The Stucco Apocalypse is upon us...

Stucco as an exterior cladding has been used for centuries. It is a fantastic exterior cladding when it is done correctly... but when it is not... 

So, what is stucco? Basically it is concrete. I could get a bit more in-depth, but that is what it boils down to. Today, we don't use a true 3step Stucco finish. What we use these days is called a "cementitious finish".... but everyone still calls it stucco. And, just like anything else, it has to be installed correctly and properly maintained. Over masonry, it has to be at least 3/8" think. Over frame it has to be at lest 7/8"! Maintenance wise, it has to be painted regularly and any joints etc sealed. Remember that your exterior paint is your raincoat.

Let's take a look at this 2007 Central Florida home. Besides being bigger than most (almost 4k sqft) it is very typical. The first floor is masonry and the top floor is frame. 

We will start on the lower floor and we will find that the paint is chalky and faded with multiple stucco cracks. We are gonna focus on these three because they show the issue the best. On the right side of the home, there are three cracks that are six or eight feet apart. But, the important part is that they are in the garage area. The garage does not have drywall or other interior finish, so it really tells the story. 

Now we can look at the frame upper portion... 

Here is a little video that I made while at the property. I update FB much more often than my webpage, as I can do it on the fly... 

Remember that the better you caulk, seal, and paint... the better your house will perform!
AND
Interior paint and exterior paint... the only thing they have in common is the word Paint. Interior paint is lipstick, exterior paint is your raincoat!

#doyoureallyknowwhatyouarebuying