Texture coating in Geelong

A texture coating is a thin, heavy-bodied acrylic coat rolled, sprayed or troweled onto a wall to give a textured, coloured finish. It is the usual way to refresh render that is sound but faded, patchy or covered in hairline cracks, and it is the finish layer on many AAC and foam panel walls. It is thinner than a full render, so it will not level out a badly uneven wall.

Signs a texture coat is the right fix

• Existing render is firmly bonded but the paint has faded, chalked or patched over the years.
• There are fine map cracks across the render surface but no wide or stepped cracks.
• You want to change the colour and add texture without the cost of a full re-render.
• New block or panel walls need a finish that matches the rest of the house.

Tap the wall gently with the back of a key or a coin. A hollow, drummy sound means the render behind has let go, and a texture coat will not hold it on. That is a render repair first.

Types of finish

Finish	How it is applied	Look	Where it suits
Fine sand or roll-on texture	Roller or spray	Light grain	Recoating existing render, eaves-height walls
Trowel-on texture	Steel trowel, floated	Swirl or rubbed grain	Feature walls, front facades
Coarse sand texture	Trowel and float	Heavier grain that hides small flaws	Block fences, older walls with minor unevenness
Membrane top coat	Roller or spray over the texture	Smooth or low sheen	Exposed walls, AAC and foam systems

The names differ between makers. Ask for the product names and the full system, not just “texture coat”.

What a provider needs to know

1. The base material. Render, painted brick, raw block, AAC panel and foam board each take a different primer.
2. The condition of the existing coating. Chalky or flaking paint must be removed or bound with a sealer.
3. Cracks. Hairline cracks can usually be filled and bridged. The CSR Hebel AAC guide asks for coatings that can bridge a crack of at least 1 mm on its panels, which shows the standard a flexible system is expected to meet.
4. Colour and sheen. Dark colours absorb more heat. Ask the provider what the maker says about dark colours on the system being proposed.
5. Exposure. A wall facing the prevailing weather or within reach of salt spray needs more care with washing down and with the top coat.

What the work involves

1. Pressure clean or wash the wall and let it dry fully.
2. Rake out and fill cracks, and patch any small blown areas.
3. Mask windows, frames, paving and fittings.
4. Apply the primer or sealer for the base.
5. Apply the texture coat to an even film, working one wall at a time so joins land at corners or downpipes rather than mid-wall.
6. Apply the top coat or membrane to the coverage rate on the data sheet.
7. Remove masking, clean up and inspect the wall in daylight with you.

Costs from a published guide

The October 2026 Geelong cost guide from What’s The Damage lists a texture coat render system at $46 to $93 per sqm and a re-coat over sound existing render at $28 to $56 per sqm. Of the two, recoating sound render is the cheaper line. Scaffold, repairs and access on a two-storey wall come on top. The rendering cost guide for Geelong breaks down those extras.

Texture coating on AAC panels

On AAC walls, the coating is part of the weatherproofing, not decoration. CSR’s Hebel PowerPanelXL external wall guide warns that ordinary paint is unlikely to be enough on its panels and points owners to a warranted acrylic coating system. The full system for panels and foam boards is on the AAC and foam cladding page.

Rules and paperwork

Recoating an existing rendered wall is usually a single trade job. The BPC says a contract covering more than one type of building work, such as plastering and painting, worth more than ten thousand dollars needs a registered practitioner. If the coating is part of a bigger contract, check the provider’s registration on the BPC practitioner search.

In a Heritage Overlay, painting an unpainted surface needs a planning permit, and some heritage places carry extra paint controls. Coating face brick that has never been painted falls into that group.

A careful provider will not

• Coat over drummy or loose render.
• Roll a texture coat over mould or dirt without washing and treating the wall first.
• Thin the product beyond what the data sheet allows to stretch coverage.
• Coat in rain, heavy dew or on a wall that has not dried after washing.
• Seal over a damp wall at the base of the house without asking why it is damp.

Getting quotes

Note the colour you have in mind, the walls you want done and any cracks or flaking areas, then send a texture coating request. Renderers who respond are separate local businesses. They decide on the system and the price, and their quote is the contract, not this website. For homes built during the post-war growth south of the Barwon, the Belmont page covers what to look for before recoating.

Send a job enquiry