Waterproofing & Repairs

Stucco

Water intrusion in construction projects is one of the most vexing of problems to the property owner. The causes of water intrusion are rain and sprinkler water, which can enter the building envelope through inadequate flashing at the joints of doors and windows, roof penetrations, fireplace chases and chimneys, decks, dormers and window frames. Prolonged moisture buildup often occurs when leaks go unnoticed within the wall itself even though the moisture does not manifest itself at any interior surface.

The average homeowner usually has no idea that damage is occurring because of faulty stucco work, or hard-to-see areas which allow moisture to damage not only the stucco finish itself, but more importantly the structural materials hidden by the stucco. Improper installation of the exterior Cladding (Stucco, Brick, Stone) or their substructures can create massive damage in a short amount of time. Rot and mold are inevitable when water is allowed to penetrate the building envelope.

Water itself is the real enemy of construction elements and stucco plaster and the conditions it is designed to protect are among its chief victims. This damage includes failure of the cladding itself, deterioration of the substrate material, damage of the wall insulation, eventual failure of structural members, and moisture intrusion into adjacent areas of the house.

There is, however, an arguably more important reason to be concerned about the durability and susceptibility to moisture in stucco and EIFS applications: the health of the occupants of the house or building can be affected by moisture.

• Here are some typical signs that you have or soon will have troubles:

   

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• Leaky windows: often a sign of incorrect window installation.
• Discoloration on ceiling or walls: often a sign of leaky roof.
• Rotting wood on roof: can be caused by poor water drainage away from the roof when kick out flashing allows water behind the stucco, rotting out the wood beneath.
• The carpet is wet, the baseboard is warped.
• Improper Slope of Finished Grades: The area around your home should slope or drain away from your home at a 2% slope or more. You should be careful when doing any landscaping work to ensure the slope of your finished grade is not altered.
• If the finished grade drains back into the home it can cause water to seep under the foundation. Wet soil can swell and expand which can lift up your home, causing damage to the stucco as well as other areas of your home.
• Brown streaks below the corners of windows or where window units are joined.
• Water seepage on the exterior of the house: can be caused by stucco that is below grade, which allows water to wick up a wall from the ground up.
• Stucco cracks: it is the nature of stucco to experience some cracking. Small stucco cracks that are up to 1/8" are normal and/or within the industry standards. These cracks are only cosmetic and not a result of a structural problem in the stucco system of your hom e and do not require any maintenance or repair. Small cracks will not accept material, and the resulting patch will detract from the natural beauty of the stucco and will serve no useful purpose. In most cases, an attem pt to repair these cracks results in a patch that shows worse than the origin al crack. Do not put caulking into cracks.
• Certain fine or smooth textures accentuate cracks where even check cracking is more visible. Heavier textures tend to hide stucco cracks. Cracks can occur in stucco regardless of texture though. If you experience cracks that are over 1/8 inch in width, you should contact us so that the proper resolution can be determined.
• Bulging of the stucco walls: sheathing may be bloating due to water saturation and now is pushing outward, causing the bulging and shortly thereafter, the stucco will crack and possibly start falling in sheets.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Examples of areas of EIFS and stucco clad building that are susceptible to water intrusion include the following:

   

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• Windows frames
• Window penetrations
• Door frames and sills
• Roof flashing at wall-diverter flashing and step flashing
• Deck connections
• Decorative trim-face applied and nailed through the lamina
• Wide wood decorative trim applied to lamina
• Fireplace chimney chases
• Kick-out flashings, cap flashings, cricket flashings
• Penetrations
• Utility lines and pipes
• Hose bibs
• Screw and nail penetrations
• Refrigerant lines
• Air conditioning lines
• Exterior light fixtures and receptacles
• Joints between floors
• Horizontal surfaces that retain water
• Cracks or damage in the lamina

 

• Window leaks are the cause of the majority of the damage but the causes may be many, including:

   

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• The paper around windows and other openings was installed incorrectly.

 

• Head flashing was not used on windows.

 

• One layer of paper was used. Water may be leaking through the paper.

 

• The windows themselves leak.

 

• Kickout flashing was not installed at the wall/roof intersections where the roof line does not extend below the wall.

 

• The deck ledger board was not flashed.

 

• Oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing absorbs and retains moisture making it vulnerable to mold and rot.

