Spray cork render · Thermal cork coating
Spray cork render — the insulating, breathable, colour-stable finish.
A 3–6 mm sprayed cork render that replaces sand-and-cement and acrylic systems with a single flexible coating. Insulates, waterproofs and decorates in one pass — and it won't crack, fade or trap damp.
Why cork render
One coating that insulates, waterproofs and refinishes.
Traditional render is essentially a decorative skin — it adds weight and cost but no real thermal benefit, and it cracks as the building moves. Spray cork render is fundamentally different: each millimetre of coating contains millions of sealed cork cells that trap air, delivering measurable insulation alongside the decorative finish.
Because the coating is sprayed rather than trowelled, it forms a seamless monolithic skin across the whole façade — no joints, no weak points around windows and reveals, and no rendering scaffolds left as ghost lines down the wall.
Thermal cork coating
Sprayed cork insulation in a single 3–6 mm pass.
The same product is referred to as thermal cork coating when specified for its insulating performance and as spray cork render when specified as a decorative finish — it's one system doing both jobs. Independent testing shows up to a 30% improvement in wall U-value compared to bare brick or sand-and-cement render.
That makes it a far more efficient retrofit than re-rendering: instead of paying for a finish that does nothing thermally, every pound spent contributes to lower heating bills and a warmer interior. See our heating-bills page for typical savings.
Finish & colour
300+ stock colours, bespoke matching, 25-year colour stability.
Pigment runs through the full thickness of the coating rather than sitting on the surface — so chips and scratches don't show pale undercoats, and UV exposure doesn't fade the wall over the warranted 25-year life.
Browse our colour archive for stock options, or send us a paint reference or RAL code for bespoke colour matching at no extra cost.
What you get
Spray cork render vs traditional render.
Won't crack
Cork is naturally elastic. Bridges hairline cracks and flexes with the building rather than splitting like sand-and-cement render.
Waterproof + breathable
Sheds wind-driven rain but lets moisture vapour escape. Class 1 vapour-permeable — won't trap damp.
300+ colours
Pigmented through the full coating thickness. UV-stable, chip-resistant, no repainting.
Seamless finish
Sprayed application gives a continuous monolithic skin — no rendering joints or weak points.
Carbon-negative
Cork bark regrows every 9 years. The raw material absorbs more CO₂ than the coating emits to manufacture.
40+ year life
Backed by a 25-year manufacturer warranty. No repainting, no resealing, no annual maintenance.
Spray cork render FAQ
Common questions about cork render and thermal cork coating.
- What is spray cork render?
- Spray cork render — also called thermal cork coating or sprayed cork insulation — is a 3–6 mm cork-based coating sprayed directly onto walls. It replaces traditional sand-and-cement render with a flexible, breathable, insulating finish that won't crack, fade or trap damp.
- How is cork render different from traditional render?
- Sand-and-cement render is rigid and cracks as buildings move; acrylic and silicone renders are thinner but offer almost no thermal benefit. Cork render is elastic, vapour-permeable, and adds measurable insulation (up to 30% U-value uplift) — all in a single sprayed coat.
- What colours does spray cork render come in?
- Over 300 stock colours plus bespoke colour matching. Because the pigment runs through the coating rather than sitting on top, the colour stays UV-stable for 25+ years with no repainting.
- Can spray cork render be applied over existing render or pebble-dash?
- Yes. Cork render bonds directly to brick, block, stone, sand-and-cement render, pebble-dash, timber and uPVC. There's usually no need to hack off the existing surface — saving cost, mess and skip hire.
- Is thermal cork coating waterproof?
- Yes — fully waterproof to wind-driven rain, but vapour-open so moisture from inside the building still escapes. That combination is why it solves damp problems that closed render systems often make worse.
- What does spray cork render cost?
- Most domestic projects fall between £45 and £85 per m² fully installed, depending on access, substrate prep and colour. We confirm pricing after a free site survey.