Stucco texture types sometimes refer to “coating” on the exterior walls of a building and coating on the interior of the building.
Stucco is made from a mixture of different components like cement. These include lime, sand, Portland cement, and water. It is applied as a thin finish coat on the outermost layer of residential and commercial constructions.
Stucco in the U.S. Has been used for a long time, especially in homes in the west and south-west. Simple textures of stucco are prevalent in both construction and renovation today. But if your home was built in the 1970s and 1990s, stucco may have a heavier textured look.
It is used as a decorative coating for ceilings, exterior walls, and sculptures, and artistic materials. Stucco finish can be applied to materials such as concrete, cinder block or clay brick, etc. for decorative and structural purposes.
What Is Stucco?
Stucco is usually mounted on a galvanized wire mesh to stick to the supporting structure. Which is called lath. The stucco made in this way strengthens the whole assembly. Stucco is usually mixed according to the specification on site. It is applied in three coats on the wall.
Cement-based plaster is commonly used in traditional masonry stucco. Which are applied for decoration on the inside and outside walls of buildings. Mix proportion of cement, sand, and lime are used as highly durable materials.
As a result, it requires less maintenance. Like traditional decorative plaster, a variety of finish effects can be created in stucco. For this, the effect of different types of textures can be given by using other tools like a trowel, brush.
Stucco to siding transition is a low-cost finish in many buildings in a variety of colours and textures. Its texture is strong, durable, and fire-resistant.
The use of stucco is becoming popular in buildings around the world. It can be used to stylize the facade of the building’s exterior surface and add colour pop. Since this building material is very durable, little maintenance is required. You can be given different textures and finishes on the exterior surface of the building.
Typically the cost of a residential stucco inspection should be around $ 500 to $ 1,200. The actual cost of stucco inspection depends on various factors such as the square footage of the property, location and access etc.
In the process of stucco restoration, loose or completely damaged areas of stucco are removed from the wall surface. The process of making paper and metal lathes on the wall is then carried out with three coats of stucco repair mix. This is commonly called a stucco restoration process.
Also Read: What Is a Concrete Wall Finish? | Types of Concrete Finishes
What Are The Different Types Of Stucco?
Different types of stucco are used as an excellent building material and with unique advantages in exterior and interior walls. There are generally two types of stucco: traditional stucco and synthetic stucco.
- Traditional Stucco
- Synthetic Stucco
1. Traditional Stucco
Traditional stucco is mixed with cement, sand, and water according to specifications. Sometimes, glass fibre and acrylic are added to traditional stucco to increase its strength. If pure cement stucco is applied with a fixed mesh base, it is known as stucco lath.
Traditional stucco is excellent due to its diverse properties. Which provides a lighter or harder surface to the outer surface. Stucco finish can last for about 50 years if applied with proper technique and maintained periodically.
Traditional stucco is usually found in grey. The colour is due to Portland cement. However, the exterior surfaces of modern homes can be completed in a variety of colours with stucco.
2. Synthetic Stucco
Synthetic stucco is used as EIFS, exterior insulation, and finishing system. It gives the exterior of the house a less expensive stucco finish.
It is usually used as a facade on the exterior walls of a building instead of cement stucco. And it can be applied to the outer surface quickly and easily. Synthetic stucco is layered on the outer surface to suit both structural and decorative requirements.
These EIFS installations are renovated across the site under the supervision of plaster professionals. Artificial stucco can be pre-fabricated in the design panel. Is then sent to the site for installation. The quality of this type of stucco can be enhanced by using adhesives. It can also be easily applied to wooden frames or other materials in various interior and exterior projects.
This type of stucco is also known as EIFS. Which is commonly used for exterior insulation and finishing system. This type of stucco has been used in interior brick masonry in commercial construction in the United States since 1969. But it was used in a residential building in early 1980.
Also Read: What Is Plaster? | Type of Plaster | Type of Plaster Finishes
Synthetic Stucco: Pros and Cons
Pros Of Synthetic Stucco
- Stucco to siding transition enhances the energy efficiency of a home by its excellent insulating value.
