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This article discusses types of stucco building exterior wall materials and installation methods, including stucco recipes, three-coat stucco installations, stucco wall expansion joints, metal-lath stucco systems, how stucco is applied to walls, thin coat stucco systems, EIFS synthetic stucco wall systems, and the role of weather and moisture in stucco wall installation, durability, and painting success. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Stucco Building Exteriors: Product Choices, Installation DetailsAdapted/paraphrased with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Steven Bliss.
Our photograph (left, Daniel Friedman) shows an antique stucco-walled building in Germany. No stucco system is impervious to water penetration, whether traditional three-coat stucco, modern one-coat systems, or exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS). Since water may enter through cracks, penetrations, or through the stucco finish itself, all stucco exteriors rely on a backup waterproof drainage plane to protect the structure. The drainage plane under stucco is essentially the same as under other exterior claddings, with building paper layered to shed water and carefully integrated with all flashings at doors, windows, and other penetrations. In addition, stucco systems need a weep screed or similar perforated flashing at the bottom of the wall to safely drain away any trapped water at the foundation. Without a continuous drainage plane, stucco systems are subject to serious water problems. While older, traditional stucco walls were designed to get wet and readily dry out, the newer synthetic systems are less permeable to moisture. If trapped water cannot readily drain away or dry to the exterior, the underlying structure is more vulnerable to moisture damage. This article series discusses best practices construction details for building exteriors, including water and air barriers, building flashing products & installation, wood siding material choices & installation, vinyl siding, stucco exteriors, building trim, exterior caulks and sealants, exterior building adhesives, and choices and application of exterior finishes on buildings: paints, stains. This article series includes excerpts or adaptations from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss, courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Readers should see STUCCO WALL METHODS & INSTALLATION, and also SIDING EIFS & STUCCO and STUCCO PAINT FAILURES and also may want to review POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION. Also see PLASTER TYPE IDENTIFICATION where we describe different types of stucco and plaster systems and their supporting bases. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution. Stucco Building Wall Drainage Plane
Traditionally, stucco contractors have used Grade D building paper rather than asphalt felt when applying stucco to wood-frame walls. Grade D building paper is an asphalt-impregnated kraft-type paper, similar to the backing on fiberglass insulation. Unlike asphalt felt, it is made from new wood pulp, rather than recycled material. It has water-resistance ratings ranging from 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the thickness. Although the International Residential Code (IRC) does not specify a required rating for stucco underlayment, the trend in the industry is to use two layers of 15- or 30-minute Grade D paper, isolating one layer from direct contact with the stucco and creating a secondary drainage space in the gaps between the two layers. Two layers are necessary, since the stucco tends to bond to the outer layer of building paper or plastic housewrap, compromising its water repellency. The wetter the climate, the heavier the paper should be. In coastal areas, some contractors use as much as two layers of 60-minute paper. The heavier papers provide better protection, but they are less flexible and more difficult to install. Some contractors are starting to use plastic housewrap under stucco. How well it holds up in direct contact with stucco is in question. One option is to use plastic housewrap as the first layer and cover it with Grade D building paper, which has a longer track record in direct contact with stucco.
