Parging – What Is It and Why Is It Important in Construction

When looking at the process of building a home, you may have come across the term “parging.” If you do not know what it means, parging is the process of applying a cement coating over a wall surface. It is a standard treatment for a structure’s foundation and exterior walls, especially if these walls are made of masonry.

If you are interested to learn more about parging, this article will go over what it entails and why it is important. Let the information below serve as a guide if you have a construction project in mind.

The use of parging

Parging is typically a mason’s responsibility. It involves applying a layer of smooth cement to walls built with blocks. This provides a smooth surface on which different coatings can be applied, such as waterproofing and paints. Parging also helps protect the concrete blocks.

Parging can also be for aesthetic reasons, particularly in external applications, such as in an exterior wall. The surface does not have to be smooth. Instead, it can be textured to achieve different styles. Texturing is possible in multiple ways, such as by mixing in gravel, pebbles, and other materials into the mix before applying it onto a surface.

Parging is also applicable to walls with signs of brick deterioration. In that case, the process is usually paired with a steel mesh to add strength and support. This is then followed by another parging phase using a lighter cement mix over the previous one.

The importance of parging

Parging is vital to any wall to protect its surface from external forces such as rain, wind, ice, and snow. This protection removes the potential risk of moisture seeping into a masonry wall, as this can expand when frozen and crack the installation. At the same time, it also acts as an extra layer of insulation, ensuring the home is as energy efficient as possible.

Identifying the need for parging

Not all surfaces will require parging, and not all surfaces will be deemed ready for parging. If you are interested in parging, it is always vital that you work with a skilled mason. They can quickly identify which walls need to be parged, and they have the skills to carry out the task effectively.

Plus, if they find a wall that needs to be parged, but it is not in a suitable condition, they can quickly fix the problem first. For example, if they find a severely damaged chimney, they will have the chimney fully repaired before parging it.

Conclusion

As you can see, parging plays a vital role in your construction project. It helps protect masonry work from unnecessary risk, and it provides a smooth finish that looks aesthetically pleasing.

That said, while you can do parging by yourself, it is a skill that takes a long time to perfect. We recommend that you work with a skilled mason to do the job. They can identify which surfaces need to be parged, and they can make sure the job is done with the best results.

Red Robin Masonry is a masonry company that offers various services from brick repair, parging, and more to satisfy your construction needs. If you are looking for parging services in Toronto, reach out to us right away!