- Provides a virtually waterproof seal if it is installed by proper steps.
- This type of stucco reduces the penetration of sound into the house by 55% compared to wood or brick.
- Stucco finish type can be made in various colours and textures on the outer surface. It rarely needs to be painted due to a lack of proper maintenance.
- It makes the outer surface durable.
- The surface of this stucco finish type is flexible and does not crack easily.
- The surface of this type of stucco is flexible, making it easy to mould in places like various shapes, arches, doors etc.
- This type of stucco finish can be finished in various designs. In addition, it gives a similar look to traditional stucco or brick.
- Stucco finish type can be made more durable than conventional by using fibreglass in multiple layers.
- EIFS provides extended protection to the external structure.
Cons Of Synthetic Stucco
- This type of stucco uses more material than other exterior finishing techniques. So it can be expensive.
- If this type of stucco restoration, the cost can be as high as 16 per square foot.
- The cost of stucco is usually calculated at an average of about 6 to $ 9 per square foot.
- The surface of this type of stucco may need frequent inspection.
- This type of stucco can be difficult to clean.
- The average cost of stucco remediation is between $ 900 and $ 2,100. If the height of your wall is more than 8 ‘, the need for scaffolding increases the cost.
9 Stucco Finish Types
Different, unique stucco texture types finishes can be obtained by applying stucco in different ways. Which adds to the overall beauty appeal of your home. Here’s a look at some of the top most popular different types of stucco finishes to use for the exterior of your home. Which will help you decide the suitable option for the wall of your house.
Types of Stucco Texture:
- Cat Face Stucco Finish
- Dash Stucco Finish
- Float Stucco Finish
- Spanish Lace Stucco Finish
- Worm Stucco Finish
- Santa Barbara Stucco Finish
- English Stucco Finish
- Venetian Stucco Finish
- Smooth Stucco Finish
1. Cat Face Stucco Finish
This stucco texture types finish is very easily recognizable for exterior stucco, as it has a similar rough design in very large smooth areas. This type of cat finish can be given in both conventional and synthetic stucco. Two coats are used to finish the cat’s face. It is always done by hand when spraying or finishing.
The surface is achieved using a two-layer stucco coat for cat face stucco. First, a rough hard coat stucco is applied over the outer surface. After it dries, a smooth cat finish surface is created in the topcoat using a metal trowel.
Cat Face stucco Finishing is also known as California Finish, which gives the finish a smooth surface with various rough patches throughout the design. You can change the size and distance of rough patches in your home as per your instruction in the final result.
2. Dash Finish Stucco
Dash Finish Stucco is one of the most popular finishes on the market. It gives a no gravel look with a strong rough texture. This stucco texture types finish is usually used on the exterior of the house.
It can be installed across the exterior surface of a modern home using a variety of colours. In some places, this type of finish is also known as “roughcast” stucco. Dash stucco is sprayed on the exterior of the house by the traditional application method.
For the dash finish stucco, the base coat of the first stucco is applied to the wall with a rough finish. The stucco is then sprayed using a hopper gun. Stucco can usually be given a “dash” finish to the wall using a trowel or brush.
3. Float Stucco Finish
Float stucco finish is also known as sand finish stucco, similar to dash stucco finish. Its texture has a more granular surface texture than the dash stucco finish. This type of stucco finish is made on the exterior of most homes. Exterior stucco patterns can be created using lighter colours for stucco.
A rough finish surface is made in the first base coat to obtain a float stucco finish surface. Then, the float stucco in the second coat is lightly hand-made from the finish surface trowel. Coarse, medium or fine type sand can be used for this stucco texture types finishes.
Stucco float finish is most commonly used as a “float finish stucco” or “sand finish stucco” finish in commercial buildings. It can be used in both traditional stucco and artificial stucco as a versatile finish. It can sometimes be applied with a single coat to get the job done quickly. This type of stucco can be applied only in coats is ideal for full coverage in Finish.
