After 30 to 50 years of life a stucco building may need to be restuccoed. Depending on the condition of the property, and the desires of the owner, there are several options. Our Apptek San Diego Restucco Experts describe several of these restucco options below:
• Restucco Without Sandblast: If, and only if the existing stucco is structurally stable, has never been painted, and has a texture that will promote a good bond, the structure can be restuccoed by using a commercial bonding agent after a thorough power washing. The bond will never be as robust as the bond to a sandblasted surface, but this restucco strategy can achieve an acceptable result when economics play a role in the decision process. Cost $$
Click here to find out more about sandblasting.
• Sandblast And Restucco: Sandblasting before restucco is ideal because it prepares the surface for a perfect bond with the new stucco. The sandblasting insures the stability of the surface beneath the new stucco, and guarantees the optimum life of the finished product. Cost $$$
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• Sandblast Mesh And Restucco: When a restucco project is going to be a smooth finish and the customer wants to minimize cracking potential, the restucco can be done with the application of fiberglass mesh embedded in the base coat that is applied prior to finish coat. This is the optimum strategy to reduce cracking. This process adds cost to the overall stucco project, but will absolutely improve the resistance to stucco cracking. Cost $$$½.
Click here to find out more about sandblasting.
• Restucco with Acrylic Based Finish Coat: New technologies in the industry have resulted in new acrylic based finish coat materials that can improve the performance of the stucco system. The material is highly resistant to water penetration and in fact can be considered an additional moisture barrier of the system.
Additionally the material will bridge cracks in the subsurface and flex rather than crack when exposed to minor structure movement. Also, the colors for acrylic finishes are unlimited and can be matched to virtually any color, though as always with stucco, darker colors tend to be a bit more problematic. Acrylic stucco finishes have sometimes been described as “bullet-proof” because of long life that can be expected from these state-of-the-art products. Cost $$$½
• Complete Demolition Of Stucco And Lath: When the condition of the existing stucco is so poor that the metal lath and accessories along with the old building paper is completely deteriorated, there may be no choice but to completely remove the stucco along with the lath and old building paper. Following that removal, an entirely new stucco project including building paper, lath and stucco must take place. This is an expensive process that is required only when it is determined that there is no other choice. Cost $$$$
Can You Restucco My Home Over The Old Wood Siding?
In most cases the answer is yes. It is possible that a building permit will need to be acquired, and in some instances a “lightweight” 2 coat system may be necessary. All of this can be determined after an inspection by an Apptek expert.
I Have An Old Rough “Lace” Stucco Texture Like On Older Tract Homes. Can I Replace It With A Smooth Finish?
Absolutely! Changing an old dated stucco texture to a smooth finish stucco can have a miraculous impact on the look of your home. A smooth finish can give your home a beautiful, sophisticated look. There is almost nothing that can be done to profoundly improve the look of your home more than the installation of a smooth stucco finish.
Can Stucco (Portland Cement Plaster) Be Applied Directly Over Painted Brick Or Block?
This is a common question Apptek contractors often gets when people are rehabbing or updating older construction. Plaster is a cost-effective finish, relatively easily installed, that improves the appearance and creates a water-resistant wall surface.
A painted surface will not typically absorb water and, as such, is a substrate to which stucco will not readily bond—at least not uniformly. There are two basic alternatives to covering a painted brick surface with a new coating of portland cement plaster.
1. Sand blast or water blast to remove the paint in its entirety. Then direct-apply a two coat system. It is essential to have a surface that is uniformly absorptive to accept the plaster coating. In addition, it may be beneficial to use a bonding agent or dash-bond coat with this approach.
2. Attach paper-backed lath or install appropriate building paper between wall and attached metal lath to provide a moisture barrier and to serve as a bond breaker. Apply traditional three-coat stucco to metal lath and accessories. In this approach, the idea is to treat the plaster like a sheathed system, using metal lath to support the plaster on the substrate, while completely isolating the plaster layer from the backup with building paper. This prevents a partial bonding situation, which could set up undesirable stresses in the plaster and lead to cracking.
3. Wrap the building in polystyrene foam that is then laminated with fiberglass mesh embedded into acrylic-modified base coat. This is an EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System). The Foam is bonded to the substrate and has the additional benefit of providing a substantial insulating factor to the structure. Acrylic or conventional finish coat can be applied to the system. A $1500 Tax Credit May be available for this process.
Can My Uninsulated Brick or Block Structure Be Insulated On The Exterior Before Stucco ?
Yes. Polystyrene foam sheeting can be installed before stucco to create an exterior insulating barrier sometimes described as EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finishing System). The home can then be wrapped in fiberglass mesh embedded in Acrylic Modified Basecoat and finished with color coat of either acrylic or conventional finish coat. A $1500 Tax Credit may be available for this process.
Sandblasting – See more info about sandblasting here.