Dryvit Stucco Installation is an excellent choice for homes in hurricane-prone areas. However, it can be expensive to install.
Re-coating stucco that has been damaged by weather or settling can add to the overall cost. This is especially true for surfaces that require extra pressure washing, patching, crack repair and a rough existing texture.
Stucco is a beautiful, energy-efficient, and durable option for homes. However, it requires careful inspection and maintenance to ensure its structural integrity. Moisture intrusion can cause damage to the walls and other components of your home, so it’s important to have your stucco inspected by an experienced contractor on a regular basis. It’s also crucial to have a professional repair any signs of moisture intrusion right away. If left untreated, moisture can lead to the destruction of the structure of your home.
Before you can begin your stucco process, you must prepare the surface of the wall. It’s necessary to remove any existing siding or rotted wood before installing the new stucco. This will allow the stucco contractors to inspect and replace any studs, headers, or sheathing as needed. This will give the stucco the best possible chance to last as long as possible.
Framing: The framers must install a sheathing that will allow the stucco to adhere properly. They must use OSB sheathing that has been pre-treated with a mold inhibitor and fungicide. In addition, the framers must ensure that the sheathing is tightly secured to the studs using 2d nails with a minimum of 16d head. They must also install weep screeds and casing beads along the bottom of the walls, doors, and windows to prevent moisture from entering the house.
Weather Resistive Barrier:
The builder must install a weather resistant barrier or secondary drainage plane on the sheathing before the stucco lath is installed. There are several code-recognized materials that can be used for this purpose.
Scratch Coat:
The scratch coat is a layer of cement that is applied to the sheathing prior to applying the brown coat. This layer is used to bond the stucco to the sheathing and help prevent moisture from penetrating the walls. It is mixed with one part cement and two parts plaster sand and must be thoroughly troweled to create a firm surface. Some builders choose to combine the scratch and brown coats into one base coat.
The brown coat is the second phase of the stucco process. This layer is applied over the scratch coat and must be cured for at least 24 hours before you can apply your desired texture or finish. This is an extremely important step in the process because moisture can damage the finish and cause it to fail prematurely. After the brown coat has been cured, an acrylic finish can be added to protect it from blunt damage and to add waterproofing.
Scratch Coat
Stucco is a highly customizable material that gives homeowners the ability to create unique, one-of-a-kind design expressions on their homes’ exteriors. It is composed of a mix of Portland cement, sand, and lime and is layered on top of concrete masonry or metal lath (adhered to wood sheathing) to form a unique surface texture with great weather durability.
The first layer that gets applied is the scratch coat, which acts as the base for the stucco and provides a rough surface for subsequent layers to bond with. It can also serve as a barrier against moisture intrusion. The scratch coat can be made with either a concrete or cementitious blend and should be 3/8-inch thick at the minimum.
When the scratch coat is bonded with a brown coat, it forms a solid foundation for the rest of the stucco mixture to cling to and become part of. This is why it is important to use a high-quality brown coat that contains the right amount of bonding additives. The addition of these bonding additives allows for both mechanical and chemical bonding, providing a much stronger connection between the scratch coat and the next layer.
A good brown coat can last anywhere from 36 hours to 72 hours before it is cured and ready for a final touch-up. The curing time depends on the weather conditions. Hot summer temperatures can cause the water in the stucco mixture to evaporate too quickly, resulting in cracks in the final product. In colder climates, this process can take longer since the stucco has to hydrate more slowly.
Once the brown coat is applied and allowed to cure, the next step is to apply a top coat that will add a smoother texture and protect the finish from weathering. A professional stucco contractor will know the best top coat to choose depending on the type of weather in your area.
Moisture intrusion and damage to stucco is a serious issue that can be difficult to repair once it starts happening. If not addressed in a timely manner, the damaged stucco can eventually lead to rot or even structural damage. This is why it is so important to contact a professional for any stucco repair or renovation projects. They will ensure that the job is done properly from the start, saving you time and money in the long run.
Brown Coat
The next layer in the stucco process is the brown coat. This is a mixture of sand, cement and reinforcing fibers. It is applied over the wire lath and it is scratched horizontally to allow the subsequent layers to adhere to the wall. It is a much thicker coating than the scratch coat and it looks like cement. The brown coat is a good base for the finish or “top” coat of your stucco project.
The brown coat must be kept moist until the finishing textures are applied. This is critical because a rough brown coat can lead to alligator cracking. A smooth troweled finish cannot be applied to a variation in the plane, so the brown coat must be flat and free of ridges and bumps for optimal plaster performance.
Depending on the type of texture specified, the brown coat can be prepared in a variety of ways. In the past, when French lace or heavy grit sand finishes were popular, preparing the brown coat meant rodding a wall with a hammer and a float to get rid of all of the clinkers that were left behind after the scratch coat was troweled down. This was a very time-consuming and labor intensive method of preparing the brown coat, but it provided superior plaster quality in those days.
Today, we use a pro-grade Portland cement based stucco mix as a base coat scratch and brown product that is compatible with many traditional textures. It can be used over either untreated or treated concrete, block or brick walls as well as over galvanized metal lath. It also allows for the addition of local sand, which makes it more economical to use than traditional mixes.
After the brown coat is troweled, it should be sprayed with a Hudson sprayer that matches the final finish color of your project. This is done to avoid cold jointings and to make the finish look uniform.
Then the poly prep or color coat can be applied. This is the final step of the three-coat stucco process and it provides a finished appearance that is beautiful, strong, and resilient. It can resist fire and wind and it is also highly adaptable to changing temperatures. It is important to remember that each of the layers of a traditional stucco system works in harmony. From the paper and wire lathing to the scratch and brown coats to the finish, each one plays a vital role in providing formidable fire resistance and beautiful aesthetics for your home.
Final Coat
The final coat is the portion of your stucco that most people notice. It is traditionally textured and may be colored, completing the three-coat stucco system. The modern system is more robust and offers a wide range of textures, colors and finishes. The system also offers formidable fire resistance, as well as adaptability to varying temperatures.
After the brown coat, which functions as a strengthening layer, has been applied, it must dry for approximately 48 hours. It is important to protect the stucco from weather, Ultraviolet rays and other elements during this time period. This can be done by covering the stucco or putting a tarp over it. It is also recommended that you mist the surface of the stucco several times each day to keep it damp and promote proper curing.
Once the brown coat has cured, the finish coat can be put on. This is the portion that most people see and it gives the finished product its aesthetic appearance. This can be accomplished with traditional textured stucco or using a variety of acrylic finishes that are available in a wide array of colors and textures.
If desired, the finish coat can be protected from damage and moisture intrusion by applying an acrylic sealant. This will help ensure that the final product is resistant to stains and mold. It will also help prevent the finish from absorbing moisture and becoming brittle.
As with the other steps of this process, it is highly recommended that you work with professional and licensed stucco contractors to apply your stucco. This will give you peace of mind that the scratch coat is being applied correctly and that your project is proceeding according to plan. It is also essential to use premium paint that is designed for stucco surfaces so that it will adhere to the material properly.