4. Spanish Lace Stucco Finish
The Spanish lace stucco finish is not an interesting, simple-yet-it-easy-stucco finish type. It’s not as rough as the dash stucco finish and the float stucco finish. After a certain level in this type of stucco finish, the formation of bumps ends on a flat surface, leaving a groove at the bottom. This type of stucco finish is known as skip-trowel finish or lace and skip finish.
Spanish lace finishes are fairly common for homeowners. It is also often referred to as a skip-travel finish. This type of stucco finish is suitable for covering bugs. It can be easily used in both homes and offices.
This type of stucco requires only two coats instead of three. Its frame structure looks like cloudy lace, with light layers. Sometimes it looks like it was designed on stone.
5. Worm Stucco Finish
The worm stucco finish is easily recognizable due to its “streaky” appearance. It is finished with warm and “putz” stripes all over the surface of the wall. worm stucco finishing is done in many different ways. It is a good option as a good bold interior. It additionally has a geometric look.
The worm stucco type is based on the large aggregate pieces added to it to obtain a finish, in which stretching the float gives it a striped appearance. Sometimes, he is given grovy indents by hand. Worm stucco can be difficult to repair.
6. Santa Barbara Stucco Finish
This stucco wall texture finish is very popular in California. This type of finish mainly uses a wide range of colours. Its composition is made up of fine grains of sand. Therefore, it is used outdoor and indoor. Its composition uses small particles of sand in conventional stucco. Therefore, different colours give a definitely finished look.
Santa Barbara stucco can be easily obtained by both traditional and EIFS methods. The Santa Barbara stucco finish has a beautiful, natural, mottled pattern, so it doesn’t need to be painted. The Santa Barbara finish is usually obtained in two coats. For that first, a base coat is applied. After it dries it is finished by troweled in a thick topcoat.
7. English Stucco Finish
English stucco finishing/texture is commonly found on older buildings. It is still used in some new construction projects. While this type of finish is usually easier to patch and repair than other types of stucco finishes.
For this type of stucco finish, the base coat is applied the first coat to the entire wall. The second stucco coat is then made using a trowel, leaving a rough, irregular pattern with short strokes in different directions.
8. Venetian Stucco Finish
This type of stucco finish is one of the oldest techniques to get a decorative finish. Which became popular among Venetian architects in the 15th century. It offers unique decoration on the wall of the building. And the technology to get inspiring designs according to needs.
Venetian stucco finish is sometimes known as lime stucco finish. It has a putty made of limestone or marble dust in water according to proper specification.
Traditionally, Venetian stucco finishing is made by a skilled craftsman using unique materials on the exterior surface. Acrylic polymer is used in modern stucco finish. Whose surface effect is very durable and lasts a long time.
9. Smooth Stucco Finish
The colour texture and beauty in a smooth stucco finish can be customized according to the script of your home or office. A smooth textured finish can be applied with synthetic stucco and traditional stucco.
The good thing is that colours can be added to the stucco to give the wall a different mottled look. This type of stucco is difficult to patch and tends to crack more than other stucco finish surfaces.
Also Read: What Is a Concrete Wall Finish? | Types of Concrete Finishes
How to Stucco a House?
A. 1- coat stucco Hard Coat System
The single coat stucco system is also sometimes used as a 2-coat system on the wall. In this type of system cement base material and foam are used in stucco coats.
One coat stucco application includes a mixture of Portland cement, sand, fibre, chemicals with special specifications and water. This type of stucco finish is obtained by combining scratch and brown coat in a single application in 3/8 ″ to 1/2 thickness.
It is applied to the outer surface with a rigid foam board and lathe. So that insulated durable cladding can be created.
B. 3- coat stucco Hard Coat System
The three-coat stucco consists of waterproof paper and wire, scratch coat, brown coat and “top” coat.
In this type of coat, a waterproof weather-resistant barrier of asphalt-filled paper is applied to the wall. Then, a layer of chicken wire is installed on top of it. In the next step, a base layer of field-mixed Portland cement, sand, lime and water mixture is applied as a scratch coat. Then brown coat or top coat is applied.
This layer is applied with a long trowel to apply the cement evenly, finally, the finish coat is applied in different textures.
