|
| |
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE STUCCO?
Question: Why should I choose stucco?
Answer: Stucco (portland cement plaster) is without doubt one of the
finest exterior finishes that can be installed on any structure – in any
climate. It has so many advantages over any other exterior protection that the
few disadvantages are really not that significant. Here are the benefits of
having stucco installed on your project:
Economical
- The cost combined with its versatility and aesthetic
design capabilities make it one of the most cost effective choices for
residential and commercial wall cladding systems. Stucco costs less per square yard
than brick, cedar or Hardiplank.
- Stucco costs less per square foot, including
lathing, than a medium-priced carpet for your floor. The carpeting will
probably be replaced several times during the life of the building. Stucco
remains undisturbed except for its natural tendency to show cracks from time
to time. Fortunately, cracks can easily be
repaired.
Energy Efficient
- Stucco can cut exterior air infiltration and reduce
heat loss through the wall.
- The dew point – the temperature at which water vapor
condenses – is located on the outside of the wall in stucco claddings,
reducing the possibility that condensation will collect in the walls, possibly
freezing and causing damage.
Low Maintenance Costs
- Stucco properly applied there to stay for the life of the building.
- Stucco is a durable surface easily cleaned with a water
hose.
- It has excellent color retention, and can be
refinished with a topcoat of the same or different color.
- It does not rust, peel, chip, flake, and can be repaired quite
easily and economically.
- No painting or refinishing is required which can
result in savings as much as $5000 every 5 years.
Noise Resistance
- Stucco, because of its mass, resists passage of noise from nearby
streets much more effectively than other finishes. Because it seals openings
when applied, it seals paths that noise could follow in other types of
exterior finishes.
Versatility
- Stucco can be configured into practically any shape or form desired:
arches, ornamentation, rounded corners, special designs. No other material
offers this kind of design latitude.
- Can be applied in many textures, finishes and colors
to provide environmental harmony as well as aesthetic impact. Genuine
stucco finishes offer aesthetics that are unparalleled by any other finish.
Resistance to Water
- Stucco performs well in a variety of climate
condition types including wet/dry and freeze/thaw cycles without a problem.
- Stucco is water resistant when properly mixed,
applied and adequately cured.
- Stucco is vapor permeable. 100% acrylic and
silicone-enhanced finishes allow moisture vapor from the interior of the house
to escape while repelling rain and weather. Vapor molecules are small enough
to pass through the surface while water molecules cannot pass through the
surface. Extensive testing shows that
water is absorbed into about 1/8” of the surface of the stucco – the remaining
3/4” is dry, unaffected by water. The surface may look “wet” after a rain,
but it dries rapidly when rains cease.
Insect Proof
- Stucco is not susceptible to attack from insects,
rodents, or other drilling or boring creatures.
- Stucco is simply not popular with termites, insects, vermin, or
other marauders that attack other types of finishes.
Resistance to Fire
- Stucco is officially classified as noncombustible
material.
- Stucco is fire-resistant. It offers a one-hour
fire rating to your home – not possible with most other economical finishes
and a feature that sets stucco apart from other economical wall cladding
finishes. It is an excellent protection for you and your family.
- Stucco clad assemblies can achieve a fire rating of
1-4 hours. The surface burning characteristics have a flame
spread of ‘zero’ and smoke development of ‘zero’.
Impact & Abuse Resistance
- Stucco cannot be penetrated as can many other
exterior applications. In the same time it would take for someone to make a
even a small opening in stucco, another person could literally demolish any
other finish. Stucco will give you the feeling of security and permanence in
your building.
- Stucco’s hard surface and metal lath reinforcement
make it highly resistant to physical abuse.
- Exceptional protection from hail.
Stucco is still one of the best choices for exterior finish on any building
despite some of the stories you may have heard. In many cases, poor stucco jobs
result from poor applicators who may be unlicensed, know little about lathing
and plastering, and are not interested in any more than getting paid for a
shabby application. If you are thinking of having stucco work done on your
project, make certain the person/company doing it has a current valid license
and ask them to show it to you.
Stucco, properly applied, offers performance for the life of the building.
|
