Journal of Light Construction: Stucco

Three-Coat Stucco Over Foam

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 11:54:41 EST

Traditional cement-based stucco can be applied over rigid foam, as long as you get the details right

Small EIFS Repairs

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 04:42:34 EST

A stucco contractor explains how to patch minor nicks and abrasions in EIFS while matching the original finish

Keeping Water Out of Stucco Walls

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 09:22:06 EST

Assume that 3-coat stucco leaks, and detail the building envelope with careful flashing and a double-layer water-resistive barrier

Fixing a Botched Stucco Job

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 03:55:33 EST

Late last year, a couple called me about some leaking windows on the back of their 5-year-old stucco house. My company hadn't built the home; it was part of a tract development in Southeastern Pennsylvania thrown up during the recent housing boom.

Weaving a Cedar Roof Valley

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:22:04 EST

Cedar roofs are common in Eastern Massachusetts, where I live and work.

Flashing Electrical Boxes in Stucco

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:20:33 EST

Exterior electrical boxes on stucco jobs often aren't flashed properly, partly because the plaster contractors don't know how.

High-Tech Insulation

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 04:33:44 EST

Nanogel material can be mixed with plaster and stucco to improve thermal efficiency.

No-Leak EIFS System

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 05:44:54 EST

Improved waterproofing and drainage details promise rot-free performance from this combination insulation and cladding.

Q&A: Fixing a Botched Trim Job

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 05:44:58 EST

Q: A homeowner has asked me how to repair what looks to me like a botched job, where new entry doors were installed in a brick home covered with stucco or some kind of cement parging. The home is in New Jersey and dates to 1905. The stucco was crudely chipped away, leaving 1/2-inch gaps between the new solid plastic trim and the wall surface (see photo). The stucco has a textured surface that would be hard to match. What's the best way to fix this?

Clear Coat

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:58:57 EST

Stucco-Guard by Seal-Krete protects new and old stucco against freeze/thaw damage and rain driven by winds of up to 124 mph, says the maker.

Q&A: Fixing Hairline Stucco Cracks

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:03:27 EST

Q: The stucco siding on my client's recently remodeled home has developed some small cracks. My stucco sub wants to patch them with plastic stucco cement and then prime the walls with latex mortar primer, but I'm afraid the problem will resurface. Is there a better way to fix hairline cracks?

Q&A: Fix for Peeling Stucco

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:02:54 EST

Q: The painted finish on my client's recently purchased stucco house is blistering and peeling, and it's obvious that the traditional three-coat stucco underneath has been patched on several previous occasions (see photo, below). The stucco is applied over wood framing, but as is common in older houses, there is no weep screed; the stucco continues right past the bottom plate to the ground. What is causing the problem, and what's the best way to fix it?

Q&A: Leaky Stucco

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:01:37 EST

Q. Leaky Stucco I've discovered leaks in the wall cavities of a large, multifamily building my company recently completed. The building has a three-coat stucco finish, and the leaks seem to be located primarily around the windows. An exploratory hole cut

Replacing Doors In Stucco

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:00:28 EST

Cut carefully to preserve the building paper, and hide the missing stucco with rotproof trim.

Q&A: Block Walls, Vapor Barriers, and Solar Vapor Drive

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:59:43 EST

Q: With a cavity wall assembly consisting of load-bearing 8-inch CMUs (concrete masonry units), 2 inches of rigid foam, a 2-inch air space, and 4-inch concrete bricks covered with cementitious stucco and an acrylic color coat, how important is dampproofin

Stucco That Works

Tue, 4 Dec 2012 04:00:21 EST

Done well, traditional three-coat stucco should be impervious to water, but the demands of schedule and budget have pushed many builders to opt for less durable one-coat stucco claddings and have enticed applicators to take shortcuts that compromise the integrity of otherwise good stucco. To remedy such problems, builders have two options: Do the stucco right to begin with, or build in fail-safe details that will allow the wall to drain and dry.

Letters

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:49:56 EST

Using PEX in solar water heating; solar hot-water storage; hot-water recirculation; leak testing

Rainproofing Stucco Trim

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:48:03 EST

Nailing trim through stucco without proper flashing is a recipe for disaster

Letters

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:47:12 EST

Wiring for the future; painting stucco; window flashing

Hurricanes: Why Stucco Walls Got Wet

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:13:19 EST

Designs, methods, codes, and workmanship all played a role in Florida’s soggy storm experience.