Ceretherm Visage Concrete System Technical Guide

Solutions & Applications · External Thermal Insulation

The system offers the aesthetic appeal of architectural concrete without the weight, the formwork and the irreversible nature of actual concreting — whilst also providing insulation. The difficulty does not lie in the materials: it is that a two-millimetre-thick, fine-grained top layer conceals nothing of what lies beneath.

Layering

Layer	Material	The decision
1 · Thermal insulation	GRAFIT EPS-80 or FIBRANxps ETICS GF	Thermal performance versus mechanical strength and moisture resistance
2 · Welding	CT 82 or CT 84	Self-levelling mortar, or foam that lasts for days
3 · Mechanical fastening	Klimas LTX10 · ETAG 004	Number and arrangement based on wind pressure calculations
4 · Base layer	CT 82 or CT 87 White Flexible	This is where the result is determined — flatness and colour
5 · Reinforcement	CT 327 glass fibre mesh 330 g/m²	Reinforced, encased in the upper third
6 · Primer	CT 16, coloured to match the render shade	Uniform absorbency prior to the thin layer
7 · Top coat	CT 760 Visage Concrete · ETA 11/0395	3 shades × 5 texture techniques

The three decisions to make before placing an order

1. GRAFIT EPS-80 or FIBRANxps ETICS GF

	GRAFIT EPS-80	FIBRANxps ETICS GF
Strength	Best thermal performance per centimetre — graphite-based	Virtually zero water absorption, high mechanical strength, embossed surface for grip
Where it excels	Where thickness is limited and the U-value target is demanding	Pavement level, ground contact zone, surfaces at risk of impact
Caution on site	Graphite-filled EPS absorbs solar radiation intensely and heats up; it requires shading during installation, otherwise it will become deformed	Protection against prolonged exposure to UV light during storage

2. CT 82 or CT 84 for bonding

CT 84 is a low-expansion polyurethane foam with a curing time of approximately two hours — compared to days for cementitious foam. On a façade project with a tight schedule, the difference amounts to five days in total.

The trade-off is less obvious: the mortar, applied in zones and at specific points, evens out minor irregularities in the substrate; the foam does not. In a system where flatness is the critical factor, CT 84 requires the substrate to be already level. On uneven existing masonry, the mortar provides a margin of tolerance that the foam does not.

3. CT 82 or CT 87 White Flexible in the base layer

CT 87 White Flexible features Fibre Force technology, has lower consumption per m² and functions as a 2-in-1 solution. However, the truly crucial factor in this system is the colour: in a top coat of one to two millimetres, the shade of the base coat affects the final result. A white base beneath a light grey finish means that a locally thinner coat does not appear as a dark shadow.

The same logic applies to the primer: CT 16 is coloured to match the render precisely for this reason — so that it does not ‘show through’ from underneath.

The five texture techniques

The second coat is applied 12–24 hours after the first, using a stainless-steel trowel, using one of five techniques: Ice, Lake, Rain, Storm, Concrete Slab. The same material produces five different architectural effects — and this is both the strength and the weakness of the system.

Colour continuity: the façade is treated as a single surface

With a fine-grained coloured finish, the joints are visible. Three rules governing uniformity:

1. Same batch per façade: the material for a single façade comes from a single production batch. Quantities are calculated from the outset and ordered together, with a margin.
2. ‘Wet-on-wet’ application: the surface is worked on continuously from one end to the other, without interruption in the middle of the surface. This requires a sufficient number of contractor crews on the scaffolding at the same time.
3. Joints at natural boundaries: where a joint is unavoidable, it should be situated at a corner, a joint, a drain or a change in level — never in the middle of a continuous surface.

The third rule also specifies the design of the scaffolding: a façade that cannot be covered continuously must be divided into zones in the design before work commences.

Design series

1. Flatness requirement: the condition of the existing substrate is recorded and the levelling work is quoted for.
2. Selection of insulation based on the U-value target, the available thickness and exposure to impact or moisture.
3. Calculation of wind pressure for the number and arrangement of plugs per façade zone.
4. Colour and texture, with an on-site sample and written approval.
5. Zoning of façades and formwork design for continuous work.
6. Fire protection: where the design specifies a classification requirement, this must be verified before any other decision is taken.

System Materials

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