My turn for Stucco questions.

[cplain]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

I'm not a stucco expert (but I play one on TV)..but I've some experience as I bought a Stucco house (in Wisconsin no less! Go Figure.)

I quickly found out Stucco is not a low maintenance siding. Cracks appear, moisture seeps in and plays havoc with the stucco. It'll rust the lathe underneath the stucco, or, in colder climates, will freeze and "pop" bits of stucco off. So you got deal with cracks as they appear, otherwise it'll just get worse.

Since the original formula for the stucco covering my house is long gone, and I haven't found pre-mixed stucco in bags, and I'm too lazy to be bothered with special ordering some, I've had great luck with quikrete's surface bonding cement. It's billed as waterproof and adheres nicely to flat surfaces without lathe. They even show how to use it to build a BBQ by dry stacking cement blocks and then covering it with this product.
QUIKRETE® - QUIKWALL® Surface Bonding Cement

If any additional finish is desired over the stucco, the best is Elastomeric Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint. From the Behr paint web site:

"An exterior, flexible high-build coating designed to expand and contract, bridging hairline cracks in vertical masonry surfaces. This extremely durable, mildew and dirt resistant waterproofing paint has superior elasticity and elongation properties, stretching up to 600%. It passes Federal Specification TT-C-555b sec. 3.3.3, withstanding 98 mph wind-driven rain. The 100% acrylic latex formula provides a breathable film, releasing moisture that builds in walls. This low-sheen paint has excellent color retention and is available in 63 custom tinted colors. "

It's great stuff and available at Home Depot. You have to brush it on or use a roller with at least a 1 inch nap...it's thick!

That's about all I know about stucco...it's kept my house relatively protected for past 11 years...

[sarah h]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

What the bloody stuff is called in various different parts of the world!

I'd like to know that too!
And I think a sticky on the subject is an excellent idea.

I cannot find 'stucco' anywhere but there is something here called parging mix - billed as "ideal for parging concrete blocks or poured concrete", "for use in above or below grade applications" and having "excellent bond strength and workability". I've been wondering if it's essentially the same thing .

It's a mixture of sand and Portland cement, along with "agents designed to enhance bond & workability". It's meant to be applied in a 1/8- to 3/8-inch thickness, directly to the concrete blocks in one coat.

This is what I plan to use but I've been wondering if I should throw in some lime. I'll likely want to paint it so I was happy to see the post about the Behr concete paint - hope the Canadian Home Depot carries it!

BTW, as I was researching stucco, I ended up reading about a finish called Tadelakt - here's a short version of the Wikipedia blurb:

"Tadelakt is a bright, nearly waterproof lime plaster which can be used on the inside of buildings and on the outside. It is the traditional coating of the palaces, hammams and bathrooms of the riads in Morocco. Its traditional application includes being polished with a river stone and treated with a soft soap to acquire its final appearance and water resistance. Tadelakt has a luxurious, soft aspect with undulations due to the work of the artisans who finish it; in certain installations, it is suitable for making bathtubs, showers, and washbasins and confers great decorative capacities. Traditionally, tadelakt is produced with the lime of the area of Marrakech."

Sounds like something that could add an interesting effect to a WFO ...

[asudavew]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

I did more stucco work last night.
Previously, I was going for a rough texture... spanish drag style.
But last night I wanted to see what the other half would look like with the stucco really smooth.

So I finished it with a trowel the same way concrete is finished. (With a finishing trowel, used at an angle)
I like the look better, and no cracking. I think it might be important to finish the stucco just like concrete.

Just a thought.

DAve

[Mojoe]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Here's one Stucco guide with synonyms if you can believe that: http://www.parex.com/pdf/stuccoma.pdf

Dave you'll have to wait for the layer to fully cure before you'll see the final color. This is true with all colored cements, even pre-blended with oxide pigments.

I have a few other links at home as I have also been researching stucco. If this guide doesn't cut it (sorry I didn't get a chance to read it all) I'll post them along with the ASTM specifications...probably do at least that one regardless.

[asudavew]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Here's one Stucco guide with synonyms if you can believe that: http://www.parex.com/pdf/stuccoma.pdf

Dave you'll have to wait for the layer to fully cure before you'll see the final color. This is true with all colored cements, even pre-blended with oxide pigments.

