Wet Dash / Roughcast Melbourne
Wet dash/Roughcast is an excellent, hard wearing way to waterproof and protect areas of a building that are susceptible to inclement weather. It is a practical and decorative finish, well suited to coastal wind swept landscapes.
Dry dash tends to have great decorative appeal, especially important in areas prolific with heritage building. Overall streetscape appearance is crucial. Dry dash has been used to great effect in such contexts, particularly on terraced rows in Britain where its qualities as a practical finish and weather protectant have excelled.
Application
Typically, Wet Dash/Roughcast is a three-coat system. The first scratch coat can be applied to either a wooden or expanded metal lath (EML). When applying to brickwork, a strong, rough splash-coat must be scattered across the surface. This creates what is known as a mechanical key, and, when followed by a trowelled on scratch coat, allows for the sure and consistent bonding of further layers. Attention must be payed to the strength of each consecutive layer of lime render. A Second coat of lime render is then applied over the first comb scratched coat. Care must be taken that it be trowelled on in an even and uniform fashion. Once the second coat has dried and all external corners are hard, the third and final coat is made by using your selected stone, taking care that the right ratios are gauged to keep a consistent and even finish. A mix should not exceed in volume what can be used in one session. The mix should be dashed at the work surface in regular strokes and from different directions to ensure no whip like marks appear on the finished product. The result must be homogeneous.
With the invention of new, lightweight building products such as Polystyrenes and cement sheets that use a different application system, we are now also able to reproduce a simulated dashed finish, virtually indistinguishable in appearance to the authentic stone dash finish. In addition we are now able to give you the colour of your choice for the end product.