When getting new Stucco installed in Rancho, CA, property owners hear many different opinions from neighbors, online forums, and contractors. Working on homes across the Inland Empire, from the historic pockets up near Rancho Cucamonga down to newer builds, Pacific Stucco Co gets asked the same questions over and over. It is important to look at how Stucco actually goes on your walls without any confusion.
How long does a proper Stucco installation take from start to finish?
Property owners usually worry that their house will look like a construction zone for two months. Stucco installation does not take that long, but you also cannot rush the process if you want the Stucco done right. For an average single-family home here in Rancho, CA, the whole Stucco installation usually takes about one to two weeks. Much of that time is spent waiting for layers to cure. First, the lath and weather-resistive barrier go up, followed by the scratch coat, the brown coat, and finally the color finish coat. If a crew tries to slap the whole Stucco system together in three days, run away. Those layers need time to set up, especially when our dry desert heat causes Stucco to dry out too fast.
Should I go with a traditional three-coat Stucco system or a one-coat Stucco system?
Choosing a Stucco system is a major debate among property owners in Rancho, CA. Traditional three-coat Stucco gives you about seven-eighths of an inch of solid armor and has been the gold standard for decades. Traditional three-coat Stucco handles heavy impacts and heavy framing shifting remarkably well. One-coat Stucco systems are thinner, usually paired with foam insulation board, and they save time and money while boosting energy efficiency. Pacific Stucco Co looks closely at what your framing is doing. If you have a standard wood-frame house that moves a little with the seasons, traditional three-coat Stucco often provides durability that is tough to beat.
Why are hairline cracks showing up on my brand-new Stucco walls?
Seeing a crack in fresh plaster makes your stomach drop, but you do not need to panic immediately. Hairline Stucco cracks—anything thinner than a credit card—are a normal part of the curing process as the cement shrinks slightly while it hardens. Our local climate in Rancho, CA does not do us any favors either; low humidity and sudden heat spikes can suck moisture right out of wet Stucco plaster before it is ready. That is why contractors talk constantly about wet-curing Stucco walls. If the Stucco cracks are wide enough to slide a nickel into, or if they are running diagonally from window corners, that indicates structural movement or poor lath work that needs a closer look.
Can I just paint over my old Stucco to change the color, or do I need a whole new Stucco finish coat?
You can paint Stucco, but you have to use the right materials. Regular house paint meant for wood or metal will trap moisture inside the Stucco wall, bubble up, and peel off within a couple of years. If you want a long-term fix for your Stucco exterior, you want an acrylic elastomeric coating or a brand-new colored cement finish coat. Pacific Stucco Co usually recommends a proper re-stucco color coat if the old Stucco surface is chalky or dated. A new Stucco color coat bonds chemically with the base, gives you many color choices, and actually breathes instead of trapping water vapor behind the Stucco.
How do I keep my new Stucco from getting ruined by my landscape irrigation?
Water is the number one enemy of any Stucco product. One of the biggest mistakes people make after a fresh Stucco installation is setting automatic sprinkler heads to blast the lower foot of the Stucco exterior walls every single night. Constant moisture absorption leads to efflorescence, that white powdery salt staining, and eventually breaks down the bond of the Stucco material. Keep your sprinklers adjusted so they spray your lawn, not your Stucco walls. Leave a couple of inches of clearance between flower beds and the weep screed at the bottom of the Stucco wall so air can circulate and keep things dry.