vermiculite insulation

[david s]

Re: vermiculite insulation

Hi Dave, when you stucco, did you just install over perlit/concrete, or did you prep surace at all? Thanks, Pat

When the stuff sets up it is firm enough to stucco straight on to and being rough is ideal for the stucco to adhere to. The strength is in the outer shell so the vermicrete only needs to be strong enough to stucco against. I make sure the vermicrete is dry, ie curing fires after vermiculite and before stucco. After I do the outer shell which I do in one layer about 15mm thick I then wrap the whole thing in cling wrap for a week to keep moisture in that layer for strength. It works for me, but no doubt there are other ways to do it.

[irelande5]

Re: vermiculite insulation

Thanks Dave, how many layers of 1" do you apply, just one?

[david s]

Re: vermiculite insulation

Not sure whether you are asking about the vermicrete layer here or the stucco. I do the vermicrete in layers of about one and a half inches thick, allowing a week to dry for each layer, but I apply the stucco in one layer about 3/4" thick.