Discussion Forum
What do you know about stucco?
I’m looking at a mid 80’s house with synthetic stucco. The stucco is over built_rite and roofing felt and has water intrusion all < 12%. No real cracks or concerns. The question is the stucco is installed over “chicken Wire” or an equilalent wieght screening. I’ve checked with stucco contractors around the area that are familiar with this approach, but don’t install it in Northern areas due to temperature extremes. What do you know about this?
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in south carolina they put it over plywood, then water gets behind it and it all shows as black when you rip it off to fix it.
THis is over built_rite and rofing felt. I don't think this is a mold issue with this house. The water intrusion report says the house is dry. I,m just wondering if Chicken wire can support the weight of the stucco and what the life span is?
here they put this syn stucco on a foam board, then the termite will tunnel through the form to the attic.
Just pulled up your post... Are you still interested in a response ?
If so, email me or respond to this post...
Ken in Savannah
Since I posted the note I've done some of my own research. The property I was looking at I passed on . Thank goodness for inspection contingencies.
The concern was synthetic stucco on chicken wire instead of lath. This process is done down south, in warmer climates but is not recommended in colder climate like Minnesota(Siberia) where I live. The contraction/expansion actually breaks the wire and The stucco cracks and falls off the house.
Their is also the issue with water intrusion. The stucco is backed with roof felt and over bilt-rite and moisture samples done around the receptacle boxes were all below 13%. This was not a concern.
Add more if you have feedback. I'm still interested. Do you know anything about synthetic over styrene insulation?
Although I do not doubt your findings, it is difficult for me to see how any builder / sub / installer could have used chicken wire rather than metal lathe...... When used with regular "hard coat" stucco, normally the lathe is nailed to the substrate material (plywood 0r OSB). While there was a period of time when the lathe could also be used as a substrate, cracking was a real problem.
I am in the south and never heard of chicken wire used with synthetic because of how it is put together as an exterior cladding system. Some might confuse the mesh used in the process as chicken wire....
At any rate, I do feel qualified to converse on the subject. I've inspected hundreds of synthetic and hard coat homes and have seem most of what could be done correctly and incorrectly. you might go to my web site on synthetic http://www.inspection-services.biz
Ken in Savannah