Repairing defective stucco siding isn’t on the top of anybody’s home improvement wish list, but inaction isn’t a great option when it comes to water infiltration. When exterior stucco is cracked or crumbling, it’s usually time to get it repaired. However, many homeowners don’t know the difference between repairing stucco repair. So when you start to explore your stucco repair choices, the language of the industry might be a bit confusing. Here’s a quick breakdown of the two terms to help you better understand stucco repair.
Stucco is the thicker, older type of building material applied to the exterior walls and windows of homes and businesses. It’s oftentimes used for things like brick and stone restoration because it has a very smooth, somewhat coarse texture. It’s applied using a mixture of cement, sand, and premium cementing materials. This material holds the original color and texture of the underlying surface, so stucco repairs are perfect for patching up holes, cracks, and other issues on older structures. It can also be used to fill in holes where the stucco has cracked or broken away from the surface, allowing for a smooth surface.
Stucco repairs aren’t just created with a fine mixture of cement, sand, and premium cementing compounds. The mix has to be right because if it’s too thin or too thick, the outcome can be too weak or too thick. The mix is most commonly a combination of sand, water, and premium cement. The ingredients have to be finely mixed by hand and then poured into the required molds made from steel mesh.
After the molds are opened, they must be left to dry completely before being used to repair any loose pieces of stucco. The damaged stucco needs to be left to dry overnight, and once it’s hard enough to lift with a pair of nails, it’s time to try and patch it up. If the repair is successful, the cement should be ready to use, but first, the damaged area must be covered with a thick layer of drywall, which will prevent additional moisture from seeping into the repaired area. A layer of drywall also allows the area to dry faster, reducing the amount of time the stucco has to soak.
Stucco is often used as a way to fill in holes and cracks in buildings and homes. It can also be used to fill in areas where the mortar has cracked due to age or environmental conditions. However, water damage is one of the main reasons stucco is used. When water enters a damaged area that’s not sealed properly, it can cause dampness and expansion that spread through the cement once it has saturated. For this reason, it’s important to have proper stucco remediation completed before repairing an area that has water damage.
To perform this type of repair, Stucco Repair Tampa should first inspect the affected area with a bright torch, looking for any spots that may not be visible with the naked eye. Once a line of brown has been spotted on the wall, the professional should then prepare a mixture using a mixture of water and cement trowels. If the damage is extensive or includes a rip in the wall, more than likely, the mixture is not going to achieve its intended results, and a different mixture may be required. A trowel with a larger round head may be required in this case, as larger tools may cause the entire area to become unstable and drip.
After applying the mixture, the repair job is ready to begin. After scraping the area with the trowel to smooth out the rough spots and excess water, the repair can begin. The contractor will then break up the loose stucco and apply it to the wall with the cold chisel and dry completely before beginning any work with another cement application. After the damaged area has dried and the Brown coat has been brushed on, the rest of the wall can then be put.
It’s also possible to use stucco mixed with metal lath to repair damage to the exterior of buildings. This method works well in areas that are not easily reachable by conventional stucco or concrete, such as steel building. The metal lath is applied to the building exterior, then a layer of stucco is applied to protect the metal lath from becoming damaged. The metal lath is then painted with glossy paint that matches the stucco color, and the whole exterior is then sealed and dried. This technique is known as gelled stucco.