FAQ

Hard Coat Stucco (HCS), in one form or another, has been around for thousands of years. Many ancient civilizations had their own formula for making this exterior plaster product but the one most used today traces it's roots back to the Roman empire. In the late 20th century the discovery was made of introducing fiber reinforcement into the mix which dramatically revolutionized the safety and longevity of the hard coat system for exterior use.

The Hard Coat Stucco System is composed of the following:

• 3 coats or layers composed of 3/4 inch thickness or greater

• The 3 coats are the scratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat

• Metal accessories such as casing beads, stop beads or ground beads for moisture proofing

• Casing joints, control joints or expansion joints at ever 144 square feet for crack prevention

• Flashing for full moisture control

EIFS is a non-load bearing exterior wall system, therefore the system's primary function is to provide a weather barrier, thermal insulation, and an attractive exterior protection. When properly installed and maintained, the system will provide many years of protection while achieving wonderful energy efficiency ratings.

The EIFS system is composed of the following:

• EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) insulation board properly attached to substrate of building

• Polymer/fiber reinforced base coat applied to EPS

• Fiberglass mesh embedded into basecoat for full adhesion

• Waterproofed finish coat properly applied to basecoat mesh

• Edge to edge protection must be established for full water prevention

• Easily applied to commercial building and older homes

What to look for:

-A peeling layer of paint on the interior of the building or a dark or discolored spot on the exterior

-A lack of sealant around doors and windows especially around areas not covered from the elements

Flashing Issues

-Flashing is meant to direct water away from the building

-Missing flashing at the intersection of roof or chimney with hard coat stucco or EIFS often causes most damage

Insulation Issues

-The hard coat stucco system must be 2 inches above soft grade and EIFS must be 3 inches above to ensure prevention of wicking and repulsion of termites

-Foam insulation must be properly wrapped and adhered to provide fully protection of the exterior system

-All EIFS must utilize fiber reinforcement to stop any issues with elemental imperviousness

EIFS Stucco became popular because of how easy it is to install and it's relative low cost of installation. Additionally, the EPS foam installed behind the stucco provides additional building insulation. The finish color is consistent throughout the stucco, making it very low maintenance. Architects and designers like the product because they can create interesting features and details, adding a further layer to oftentimes drab architectural design.

Synthetic stucco was meant to be a barrier system, meaning it was not intended for water to get behind the stucco. Generally if water gets behind the product it's due to a flashing issue, trapping water and potentially causing the wood substrate to rot causing damage to the framing and sheathing of the home. In addition if the problem isn't corrected or the foam isn't installed properly it can lead to further termite infestations.

Absolutely! If you schedule a free estimate we can come out and inspect your stucco and check for any moisture or application type issues, assess the impact of the damage and provide you with a solution to your EIFS problem. We visually inspect the stucco, door and window frames, flashing applications and of course the grading of the installation to view if there are any potential impacts of the damage.

Undoubtedly this is water damage caused by improper application. The intrusion of moisture and the resulting damages most often occur wherever the stucco application comes into contact with a roof, chimney, window or door opening. Water will enter through these breaks and cause structural wood to rot, the metal lath and nails to rust all of which eventually causes a sagging of the stucco from the wall producing the well know bulges we see on so many homes.

This generally depends on the level and severity of the crack being discussed. Once we've discovered the root of the problem and fixed any substrate issues, we can generally either re-apply a basecoat and "re-skin" the problem area which most often fixes the issue - the only potential caveat being that the finish coat will occasionally not fully match the remainder of the building until it is further aged by the sun.

Complete replacement of the stucco with new stucco of either a traditional or modern mix will probably be necessary only in cases of extreme deterioration-- that is, a loss of bond on over 40 to 50 percent of the stucco surface. Outside of that we are generally able to fully repair most other issues without such drastic changes.