Advice on Stucco please

[Gulf]

I'm really not a fan of applying stucco to chicken wire over a curved surface. To me, 1" is a big hole to fill with stucco. I used 1/2" mesh construction cloth. But, that is not a big problem if there is a little backing behind it. However, I wouldn't fill those very deep voids with stucco. That will not increase the strength. I would fill any deep voids with insulation. Fiberglass insulation is ok outside of the ceramic fiber layer. It is not combustible and it is plenty far enough away from any "real heat" to melt. You can stuff those crevices after the wire is in place since you are using chicken wire. What you are trying to accomplish is to suspend the wire in the middle of a 3/8" to 1/2" scratch coat. Don't sweat it, though. It ain't going to be perfect on a compound curve. On the first coat, there will be some exposed wire. There will also be some holes. You can do the typical three coats or a hundred to get the job done. The three coat system is designed for speed. No one picks up that kind of speed from watching a video. My advice is to use a concrete bonding agent between each coat and forget about the scratching. After each coat, you can knock down the high spots and fill in the low spots with a damp sponge.

For applying each layer, I used a 12" or 14" sheet rock taping knife. They are built with a curve that helps with the application. Start at the bottom near the chimney and work your way around to the other side. Go back to where you started and over lap about half of the previous row. Repeat, until you reach the apex of the dome.






I hope this helps .

[gastagg]

Have any pics on your wire mesh/insulation? I'm doing the same thing and looks like you're about a week ahead of me.

[kallipigous]

I've finished the insulation and started wrapping the chicken wire around my 36" Pompeii dome. I was hoping for some advice from those who have stuccoed their domes directly on the insulation.

I've never used stucco but from the various videos I've seen online I'm getting the gist of it. I'm expecting to do three coats: a scratch a brown and finally a covering layer. My question is though what to do about the inevitable creases and unevenness in the insulation. Is the idea to get the stucco to cling to the wire shell and leave air gaps underneath or to try and fill the gaps underneath with stucco? This will mean some areas have stucco that's much thicker but maybe that makes it stronger?

Thanks in advance.

Toby