A 3-coat stucco finish has good durability. It may take longer for each level to be applied and treated properly. Which requires more time and labour than one coat of stucco. So three coats of stucco make it more expensive than one coat of stucco.
Stucco Maintenance
Proper maintenance of stucco needs to be handled on a regular basis. If maintenance is not done, it may soon cost you money for repairs. Which eventually lowers the price of the house. Here are some tips for stucco maintenance of your home.
Stucco Maintenance: Cleaning Work
Usually, the sago on the outside can get dirty very easily. Which can cause dirt to collect on the surface of the stucco. Since stucco is a porous material, it can absorb stains. For this reason, it should be cleaned frequently. Cleaning stucco can usually be done with a simple spray from your garden hose.
Sprinkle with water first to clean the dirt from your stucco surface. So that the dirt can be soaked and loosened. Then spray water with more pressure on its surface. So that the dirt is removed from the surface of the stucco.
Stucco Maintenance: Regular Seal Work
Since the material of stucco is a porous material, when it is first applied to the outer surface, it should be properly sealed. So, the surface of stucco can be protected from any external moisture intrusion. Typically, concrete masonry sealers are used. Which penetrates the surface of the stucco and prevents any external moisture from entering. The sealer should be applied every five years or again.
Stucco Maintenance: Applying an Elastomeric Coating
If the house stucco is old, an elastomeric coating should be applied. Which seals the hair cracks on the surface of the stucco. The elastomeric coating provides a waterproof finish to the surface of the stucco. Due to their flexible properties the sealant usually lasts for at least 10 years on the surface of the stucco.
Stucco Maintenance: Make Repairs
Stucco is considered to be a very durable and hard material. But over time, that is likely to change. These defects can damage the strength of the stucco material. These types of defects allow stucco to grow and pests to enter the house. If the stucco wall in your home is cracked, do not allow it to widen. Instead, repair it before it is damaged.
If the finish of the stucco wall has a small crack or chip, you can fix it yourself. If the issues with cracks or chips are more extensive, the certified stucco inspection may need to be called in. Either way, a crack or chip is important to deal with before your stucco finish is further damaged to prevent water damage stucco. Water damage stucco requires a professional contractor for large-scale stucco repairs.
Pros and Cons of Stucco
Stucco is the oldest building material to give a look to a building. There are some positive and negative reasons for not using it. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of stucco are as follows.
Stucco Pros:-
Some of the Advantages of Stucco are:
- Durability: Due to its use, the outer surface is effectively resistant to fire, rot, mould, impact and long term infestation. Due to its peculiarity, it has the ability to survive for up to 50 years in local climatic conditions.
- Sound Reduce: Stucco siding reduces the noise of buffers coming from vehicles and other sources. This is also a big advantage especially located near a busy street.
- Color Retention: The stucco finish gives a durable colour look. Which reduces the need to paint the house at regular intervals.
- Sustainability: The ingredients needed for this type of finish can be easily obtained from local sources.
- Texture: Depending on the choice of your texture, you can choose from a variety of stucco finishes for your home.
Also Read: Types of Brick Bonds | Flemish Bond | Different Types of Brick Patterns
Stucco Cons:-
Some of the Disadvantages of Stucco are:
- Maintenance: To keep the stucco in good condition, periodic maintenance is required. But, it is not a difficult task. But stucco inspections should be repeated for its maintenance process.
- Porosity: The stucco finish surface is the exterior surface of houses that has the potential to retain water. If the stucco finish surface is not applied under the supervision of a specialist and maintained properly it can lead to water damage.
- Labor Cost: Stucco application is done through various processes. Which requires more time and skilled concrete contractors. Labour costs are higher for stucco finishes compared to other types of finishes.
- Inflexibility: Stucco is usually found to lack elasticity. The change of soil in the area in which the houses are settled. In such an area stucco is likely to have cracks in the finish. Therefore, the stucco in that area is dissolved by the addition of a polymer to the mixture. Which increases costs.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
Stucco Texture Types
Stucco Texture Types is a highly absorbent material, it has a tendency to cause problems due to moisture absorption during the rainy season. Moisture can lead to excessive growth of black mold on the surface of the stucco. so, stucco application is done through various processes.
