Stucco

Stucco is a cement-based product made from cement, sand, and lime that hardens into a durable material that can be applied over walls and surfaces.

Stucco is applied in multiple coats over a lath base on walls and surfaces, creating a solid seamless covering making it ideal for home exteriors. As a cement-based material it is naturally resistant to fire, considered low maintenance, and durable. Its energy efficiency and insulating qualities make it a popular choice for homes in hotter climates.

The most common stucco textures used on homes in Greater Phoenix are a lace finish, Monterey/Sante Fe finish, Sand finish and flat finish.

Studies show that the life expectancy of stucco can be 50+ years when properly applied over lath and maintained regularly. Maintenance includes repainting and caulking every 7-10 years, while doing any necessary repairs and touchups as they arise.

When large cracks, blisters or damage occurs, it’s time to make repairs immediately before they worsens. Maintaining your stucco free from damage will ensure it is long-lived. Hairline cracks can be easily filled with a premade stucco patch material that has elasticity applied with a standard caulking gun. You’ll want to trowel the patch to make sure it matches the surrounding finish and is unnoticeable. Allow it to dry for 24 hours before painting over your repair.

If your stucco is peeling, bubbling or there are holes present, you’ll want to call in an expert stucco contractor to assist with these larger repairs. An experienced stucco technician will be able to address the problem, repair the area and texture it to seamlessly match your existing finish.

Cracking in stucco can be the result of movement or stress stored in the stucco forcing it to crack. Cracks more than 1/16 inch wide can result in water intrusion issues and lead to more serious and costly damage if not addressed.

Stucco walls that are subjected to surface moisture on a regular basis can lead to efflorescence. Surface moisture is when water continually hits the stucco and/or runs down the surface. The most common culprits causing surface moisture are improperly placed and adjusted landscape sprinklers and lack of gutters or troughs for proper drainage. This constant water seeps into the stucco dissolving salt as it moves through. When the water evaporates, it then leaves the expanding salts behind in the form of a white crystalline or powdery deposit called efflorescence.

Stucco walls that are subjected to large amounts of water on a continual basis can lead to efflorescence and thus bubbling. Efflorescence is one of the main causes of blistering or bubbling stucco because the salts expand and get trapped behind the surface causing a void and can delaminate the finish coat or base coat from the wall.