hello all, i'm new here. i'm a time served plumber, so i'll try to help on here when i can. i have a question about render. i recently got a friend to render a wall at my house but shortly after it dried hairline cracks appeared that have now gotten longer and slightly wider. someone told me it could be that too much lime was put in the top coat. can it be fixed without taking the whole layer off and start again. it doesn't look like it's going to fall off, it's just unsightly. many thanks to all that can help.

It sound like the float coat was either put on too thick or has dried out too quick or both.

update- i had to take the whole lot off the wall back to the brickwork as the scratch coat came loose. my freind is a bricklayer who has some rendering experience but i haven't told him yet, i don't think there is any point. got someone else who's a plasterer lined up. done some research online and asking around and if you ask 10 different people you'll get 10 different answers on how they would do the job, i.e. with or without lime, pva the bricks or a good soak, one coat or two, stronger mixes and thicknesses, waterproofers and plasticisers. i have found a product called 'weber one coat render mix' anyone got any comments or used it? thanks

Best to let the plasterer use his won materials as this is what he will be used to working with.