To complete the system, the drainage plane behind stucco must have a perforated flashing called a “weep screed” at the foundation line. According to the IRC, this must be at least 4 inches above grade and must allow trapped water to drain to the outside of the building. Without a weep screed, the stucco tends to bond to the top of the foundation, creating a moisture dam. Our photograph of stucco coating the exterior of an adobe structure (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico) demonstrates that on these traditional structures stucco was applied directly to the surface of adobe bricks. Three-Coat Stucco Building Walls
Stucco relies on this drainage plane for waterproofing, since the stucco material itself is relatively porous. It tends to soak up water when it rains, but it dries out quickly since it is highly permeable to water vapor. Stucco-Wall Structure Requirements & Stucco CrackingPortland-cement stucco shrinks as it dries, which normally creates small hairline cracks in the finished surface. Larger cracks may form, however, if there is significant movement in the structure, since stucco is nonstructural and relatively rigid. A well-designed foundation and good-quality, dry framing lumber with adequate bracing will minimize this type of movement. On stucco jobs with no structural sheathing, still common in some western states, adequate bracing for racking strength and rigidity is particularly critical. Cracking can also result from thin sections in the stucco finish. To avoid these problems, fur out or straighten any bowed or irregular walls before applying stucco. Expansion Joints in Stucco WallsOur photo at below left shows how traditional three-coat stucco has been adapted for use on smaller homes, this one in Hyde Park, NY. On a building with relatively small unbroken fields of stucco exterior wall, often no expansion joints were used. But where stucco is applied over metal lath on wood framing, the Portland Cement Association recommends expansion joints every 10 feet, forming panels of no more than 150 square feet. Expansion joints are used in some other stucco installation methods as well. Our second photo (below-right) shows an insulating-board based Stucco-wall expansion joint on an elevator tower on the Vassar College campus, Poughkeepsie, NY.
Expansion joints are particularly critical at joints between dissimilar materials, such as where wood framing meets masonry, or wherever excessive movement is expected, such as the band joist area between two stories. Many residential projects are built without expansion joints, which can lead to cracking given the excessive movement associated with today’s lower quality framing materials. Metal Lath Support for Stucco Walls
On residential projects, contractors use either expanded metal lath or “stucco netting,” a 17- or 18-gauge galvanized wire woven into a hexagonal mesh that looks like chicken wire. Lath should always run perpendicular to the studs, and expanded metal lath must be installed with the correct side pointed up or the plaster will slip off when troweled on. Our photo (left) shows exposed metal lath in the stucco exterior of a poorly-finished home in New York. It looks as if the top coat of stucco may have not been applied at all. The expanded metal lath used to support stucco on building exteriors (or interiors as well) is nailed or stapled approximately every 6 inches at studs and other framing members. Galvanized staples are now widely used to attach metal lath. However, unless the lath is the self-furring type, it should be installed with special furring nails that space the lath about 1/4-inch from the wall, fully embedding it in the scratch coat, according to stucco expert Ron Webber, of Procoat Systems, in Orange, California.  Another common stucco lath problem, according to Webber, is that lath installed too tightly at corners causes poor embedment of the mesh at the corners. This will cause cracks at the corners as the building undergoes normal movement with changes in temperature and humidity. To prevent corner cracks, installers should use a special corner bead called Cornerite™ or build up the corners with two layers of wire. Another option is to pull the lath away from the building at the corners to make sure it is properly embedded. The corners at either side of window and door headers is another common location for stucco cracks. To reinforce these areas and reduce cracking, some contractors add a second layer of reinforcing at these corners using a rectangular section of metal lath placed diagonally at each corner. The metal lath should form a continuous layer around the building with all laps wired together and vertical laps staggered. With large-mesh reinforcement, lap vertical and horizontal joints at least one full mesh and a minimum of 2 inches. For small-mesh reinforcement, the laps should be at least 1 inch. Stucco Recipes & Stucco MixturesDetails of stucco recipes and application are found at STUCCO RECIPES & APPLICATION. Excerpts are below. Stucco is a mixture of Portland cement, sand, and water, with a little lime or a plasticizer added for workability. A proper mixture has good