Water and moisture seeping under the finish is usually the leading cause of blistering and cracking of stucco wall surfaces. Water collects in a specific area, softening the finish and stucco material over time and causing blistering of the finish coat. Furthermore, if the stucco was done in a shoddy manner, to begin with, it could cause the stucco to break apart.
Although severe stucco repairs should be left to a masonry or stucco specialist such as stuccosanjose.com, if you have do-it-yourself experience, you should be able to remedy most blisters and cracks. The nature of the damage, such as the size of the crack, will determine how you do these repairs. Typical stucco repairs are discussed in this article.
What is Stucco?
It’s a cement-based plaster that’s combined with sand and water. Stucco can be put manually or using a machine to a stucco wall or home. It can be applied to a variety of surfaces, such as plaster and concrete. Concrete, cinder blocks, adobe, and clay bricks are the most prevalent siding materials.
The benefits of stucco buildings and other stucco goods are numerous. For example, because it is so sturdy, it can withstand a wide range of conditions. As previously said, it is very reasonably priced, especially when compared to other types of home siding. It’s also fire-resistant, and stucco is well-known for its ability to hold color pigment. Many homeowners who use stucco in their homes opt to tint it with various colors. This means you won’t have any trouble finding the right stucco color to complement your home’s interior or exterior.
Stucco will come in a wide range of textures and colors. Aggregate and color pigments are used to give stucco its color. Stucco can be created to look like a variety of materials, including wood, depending on the techniques utilized. If you want stucco with diverse textures, you should hire a competent company to help you.
There are numerous advantages to using stucco items in your home. Stucco is a lovely material that is becoming increasingly popular in homes due to its inexpensive cost and several advantages. All you can do is simply hire pros to handle the mixing and application process to ensure that you get it right the first time. This will save you money in the long run and allow you to utilize it for many years.
What Causes Stucco Cracks?
If you’ve lived in a house with stucco for a long time, you’ll eventually see cracks. Though it is a fairly durable material, one of the most commonly used building materials, it will begin to exhibit wear with time. This is a normal aspect of the stucco’s life cycle and is reasonably simple to repair. Cracking can happen for a variety of causes, but it’s most frequent around doors, windows, and other sharp edges.
A defective mixture or improper installation is likely to be to blame if the cracks emerge rapidly or are particularly severe. Stucco that is weak or mismanaged will last significantly less time, even if the underlying causes of the fractures are usually the same.
Repairing Cracks in Stucco
Stucco, on the other hand, is both robust and very simple to repair. Whether you want to hire qualified pros or do the repairs yourself, the methods are the same.
Clean the area thoroughly: all dirt, debris, dust, and other detritus must be removed. This usually necessitates a light power-washing. We like to utilize a water-based paint prep solution that we have carefully developed. You should also scrape away any residual loose particles using a scraper.
Damage Remediation: All cracks must be filled. The stucco design will need to be duplicated as the area is filled in for major areas of damage. The bulk of cracks is sealed with an elastomeric caulking filler.
With a rubber float, bigger portions of stucco patching material can be filled in. You’ll need to clean up any leftover filler and blend the design in with the rest of the wall. Remove any leftover dust or dirt after it has dried.
Painting: To match the original color of the wall, paint the repaired area. If the wall’s color has faded over time, this could be a problem. This may necessitate a complete repaint in some circumstances. To prevent needless work, most professionals are capable of combining colors on-site. We like to apply a flexible, elastomeric coating first, followed by new color-matched caulking.
The Elastomeric coating is ten times thicker than conventional latex paint and is suitable for repairing and maintaining stucco walls. The thick, flexible paint will protect the stucco from the elements and any cracking that may occur.
Final inspections and job wrap-up are just as vital as any other step. Ensure that the wall has been properly mended and cleaned while you still have all of the necessary tools.
How To Keep Stucco From Cracking?
Preventing stucco cracks in the first place will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Professional application, believe it or not, is the greatest approach to prevent stucco cracks.
The greatest approach to avoid stucco cracks as a homeowner is to ensure that you are properly maintaining your property by clearing vegetation away from it, painting it as needed, and patching hairline cracks.
If you live in a modern home built by a large developer, you should paint it within the first two to five years of moving there. The paint used by these contractors is of lesser quality, and the stucco application is frequently poor.
Conclusion
Stucco is a cement-based siding that is prone to cracking and water incursion as it soaks up water. Stucco cracks must be repaired as part of routine house maintenance. Other sorts of stucco cracks, on the other hand, may necessitate professional assistance.
If your stucco home requires evaluation, make sure to hire a skilled home inspector or licensed contractor.
