Stucco Contractor Servicing Bucks, Chester & Montgomery County In Pennsylvania PA

Modern stucco is an exterior cement plaster wall covering, it is usually a mix of sand, Portland cement, lime and water but may also consist of a proprietary mix of additives including fibers and synthetic acrylics that add strength and flexibility.

As with any cement-based or acrylic  material, stucco must be reinforced to resist movement cracking. Wire lath  mesh attached with staples to the structural framing is embedded into the base coat to provided stiffening for the stucco. On  wooden walls normally  a water  resistant  barrier paper  is installed   we recommend a minimum of two layers  followed by a rain screen mat to ensure a proper drainage of the stucco along  with much more materials  and flashings to prevent  water  and  moisture accumulation.

Yes, stucco color coat may be successfully applied to a portland cement base substrate in an interior application. However exterior stucco color coat will not stick to drywall or other non-cementicious surfaces unless an adhesive is applied to the surface prior to the stucco application. For better results on stucco or Stone veneer interior installations wooden walls  are recommended together with a water and vapor resistant barrier, lath metal mesh and scratch coat to ensure  bondage and  a long lasting stucco application.

We don’t recommend stucco to be painted, mainly because stucco when done correctly  is a maintenance free cladding, if stucco is painted the walls will require certain  maintenance routines. How ever YES, it can be painted to the color of choice.

Even thought  acrylic paints are  long lasting and durable when painting stucco we DON’T recommend them because they can change the permeability of the stucco (make it non-breathable) which in some climates may have adverse effects on the long-term.

When painting  stucco we  ALWAYS recommend  the use of a high grade Elastomeric Paint specifically designed for Masonry, Stucco and Brick exteriors, this paint is designed to expand and contract, it is 10 times thicker than standard acrylic paints and have a 300% elongation, its best attribute is that this paint is waterproof but a is breathable coating at the same time.

Alternatively, if the walls have not been painted before you could consider an skim coat  stucco system over existing stucco or masonry wall and then the application of a colored stucco finish of your choice, these finish coats are often pre-color mixed stucco bags or can be made with white cement and pigments providing a range of colors.

Properly applied and maintained stucco, is as durable as any commonly used cladding material. Its hard surface resists abrasion and can take a lot of physical abuse. It stands up to all sorts of climates, from cold to hot and wet to dry. Many older homes built in the early 1900s have had very little maintenance and remain in good shape today.

Unfortunately for the unluckiest  stucco fail because of poor craftsmanship was used when the property was build, stucco can fail because a wrong window installation, it can fail because a missing kick out flashing diverted  and many more causes, for more FAQ’s on this  subject visit  our  stucco remediation  service page. You can also visit our blog post Eight reason why stucco and stone installations fail