tensile strength and weather resistance and the ability to bond well to the mesh or substrate. It is also easy to trowel on and resists sagging. In cold climates, it must also have freeze-thaw durability, usually obtained by using air-entrained plaster. The cement base can be masonry cement, plastic cement, or Portland cement, which may have air-entraining additives. Do not add lime or a plasticizer to masonry cement or plastic cement since these already contain plasticizers. While approximate proportions are well established, the right mix for a job depends on the weather exposure of the wall and weather conditions during application (see Table 1-9). Other than the right proportions, the keys to a good stucco mix are clean, good quality sand and clean potable water. Since sand makes up about 97% of the stucco mixture by volume, it is critical to use good sand. The sand should be free of vegetable matter, loam, clay, silt, and soluble salts and should conform to ASTM C897, which designates the distribution of particle sizes (gradation). Impurities in the sand or water can affect the strength of the mix, and poor grading of the sand will hurt its workability. Salts can cause staining on the finished surface from efflorescence. Stucco Wall Application ProcedureDetails of stucco recipes and application are found at STUCCO RECIPES & APPLICATION. Excerpts are below. Stucco can either be hand troweled or blown with a machine. Some stucco contractors use a pump for the base coats but apply the finish coat by hand. Although the mixes are slightly different for the two approaches, both can produce a high-quality finish. In threecoat stucco, the first and second coats are 3/8-inch thick, and the finish coat is 1/8-inch for a total thickness of 7/8 to 1 inch. Applying the Stucco First or Scratch CoatThe first, or “scratch,” coat, which forms the base for the next two coats, should completely encase the reinforcement. While still wet, the plaster is scored horizontally with a special metal rake or trowel to create a good mechanical bond with the second coat (vertical scratching promotes cracking at studs). For proper curing, the scratch coat needs to be kept moist by misting or fogging with water for 48 hours. Except in very moist weather, misting should start as soon as the freshly applied stucco lightens in color and be repeated at the start and end of each day until the second coat goes on. Applying the Stucco Wall Brown CoatThe second, or “brown,” coat should go on as soon as the first coat is hard enough to accept the second coat without cracking, but at least 48 hours later, according to the IRC. The second coat fills any cracks in the scratch coat, and the additional sand in the brown coat helps prevent new shrinkage cracks. Whether it is hand troweled or machine-applied, it must be leveled with a straightedge (“rodded”) and floated to produce an even surface for the final coat. A short delay between the first and second coat helps to create a good bond between the two and strengthens the scratch coat by rewetting it for a more complete cure. Any cracks larger than 1 1/16-inch in the brown coat should be patched before the top coat goes on. In the Southwest, where adobe is popular, the brown coat is often steel troweled for an adobe look and serves as the final coat. Applying the Stucco Wall Finish CoatAfter the second coat is allowed to cure for a minimum of 7 days (14 will allow a more complete cure), the top coat is applied to provide the finish color and texture. Many contractors now use premixed color coats, some with acrylic additives to increase water resistance and flexibility. Creating a uniform color and texture requires a skilled applicator, uniform mixing, favorable weather (avoid direct sun), and a uniform substrate without variations in texture or water absorption. Problems in the substrate will tend to show through the thin finish coat. It is best to do an entire side of the building in one batch with no cold joints. A modest amount of color variation is considered part of the character of traditional stucco, but too much is a sign of substandard work. A certain amount of shrinkage cracking is also inevitable in stucco exteriors. Application over wood-frame construction results in more cracking than over concrete block or other more stable substrates. Coarse textures in the finish will tend to hide the cracks better than smooth finishes. Even under the best of conditions, small shrinkage cracks of less than 1/16-inch will occur in the finished stucco and are to be expected. Generally these do not leak or indicate substandard work. The Importance of Weather to Stucco Work and Stucco Paint CoatingsSee details about the cause, diagnosis, cure, or prevention of paint failures on stucco exterior walls, discussed at STUCCO FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER. More about stucco paint and coating failures is found at found at STUCCO PAINT FAILURES.
Stucco wall paint failures are also traced to moisture, efflorescence, and failure to adequately clean the exterior and then allow it to dry before painting. See PAINT on STUCCO, FAILURES and also PAINTING in SUN or WIND.