I have a few other links at home as I have also been researching stucco. If this guide doesn't cut it (sorry I didn't get a chance to read it all) I'll post them along with the ASTM specifications...probably do at least that one regardless.

Thanks.

I'll give it a read this evening!

[RCLake]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

I did more stucco work last night.
Previously, I was going for a rough texture... spanish drag style.
But last night I wanted to see what the other half would look like with the stucco really smooth.

So I finished it with a trowel the same way concrete is finished. (With a finishing trowel, used at an angle)
I like the look better, and no cracking. I think it might be important to finish the stucco just like concrete.

Just a thought.

DAve

Ah, half hairy and half bald. if you did the rough on top and the smooth on the sides would it look like a mohawk haircut

[RCLake]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Well I gave it a go.

I decided to go with one layer.

Home Depot had Finishing Stucco in 80lb bags, which had directions on the back.

The directions sad to add an acrylic...something or other (I can't remember the name.) to aid in waterproofing. It's a liquid and I found a 1 gallon bottle. I added 2 quarts to the bag of stucco, per the directions. I also added 5 oz. of "Buff" coloring.

I feel like George right now. Buff is supposed to be a light copper color.
But I think I added toooooooooooooooo much!!!

I'll have to call it my pumpkin oven.

Here ya go!

Could you tell when you where mixing the color was going to be that bright or did it happen as it dried?
the mortar on our house used buff dye and I added it to my scratch coat and it's brown.

[asudavew]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Could you tell when you where mixing the color was going to be that bright or did it happen as it dried?
the mortar on our house used buff dye and I added it to my scratch coat and it's brown.

yeah.. i could tell.

but it sure has faded the last couple days

I like it much better now!

[SpringJim]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

http://www.parex.com/pdf/stuccoma.pdf

Chapter 4 and 5 in particular are applicable to the discussion.

I think for the WFO, we already have the first scratch coat (cladding and/or insulation layer) so we are looking at a one or two coat stucco application.

Additives for color or weather resistance are a plus!

[Mojoe]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Loaded with info: Stucco Resources Stucco Materials Stucco Technology | Stucco Guru - Resources

Jed check out Craze cracking under Durability,Maintenance, and Repair.

[Annie]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Some color additives are intended to be mixed with different stucco bases, for example if the required base is white and you add the color to a gray mix base you won't get the color on the color chart. I have been working with lime plaster not cement stucco and it has been difficult to get the color I want... lime is so so so white!
Also all plasters need to dry really slowly in order to prevent cracking. Keep it damp for a few days..... another thinner coat over the top, with finer sand/aggregate material will have less chance of cracking and fill in the ones that may have developed in your first coat.
I plan to plaster the oven with 3 coats of lime plaster as I understand it will expand and contract with any temperature changes and be water proof…. I’ll let you know how that works out.

[Wiley]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

How about just turning this thread into a sticky?

Dave, Good looking job, I'm following this one closely as I hopefully soon will be following in your footsteps. (hopefully avoiding miss-steps spoken of here and almost certainly finding some of my own :^)

Wiley

[RTflorida]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

no worries Dave, looks great, and the color will certainly look different when it is out from under your pop up tent......who knows, it may look roma tomato red in the sunlight.
I actually like George's color. Where is he anyway?

RT

[thebadger]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

I agree,

I'm having trouble finding stucco in Cincinnati.

I do have access to Type S, Quikcrete Quickwall, and various quickcrete products - vinyl patch, etc... just not stucco.

My thougth is I need something to smooth over the perlcrete, then a layer for texture followed the colored paint that cplain recommeded in this post.

Thoughts/suggestions???

It would be nice to have 1) Stucco recommendation and 2) alternatives for builders like me who don't have access.

Thanks
Dick

[sarah h]

Re: My turn for Stucco questions.

Hi Dick,

I've been having difficulty finding stucco too so I did some research; take a look at my STUCCO-Part 1 & Part 2 threads that I posted today in this same Tips, Tools & Techniques section - maybe something there will help you decide what to do.

For me, it looks like the Parging Mix I found might be a suitable substitute and I might add a bit extra hydrated lime too, if that's what I use.

Not sure if others are having trouble finding stucco - I was told at one store that it's something that's only available to contractors now, around here. I'm sure the call for it, for D-I-Yers, has dropped off big-time over the years and is now just not worth carrying for many stores - too bad ...

Anyway, I'll look forward to seeing what you decide on!

Sarah