 

• Weep screeds were not used at the bottom of the stucco. This may prevent trapped water from draining.

 

• Stucco was installed below ground. This may prevent trapped water from draining or may wick water up to the framing. In addition, when stucco is applied below grade there is no clear definition of where grade should be and often the grade is placed against the wood framing causing a guaranteed rot situation.

 

• Stucco is installed directly on the foundation without paper or a weep screed. This prevents trapped water from draining.

 

• Landscape trees or bushes that contact the stucco create an area that introduces and holds moisture in the stucco. The moisture permeates into the wall.

 

After the cause of deterioration has been identified, any necessary repairs to the building should be made first before repairing the stucco. Such work is likely to include repairs designed to keep excessive water away from the stucco, such as roof, gutter, downspout and flashing repairs, improving drainage, and redirecting rainwater runoff and splash-back away from the building. Horizontal areas such as the tops of parapet walls or chimneys are particularly vulnerable to water infiltration, and may require modifications to their original design, such as the addition of flashing to correct the problem.

 

 

• Finding the Problem Behind the Problem

   

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Visible signs of deterioration may be exhibited in the form of cracks, spalls, delamination of the stucco coating, efflorescence (a type of white chalking) flaking, or peeling of the stucco itself. Our objective is to find the cause of the damage, correct it (i.e., install kickout diverters, flashing, sealants) and then repair as required, blending in the finished product to the existing texture and color.

 



Notice that we use the term “blend” as the texture is hand-made and thus unique—like a fingerprint—to the applicator. The color matches are very close, however, stucco samples are tri-dimensional due to the texture, hence color scanners used for matching will not read these with total precision, plus the weathering factor affecting the existing finish.




Before beginning any stucco repair, an assessment of the stucco should be undertaken to determine the extent of the damage, and how much must be replaced or repaired. Testing should be carried out systematically on all elevations of the building to determine the overall condition of the stucco. Some areas in need of repair will be clearly evidenced by missing sections of stucco or stucco layers. Bulging or cracked areas are obvious places to begin. Unsound, punky or soft areas that have lost their key will echo with a hollow sound when tapped gently.

 

Once the extent of damage has been determined, a number of repair options may be considered. Small hairline cracks usually are not serious and may be sealed and bridged with a coat of elastomeric paint.

 



Commercially available caulking compounds are not suitable materials for patching hairline cracks. Because their consistency and texture is unlike that of stucco, they tend to weather differently, and attract more dirt; as a result, repairs made with caulking compounds may be highly visible, and unsightly. Larger cracks will have to be cut out in preparation for more extensive repair.

 

Stucco repairs should be carried out in a contained or well-defined area, or if the stucco is scored, the repair patch should be "squared-off" in such a way as to follow existing scoring. In some cases, especially in a highly visible location, it may be preferable to reskim with a cementitious basecoat an entire wall section or feature, followed by the application of a best (good/better/best) grade textured finish coating. In this way, any differences between the patched area and the existing surface will not be so readily apparent.

 

 

• Above Grade Horizontal Cut

   

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Also referred to as a termite cut. Synthetic (i.e., EIFS, Duravit) stucco walls should be terminated at least 4” above earth grade, 2” above finished (pavers/sidewalk/slab) grade. Older construction practices sometimes overlooked this procedure and the synthetic stucco—a foam board covered by a textured finish—was applied down to the foundation, below grade.

 

At least a couple of situations arise from this: moisture intrusion from the ground up starts the wood rotting process, and b), the foam board is a perfect shield for the termites to travel up to the wood unobstructed. Most exterminating companies require this clearance for visual detection of termite migration.

 

The “termite cut” process includes cutting and removing the foam board below grade and a minimum of 4” above, embedding a fiberglass mesh in Sto® Watertight Coat which is a flexible and breathable waterproofing membrane based on a unique combination of acrylic emulsion, Portland cement and fine fibers. It is used to waterproof all types of above or below grade concrete. A textured finish is then applied to blend in with existing appearance.

 

Hardcoat stucco applications usually do not require this horizontal cut unless there is water penetration and possible wood damage behind the stucco cladding. In such case, the stucco needs to be removed to expose damage and allow for correction. All below grade surface will be layered with cement board (Durock) and skimmed with Sto® Watertight Coat—a waterproofing membrane. A textured finish is then applied to blend in with existing appearance.