Most renderers have been there waiting for the render setting with work lights on a dark cold night. Rendering in cold conditions is all about
What render you use?
Choice of mix
Preparation work
What additives to use if any?
Just because the weather is cold temperatures doesn’t mean you can’t render. As a general rule we find ideally has to be no less then -2 at night 3 during the day.
Things that work for use in the cold:
Traditional rendering
Leaving the gear open for longer so the air gets in to dry out quicker.
Use suction to your advantage
Using more suction and a stronger key in the scratch coat
Is the property a cavity wall or solid wall? Will the heating be blasting out all day. Will there be sunlight hitting the gable. All these factors can win your day. Failure to prepare you prepare to fail.
Use the correct additives I.e accelerator will make the render set quicker and hold over conditions that drop lower than zero
Cement mono renders/ Silicone Renders
When using in winter we find best to put on afternoon leave overnight and rub in the morning. Manufacturers like Weber, k rend etc have there own accelerators to bear also in mind. If your choice would be a same day scrape.
Other General Rules:
Frost is the main killer of render so no frost in the forecast. Frost can freeze a wall that is open to the elements. The use of sheeting if it’s possible to cover the render overnight helps. The use of heaters can work but could also be more costly. Wind can help also. The main rule in any render job is to plan correctly don’t take risks it’s just not worth it. After all a render job done properly is an art in itself.