Many people are moving away from conventional house finishing. In the past, roughcast and face bricks were preferred.

Steven Mugalu, a resident of Kiwatule, a city suburb says: “My house has paint inside and roughcast and face bricks as its exterior finish.

The balcony is painted, below the window are face bricks, while the rest of the wall is covered with roughcast.” In the past, roughcast was one of the most popular finishes for the exterior. It is not so today.

Angella Namubiru, an engineer and designer, says many people choose finishes basing on beauty, price and trends. “A house is never complete unless both interior and exterior designs have been completed.

There are a number of materials used for house finishing. This gives the property owners a variety of options to choose from. However, before making any purchase, one should understand both the merits and demerits of each material,” Namubiru says.

Stone finishing

According to Namubiru, this is one of the ancient techniques that is still popular. “Stone is widely used on commercial buildings since it is a unique material. Stone finishing is expensive and can be time-consuming,” she says. There are several ways to employ this technique using natural stone. It can be slacked and used as a wall finish, especially under windows and at the corners or as a plinth wall.

Paint and plastering

Every year, new paints emerge. You need to update your paints to suit trends.  David Kireli, a civil engineer, says paint is probably one of the most commonly used materials for both interior and exterior finishing. “Weather guard paint is more affordable and it is easier to keep the house looking fresh with a new coat of paint. You can change the colour of the walls for a new look whenever you please. It is also trendy to make various colour combinations such as peach and lime green to stand,” he says.

Tiles

Abdu-Wahab Nyanzi, an architect, says Ugandans use tiles because they are not only beautiful, but they are also trendy. “Tiles have become common place as interior and exterior finishes, especially for commercial buildings. They are popular with luxurious places like malls and hotels. However, people are using them more now because they are easy to clean and, therefore, very low on maintenance costs,” he says.

Wood siding

Wood is not used on the entire exterior surface. Namubiru says wood has lots of challenges; including being prone to termite attacks. Therefore, you need to have it properly sprayed and vanished so that termites and rain do not destroy it. “Wood is expensive, but it makes a great finish for gates and window sills,” Namubiru says.

Face bricks

According to Nyanzi, when you use face bricks, you may need to plaster first. It you have experienced builders, they can apply both tiles and face bricks direct on the wall without plastering.

Marble walling

According to Kireli, marble walling is expensive, but pays off with durability. It is trending and a great option for adding beauty and durability to your walls. He says this kind of finishing gives one many colour options, texture and design. “The developer needs to use a professional clean up and polish at least once a year to keep its sheen and repair any cracks,” he says.

Timber walling

Michael Gitta, a professional designer says timber walling brings natural warmth, texture and character wherever it is installed. He says this kind of finishing has been used on home and building interiors for several years, but it is still a desirable trend.  It can also be installed in different styles with different spacing designs, placement and installation.