getting the battens level & I'm not that quick so it was done in sections over a period of days & the sections were only 1m wide x 2m high. The walls I did a few years ago with this process seem fine, its all still nice and solid, I got fairly good with the float and you can't see any of the batten lines.

Is this process acceptable on an external wall? Sections done over different days & using the batten method? I can see it taking at least 3/4 days per coat.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Pharun]

When you say external walls, are you talking about the whole side of a house?
If you are rendering a large area and have to stop, it is advisable to cut the render in a tapered zigzag line when you leave it, so you can blend it in easier when you return, you squeeze/cut the render at a tapered angle because if you cut it straight with your trowel it will/could pull away from the wall , and the zigzag (broken line) distracts the eye line so you don't notice the joint
=
EDIT
Photos of the job in hand would help