See details about the cause, diagnosis, cure, or prevention of paint failures on stucco exterior walls, discussed at STUCCO FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER. More about stucco paint and coating failures is found at found at STUCCO PAINT FAILURES. Thin-Coat Stucco SpecificationsDetails about thin-coat stucco applications are at STUCCO THIN COAT APPLICATION. Excerpts are below.
Our photo of a thin-coat stucco wall being constructed (left) was at a Barnes and Noble bookstore in Poughkeepsie, NY. All these systems apply a single base coat and a top coat with a total thickness of 2/8 to 1/2-inch, compared to 7/8 to 1 inch for traditional three-coat stucco. The thinner finish weighs from 5 to 6 pounds per square foot, compared to 9 pounds for three-coat, and it is cost-competitive with traditional stucco. Like traditional three-coat stucco, thin-coat is applied over wire mesh or expanded metal lath by hand or pump. It is backed up by a waterproof drainage plane consisting of Grade D building paper, integral flashings, and a weep screed along the top of the foundation to drain away any trapped water. Some manufacturers, such as United States Gypsum, have introduced hybrid systems in which the stucco is applied to a cementitious board rather than to wire mesh. The advantage is that cement board is impervious to moisture. The drainage plane, and in some cases a layer of foam insulation, lies behind the cement board. Thin Coat Stucco Application ProcedureThe base coat in thin-coat systems has acrylic polymers and chopped fiberglass added to increase its strength and resistance to shrinkage cracking and to freeze-thaw cycles. The base coat is premixed with only sand and water added at the job site. Most contractors using these systems apply an elastomeric color coat, similar to a thick acrylic paint with fine aggregate, and formulated to bridge small gaps less than 1/16-inch. This produces a smoother finish that is more water- and stain-resistant and less prone to cracking than a traditional stucco. The top coat can also be a traditional cement stucco finish. Most of these systems require a 24- to 48-hour moist cure and a total of six or seven days of curing before the top coat is applied. Some require a primer for acrylic finishes. Our thin-coat stucco wall damage photo (above-left) shows the vulnerability of this system to damage by common events at or around a building: in this case the use of a weed-whacker to trim growth close to the building wall. This EIFS installation is also installed so close to the ground as to invite insect attack on the structure. Also see Insects & Foam Insulation. Pros and Cons of Alternative Stucco SystemsTo their credit, properly applied onecoat systems are more waterproof and less prone to shrinkage cracking than traditional stucco. It is easier to obtain a uniform color and texture with the synthetic color coat than with a traditional cementitious finish coat. Whether a customer prefers the uniform color of a synthetic finish or the more muted and variable color of cement stucco is a matter of taste. Our photo of a leaky stucco window sill on a New York home (left) shows a damaged, leaky sill where plastic mesh was used as a modern substitute for expanded metal lath. On the downside, one-coat systems are less impact resistant than traditional three-coat stucco. And with a thickness of only 3/8-inch, one-coat systems are less able to hide irregularities in the framing and are more likely to have thin spots that are prone to problems. Also, one-coat stucco systems are not completely waterproof. Over time, water will find its way in at joints, penetrations, or cracks, and the synthetic stucco will be slower to dry out than the more permeable traditional stucco. Finally, each system is proprietary and must be installed according to the manufacturer’s approved specs and details, which vary from system to system. Otherwise, warranties are voided and code approvals, which are based on building code evaluation reports, are invalid. For both reasons, contractors should avoid mixing and matching components from different thin-coat systems. Details about thin-coat stucco applications are at STUCCO THIN COAT APPLICATION. Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS)Details about EIFS wall problems, inspections, and litigation are found at our home page for this topic: SIDING EIFS & STUCCO. Also see Insects & Foam Insulation.