Which requires more time and skilled concrete contractors. Labor costs are higher for stucco finishes compared to other types of finishes.
What Exactly Is Stucco?
Stucco is made from a mixture of different components like cement. These include lime, sand, Portland cement and water It is applied as a thin finish coat on the outermost layer of residential and commercial constructions. stucco finish sometimes refers to “coating” on the exterior walls of a building and coating on the interior of the building.
What Is Stucco Made Of?
Stucco is made from a mixture of different components like cement. These include lime, sand, Portland cement and water. It is applied as a thin finish coat on the outermost layer of residential and commercial constructions.
Can You Power Wash Stucco?
Usually, the sago on the outside can get dirty very easily. Which can cause dirt to collect on the surface of the stucco. Since stucco is a porous material, it can absorb stains. For this reason, it should be cleaned frequently. Cleaning stucco can usually be done with a simple spray from your garden hose.
How Long Will Stucco Last?
Due to its use, the outer surface is effectively resistant to fire, rot, mould, impact and long term infestation. Due to its peculiarity, it has the ability to survive for up to 50 years in local climatic conditions.
Does Stucco Add Value to a Home?
A 3-coat stucco finish has good durability and Add Value to a Home. It may take longer for each level to be applied and treated properly. Which requires more time and labour than one coat of stucco. So three coats of stucco make it more expensive than one coat of stucco.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace Stucco with Siding?
If this type of Stucco Siding needs a replacement, the cost can be as high as 16 $ per square foot. The cost of stucco is usually calculated at an average of about 6$ to 9$per square foot. stucco application is done through various processes. Which requires more time and skilled concrete contractors. Labour costs are higher for stucco finishes compared to other types of finishes.
How Much Does Stucco Maintenance Cost?
If this type of Stucco Siding needs a replacement, the Stucco Maintenance cost can be as high as 16 $ per square foot.
Are Hairline Cracks in Stucco Normal?
If the finish of the stucco has a small crack or chip, you can fix it yourself. If the issues with cracks or chips are more extensive, the stucco contractor may need to be called in. Either way, a crack or chip is important to deal with before your stucco finish is further damaged to prevent major damage.
What Is Stucco Restoration?
In the process of stucco restoration, loose or completely damaged areas of stucco are removed. The process of making paper and metal lathes on a wall with three coats of stucco repair mix is called the complete stucco restoration process.
How Much Does It Cost to Repair Stucco Cracks?
The Cost to Repair Stucco Cracks is anywhere between $1,000 and $9,000.
What Is the Average Cost of Stucco Remediation?
The average cost of stucco remediation is between $ 900 and $ 2,100. If the height of your wall is more than 8 ‘, the need for scaffolding increases the cost.
How Much Does a Stucco Inspection?
The cost of a commercial stucco inspection of residential stucco inspections, in general, should be around $ 500 to $ 1,200. The actual cost of stucco inspection depends on various factors such as the square footage of the property, location and access etc.
How Much Does a Stucco Inspection Cost?
The Stucco Inspection Cost of residential stucco inspections, in general, should be around $ 500 to $ 1,200.
How to Repair Water Damaged Stucco?
If the finish of the stucco wall has a small crack or chip, you can fix it yourself. If the issues with cracks or chips are more extensive, the stucco contractor may need to be called in. Either way, a crack or chip is important to deal with before your stucco finish is further damaged to prevent water damage stucco. Water damage stucco requires a professional contractor for large-scale stucco repairs.
What Are Signs of Stucco Water Intrusion
Sometimes water leaking through stucco walls is due to cracks in the bottom edge of the wall and poor drainage tile system from the bubbles which appear bubbles in the lower edge, you are seeing signs of stucco damage.
How Do You Stucco Foundation Repair?
A stucco problem at the foundation is usually pretty easy to fix. First, use a pressure washer to break off all the loose plaster and minerals at the foundation. Next, apply a bonding agent (special glue). To finish, simply trowel on a latex stucco patch to fill the voids.
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