Many builders use stucco, another popular material used in construction. Stucco helps cover concrete and other undesirable materials. Because stucco can be used in many ways, it is heavily used by contractors. The purpose of stucco is to cover outside material.
Stucco is generally a mixture of sand, cement, lime and water but can also be made up of other additives such as acrylics or synthetic fibers in order to provide the concoction with flexibility as well as durability. Unlike past versions of the substance, modern versions can be properly applied by simply adding a base layer as well as a finish layer in comparison to the three layer stucco that was used some time ago.
Although stucco is durable, it must be backed by plastic or wire that is combined with nails or screws in order to maintain the structure. The structure is combined with the base coat as a way to stiffen the stucco and provide additional reinforcement. Acrylic can then be used to stretch and fill any cracks that may be present in the final layer.
If stucco is applied in a dry climate, the layers of the adhesive can be lathered with water from one to a few days to add moisture while it sets. If the hydration of the stucco is off then it can still cure but will be weaker than a properly hydrated mixture.
Causes of Deterioration
Cracks in stucco can be present from a building settling overtime or direct impact from some type of debris to the exterior. If water or any wet substance is able to seep into the final coating, older stucco can break or crumble. Wood can be used to combat this problem as it can absorb moisture at many levels.
The moisture that creates these problems can arise from water from the ground or drainage/plumbing issues. If too wet, the wood can rot and can start deteriorating along with the stucco. Proper drainage systems and gutters are vital to keeping a building or structures stucco from becoming damaged.
Repairing Stucco
There are a multitude of repairs that may be carried out depending on the degree of damage. Small hairline cracks can easily be fixed by adding layers of stucco or a simple coat of paint could hide any small damage that took place.
Repairing stucco can be extremely taxing as any major damage should be completely removed in ordered to be fixed. Removing any other materials is vital to preventing additional damage, lath can be taken out and replaced with new mesh as an alternative to wood lath.