A photo guide to some common leak points found on EIFS clad buildings is at SIDING EIFS WALL LEAK POINTS. If you are an EIFS manufacturer, installer, or EIFS inspector, contact us at LINK EXCHANGE to add listings - there is no fee. Details about EIFS wall problems, inspections, and litigation are found at SIDING EIFS & STUCCO. Also see Insects & Foam Insulation. Drainage Systems for EIFS "Stucco" Walls to Reduce Leak DamageDetails about the role of drainage systems in preventing leaks and water damage to EIFS-clad buildings can be found at STUCCO EIFS DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. Excerpts are below.
Some EIFS contractors use special corrugated or wrinkled sheathing papers to create the drainage space, while others have vertical grooves cut into the back face of the foam insulation. In all cases, the drainage plane leads to a perforated weep flashing at the foundation to drain away any trapped water. Workmanship & EIFS Exterior Stucco Wall SuccessThe backup drainage layer, however, should not provide an excuse for sloppy workmanship on the exterior skin. The new kinds of EIFS should still be made as waterproof as possible, since any water that leaks past the skin may be slow to dry out. EIFS consultant Russell Kenney, who has worked with these systems for nearly 20 years, recommends exceeding the minimum specs required by EIFS manufacturers. Kenney recommends a higher-density EPS foam with only 2% water absorption by volume instead of the 4% allowed by ASTM C584. In addition, Kenney recommends a heavier 6-ounce reinforcing mesh versus the typical 3-ounce cloth, as well as special high-impact mesh in high-traffic areas. He also recommends a 3/32-inch base coat applied in two layers, with the first layer used to partially embed the fiberglass reinforcing and the second layer to fully cover and protect it. These steps will significantly improve the impact resistance of EIFS, but it is still less durable than traditional stucco or thin-coat stucco. See details about the cause, diagnosis, cure, or prevention of paint failures on stucco exterior walls, found at STUCCO PAINT FAILURES. Apply Sealant to EIFS Base CoatAs with the original barrier EIFS, all penetrations require a high-quality elastomeric sealant. The sealant needs to be applied to the base coat since the finish coat tends to soften when wet, providing a poor substrate for sealant. For the caulk joints to last, they must be wide enough to tolerate the anticipated movement, typically 3/8 to 1/2-inch, and backed up by backer rod (see “Joint Design,” page 37 in Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction). While control joints are generally not needed along the length of the wall—unless it exceeds 75 feet and is in direct sun—they are required between floors on multistory buildings. Silicone sealant is recommended at all joints for its longevity and flexibility in cold temperatures. In theory at least, drainage EIFS should function the same as any other exterior cladding systems. Any water that manages to penetrate the outer skin should be stopped by the drainage layer and safely drained away. However, given the low permeability of polymer-based coatings and the tendency of EPS foam to soak up and hold water, EIFS are best avoided in residential projects unless high-quality workmanship and regular maintenance of sealants can be assured. Details about the role of drainage systems in preventing leaks and water damage to EIFS-clad buildings can be found at STUCCO EIFS DRAINAGE SYSTEMS. -- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) Resources & SuppliersDryvit Systems www.dryvit.com Parex www.parex.com Senergy www.senergyeifs.com Sto Corp. www.stocorp.com Construction Sealant (Caulks) Suppliers & ProductsChemrex www.chemrex.com Polyurethanes and other high-performance sealantsDAP www.dap.com Acrylic latex caulks Dow Corning Sealants www.dowcorningsealants.com Silicone sealants GE Silicones www.gesilicones.com Silicone sealant Geocel Corp www.geocelusa.com Acrylic latex, tripolymer, copolymer, Kraton, and clear sealants Macklanburg-Duncan www.mdteam.com Acrylic latex sealants OSI Sealants Inc www.osisealants.com Polyseamseal PVA-based caulk. Pro Series includes latex, polyurethane, and Kraton sealants. www.phenoseal.com Phenoseal vinyl adhesive caulk Red Devil www.reddevil.com Acrylic, silicone, and butyl sealants Sashco Sealants www.sashco.com Big Stretch and Mor-Flexx water-based sealants, Lexel Kraton sealant Sika Corp www.sikaconstruction.com Complete line of Sikaflex polyurethane-based sealants, butyl sealant Tremco Inc. www.tremcosealants.com High-performance, architectural-grade sealants, UGL www.ugl.com Acrylic latex caulks White Lightning www.wlcaulk.com Tripolymer, butyl, polyurethane, silicone, elastomeric, and other high-performance sealants -- Adapted with permission from Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Installing or Repairing Stucco Finishes on Building ExteriorsQuestion: so who can I get to install stucco on my home?I enjoyed reading your report on stucco installation. I am in the process of taking the old stucco off my house in Brooklyn NY and installing new stucco. Most contractors I have spoken to have a blank stare when it comes to the true installation process. And they are supposed stucco contractors. Are there any stucco contractors you would recommend in the NYC Area,. Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. M.P. Reply:Thank you for the nice note, and of course the stucco question. Sorry to say I don't have a specific stucco contractor to recommend, and more generally, even when we know of a contractor who has done great work in the past, as they say about the stock market, "past performance is no guarantee of future satisfaction" - I find that crew members and onsite managers can vary from job to job, with varying results even for the same contractor, unless it's a smaller company who always uses the same people. Where that leads, also unfortunately, is that unless you are working with a known contractor whose worked for you before you pretty much need to learn a little about the topic yourself so that you can protect yourself from the wild arm-wavers who have never even read the instructions on the package. Watch out: in a New Jersey synthetic stucoo failure court case I attended I was disgusted to hear that the prime contractor simply was ignorant or hasty and omitted critical steps and left out critical materials that would have insured a successful job. He did not follow the stucco installation recommendations nor standards provided by the manufacturer. Yet when the contractor was challenged by the homeowner's attorney, he told the judge, who knew nothing about stucco, that the omitted steps were simply not included in his stucco job contract. The installation contractor omitted key details like backer rods and sealants that would have prevented serious building leaks, water and mold damage. He also failed to follow other installation requirements. His reply: our contract doesn't cover those components. A typical homeowner would hardly know that something was being omitted from the stucco installation procedure. The least the contractor could have been done would have been to point out that omission and recommend how it should be addressed in order to get a successful stucco job. Who the heck was supposed to install them then? It's as if you were buying a car and it was delivered without the motor. In my OPINION, you didn't get a car. Question: thinking of buying a home with traditional 3-coat stucco exterior - was re-done over with synethtic, now it's cracking.I am looking at a home for sale that has been built using Traditional 3 coat stucco. The owner had the stucco "redone" 5 years ago with a synthetic stucco which was applied over the traditional stucco. Now the stucco on the parapets (it is a pueblo style home in the southwest) has cracked and in rain the traditional stucco underneath has become wet and turned to mush. I would like to remove all the synthetic stucco coating and get down to the traditional stucco and REDO THE STUCCO ON THE ENTIRE HOME USING TRADITIONAL STUCCO. The stucco company in my area says that the only way to go back to traditional stucco is to re-net (put new lath) on the home and then apply a base coat, wait 2 weeks and then put the traditional stucco color coat on. Is this the only way or can the synthetic stucco color coat be removed by a process such as sandblasting? - Patty 9/17/11 Reply:Patty, I suspect that the overcoat of synthetic stucco did not include the manufacturer's recommended backer rods, sealants, and protection at penetrations. Once water gets behind synethetic stucco, as you have unfortunately found out, it stays there, causing trouble. This stucco job is in serious trouble. Reader follow-up:Thank you Dan, The stucco company told me this is what they consider to be a failed synthetic stucco. They stated that the company who had redone the stucco for this home using a synthetic stucco over the traditional stucco had likely not followed manufacturer's instructions to properly use the appropriate mesh over the parapets and to prime the home. They have given me estimates of 15,000 to redo the stucco using a synthetic stucco product or 25,000 to re-net (rewire) the entire house and do a traditional stucco job. This is only a 1,400sq foot home with a 2 car garage. The seller of the home did not know whether the stucco was synthetic or traditional stucco