I had the built in garage converted to living space, with the new floor inside on 2x6s at grade. The garage door was filled in with a 2×6 wall with insulation, the frame goes down to grade – when it was being done, I asked why the bottom part was not done with conceete blocks and was told it did not have to be.
The exterior was to be finished with stucco and I was told the mesh would be laid down for the stucco – but I’m highly suspicious that it was omitted – is there any way to tell? I also think the stucco was just put on firply rather than any special base board.
In addition the stucco extends down to the concrete slab and there are gaps where it joins that ants are crawling into. If ants can get in, so can water. Is it enough to caulk the bottom, or should I worry that the whole job done so badly that it needs to be pulled and redone?
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>> .....was told the mesh .....for the stucco - but I'm highly suspicious that it was omitted - is there any way to tell?<<
Not a stucco guy, but how about a strong magnet - if it sticks there is mesh.
Jim
I can't imagine stucco sticking to ply without wire lathe but...........or that if it did it would have saved them money.............but, sounds like you are getting a least slightly dicked by someone.
Hard to tell not being there, but I did see your other post(s).
You need to know AHEAD of time what you want and to have the contract spec'd out properly to cover it all.
After the work is done you have a problem for the most part.
"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896
Sounds like they applied DEFS instead of stucco. To the wrong substrate it would seem though. Need Dens-glass for that.
And DEFS is not for walls either its for soffits.
Due to the recent state of the economy, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off
Did they do the stucco all at one time / one coat? Then it's the synthetic stuff.
Real stucco goes on in 3 layers (2 for the production/hack jobs). First coat is allowed to cure for days to weeks before applying the top coat(s).
On the left coast the standard stucco backing is tar paper with chicken wire. I've seen it come together in a single roll; don't know if it's still that way. Doesn't matter what the backing is - our original house (1965) has none but the modern approach is some sort of sheathing; fir ply is fine.
Properly done stucco does not go all the way to the ground. It's kinda porus and will wick water if in contact with the ground. Typically there is a metal edging applied at the bottom, nailed to the sheathing. Again, done right there shouldn't be much of an entry way for ants, though of course they can find just about any possible entry point - I'd take the extermination approach for them.
I am not an expert but I would be very uncomfortable caulking that gap - I like to have ways for any excess moisture that may have been trapped to exit. I have no idea what the best practice is.