Ceresit CT74 vs CT76: choosing the right silicone render

Two silicone renders, one price gap

We stock two Ceresit silicone render finishes, the Ceresit CT74 Silicone Render and the Ceresit CT76 Silicone Render. Both come in 25kg tubs, both are a 1.5mm grain, and both go on as the finish coat of an external wall insulation system or over a basecoat on solid render. The only obvious difference standing at the counter is price, and that is exactly the question we get asked most: what does the extra money on the CT76 actually buy you.

The short answer is that they do the same job on the wall. Neither is going to let you down if you pick the "wrong" one. The longer answer, and the one worth five minutes before you order a pallet of either, is below.

What they have in common

Both products are ready-mixed silicone renders, meaning you are not mixing powder and water on site, you are stirring a tub and applying it. Both are designed to sit on top of a reinforced basecoat and mesh, never straight onto EPS board, and both need the wall primed first so the render does not dry unevenly or drum off patches of suction. If you are pricing a full EWI system rather than just the top coat, you still need the Ceresit CT16 Render Primer underneath and the Fibreglass Reinforcing Render Mesh in the basecoat, whichever of the two you choose on top. A silicone finish of either kind is more flexible and more resistant to hairline cracking than a straight acrylic, and both shed rain better than a mineral or silicate render, which is why we point most Irish jobs towards one or the other rather than a plain acrylic finish. If you are pricing the system from scratch rather than just the top coat, our External Wall Insulation Boards category has the EPS, mesh, primer and beads listed together.

Coverage is the same on paper too. At 1.5mm grain, a 25kg tub of either one covers roughly 9 square metres, so your quantity sums do not change depending on which you pick - it is the price per tub that moves, not the number of tubs.

Where the actual difference sits

	CT74	CT76
Pack size	25kg	25kg
Grain	1.5mm	1.5mm
Approx. coverage	9 sqm per tub	9 sqm per tub
Price	72.99	78.99
Position in the range	Standard silicone render	Higher-spec silicone render

The CT76 sits above the CT74 in Ceresit's own range, which in practice usually comes down to the formulation: things like how the render weathers over the years, how well it resists algae and staining on a north-facing or heavily shaded wall, and how consistent the colour stays over time. We would rather be straight with you than guess at numbers we cannot stand over, so if the exact technical difference matters for your job, for example a shaded gable that holds damp, ask us or check the current datasheet before you order, since manufacturers do update formulations within a range.

Which one to pick

For a typical house, south or west facing, with reasonable airflow around the wall, the CT74 is the one most tradespeople reach for. It costs less, it is a genuine silicone render, and it will outlast an acrylic finish on an EWI job without the extra spend.

The CT76 earns its keep on the walls that give renders a hard time: a shaded north elevation, a wall close to trees or a hedge where it stays damp longer, or a job where the client has already had algae trouble with a render in the past and does not want a repeat. It also suits a client who is paying for the best spec on a visible front elevation and wants the upgrade on principle.

If you are only rendering a small return wall or a porch, the price difference between the two is not going to be the deciding factor either way, so use whichever matches the rest of the house if there is already render up.

Whichever render you pick, finish the edges properly. A PVC Corner Bead with Mesh at external corners and a Window Drip Bead with Mesh over openings keep the basecoat straight and stop water tracking back under the reveal, and both need to go in before the render coat, not after.

Send us the wall and we will spec it

If you are not sure which render suits your wall, or you just want the quantities worked out properly before you order, send us the wall measurements, the aspect (which way it faces) and a photo if you have one, and we will put together a materials list covering primer, basecoat, mesh and the render itself. Call us on 085 868 8459 or email sales@all4building.ie. In-stock orders are usually with you inside 7 working days, and delivery is free around Ballincollig and Cork City.