and likely she did not understand the problems that could occur from having a company use synthetic stucco instead of redoing the home with traditional stucco which would have been less costly and given a better result. I have decided not to proceed with the purchase of this home as there is too much water damage to the parapets. Thanks again! Patty Opinion:Patty: Question: stucco over wood shiplap siding?We are in Sacramento, CA. Our home was built in the 40s and skinned with redwood shiplap siding. We would like to stucco over the siding for a more durable finish. I have 2 questions: Reply:I would not apply stucco to the building without, for the specific stucco method you like, reading the manufacturer's specifications in detail, as they vary. The particular rain screen type and installation and requirements vary, for example. About stuccoing up to trim, you might want to test that approach on one section of your home. You may not like the aesthetics of the windows and doors beginning to recede into the skin of the building. And in any event, review the stucco manufacturer's advice for proper sealing around all of the building trim - leaks into the walls at trim, and trim rot, are common problems on many stucco'ed buildings, both with the traditional stucco methods and with the EIFS methods. Question: one-coat stucco on concrete blockThank you for all the good information. Here in Florida the standard practice seems to be to apply one coat of stucco directly to the concrete block walls ( no lathe ). They seem to use various trim pieces or corner moldings out of styrofoam ( i think ) or plastic. The stucco is cracking open at the vertical corners, probably from heat expansion of the plastic. Is there an accepted repair method for this type of failure? - BGrubert 11/22/11 Reply:Bugrubert: Question: troubles with stucco contractorI have a bully contractor who has dragged his feet on the job and now is in a hurry to finish a large room and is not even allowing 24 hours between the middle coat and top coat. I was told that it didn't matter that it will all cure at the same rate. he is using a stucco cement with stucco sand added and no bonding agent. it is applied to wire mesh on old cedar lath walls in a fram house. By tomorrow he will be back to work and my ulcer will be flairing up --- Thanks I will look for a reply. - itmaybetoolate 5/9/12 Reply:Maybe - you need an onsite consultant who is an expert and who can help you deal with your contractor. Question: acceptable viewing distance for examining a paint jobWhat is the acceptable distance to view an exterior paint finish. I know painted concerete is approx 20 ft away not noticing holidays? Any comments? - BigBee 5/15/12 Reply:Good question, I don't know but will look for some standards. If you can cite any let me know. Question: Exactly how do we apply stucco to our house?We are building a house w stucco exterior. what are the steps? So far we have plywood in place. And will be doing Tyvek. When do windows and doors get installed? - Kim 6/24/12 Reply:Kim, eek, this is more than I can answer as a simple reply to an e-question. But for a very detailed exposition on exactly what steps are involved in applying stucco to a building, contact the manufacturer of the stucco system that you are going to use. Every stucco system manufacturer provides very detailed and clear specifications for how their product should be installed. Windows and doors and their flashings are installed when the building sheathing is in place. These questions make me worry further that you are building a house with no experienced builder supervising the job. And incidentally, most residential stucco leaks and failures seem to be traced to failure to follow the instructions to the letter. Question: how do I use stucco to close off gaps in a fireplace wood storage areas..i want to use stucco to close off gaps in the inside fireplace wood storage area..i have a brick fireplace with a wood storage area to the right..facing the fireplace it appears to all be solid brick..but when you get down to floor level and crawl inside the bricked wood storage area you find the brick work near the 'ceiling' stops about 2 layers in..then another layer of brick but with a 1-2 inch gap..i can feel cold air coming in here during the winter.. Reply:Don: Question: how do I stucco over bare studs in a shed?I want to stuco a shed over bare studs could you help me with the prosses - Chuck King 11/29/2012 Reply:Chuck, ... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaQuestions & answers or comments about different types of exterior wall stucco and stucco application method Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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