Good evening all!!
As the GC on a 2 story 2 car garage/master bdrm above addition, we’re looking to keep the exterior job for ourselves, so we need a little help. We’ve parged block walls, too many times, but feel comfortable trying stuccoing.
There are about 1400 sq ft to do between the window, door and garage door openings. Tyvek barrier with 5/4 trim and corner boards where stucco contact will be made. All trim will be pre-primed prior to stucco application.
Some questions we have:
Mix on site or premix stucco-scratch and finish coats?
Tinted finish coat or paint finish coat?
Diamond metal lath or some other alternative?
I’m open to suggestions and our application window is mid October.
Mark Andersen
Andersen G.C.
Replies
Hi Mark, I'd suggest you'd do a little research before starting on this, if you're in an area w/ much rainfall. Here in the NW there have been several cases of applieing stucco as you've described (better safe than sorry)..w/ REAL problems w/ mold. Contractors around here that install exterior coverings are now getting hammered from their insurance companies. There are some very-effective products out there to address sealing the walls. I'm sure that if you mention where you are located or the climate you're in, others who frequent this site will be very helpful.
Tony
Buster,
Thanks for the reply. We're in Northern Va., 20 miles from Wash., DC. Humidity is our friend year round. Winters are mild, but do get cold and summers, well hot. There is alot of new and remodel construction using stucco and Hardi siding as well. Done Hadi, but...... The architect and client want stucco. Tight pricing on the job and timing help me out getting us through for time.
Otherwise......
MArk
Here in Toronto Ont., the use of interesting exterior Stucco finishs is on rise. as a low cost exterior or lpart exterior finish. Here it is done over as styrafoam base using a fiberglass mesh underlay, prefabed decorative units are added to give the impression of stone corners and trim. I have been told that the company that provides the premixed kproduct have short classes availabel, I am now looking into sending one of my employees as I could see usiong this method from time to time.and I know that preventing moisture form entering the structure si very important as a number of Cond units in BC. have run into big problems 5 to 10 years later.
This would be an excellent article in Finehome's mag. as to the correct method and problems that can occur.
George
Is the product you are using called Dryvit? If so... you REALLY need to be sure to seal out the moisture... it was the subject of a huge class action suit here in the states.
Poor installation was the major reason... however, there were defects that were alleged with the product also.
Thanks for the info!! I was in a town nearby where a sub was fastening and gluing bead board to drywall on the outside of this strip mall(face lift). Further down from the fellows hanging the foaam were gents applying the scratch coat of stucco(looked like a portland cement type material). It was troweled over what looked like plastic diamond mesh. They were a hard working group of spanish fellows, too bad I don't speak spanish!
I have seen these stucco coatings painted to the color the architect by another crew. We, me too, have spent time parging foundations and reparing plaster on lath and blue board as well. I feel confident my partner and I can do it, I know I do. That's probably my partner's way of getting out of it, but we'll see. Just think I might become a martial arts expert.....wipe on, spread out!!!!!
Mark