RESTUCCO

One of our most common stucco applications is that of restucco. Residential or commercial properties with damaged or tired exteriors benefit greatly from sandblasting and a new coat of color.

There is a myriad of different ways to approach a restucco project, dependent largely on the existing finish and what actions must be employed to create or promote a uniform substrate or 'base'. Stucco is ONLY as strong as its substrate and therefore any weakness or discrepancy in any base will wreak havoc with the final color coat. This is especially true in the case of steel trowelled smooth restucco, which is not only highly susceptible to cracking, but also extremely prone to discoloration or 'ghosting' when applied to substrates lacking in uniformity.

Many so called 'professionals' will tell you that it is ok to "stucco over" an existing finish. Whilst this may be 'theoretically' possible with the use of a PVA bonding agent; it is without doubt the weakest method to adopt, and should be done so with extreme caution. In taking this route, one is relying COMPLETELY on the integrity of the existing finish coat.

It should be noted that the ONLY way to correctly restucco any structure with an existing stucco finish, is by utilizing the services of a professional sandblasting company. Sandblasting not only removes the existing and often 'compromised' top coat, but also 'opens' up the substrate to reveal the issues often hidden underneath.

Another common form of restucco employs the need to remove existing wood siding. This scenario calls for a combination of restucco AND full lath stucco application. In this situation, any newly 'opened' or exposed areas needed to be lathed and 'scratched' prior to performing any kind of sandblasting. The reason for this is simple - open areas MUST be closed up to protect the subject property's framework from the damage that could so easily be caused by a high pressure jet of sand and water (sandblasting).

There are any number of hurdles that can and often do present themselves in a basic restucco project. Probably the most common of all, is the need to "tie in" new stucco with old. This may be the case when a property has existing stucco but with a new addition which will require a full lath application. Again, all 'open' areas MUST be closed before sandblasting can commence. The most important aspect to this case of restucco however; is the brown coat which needs to be applied over the ENTIRE structure. This is not only necessary for the full lath installation, but also serves to 'level' the newly sandblasted areas, and thus providing a UNIFORM substrate.

It is also highly recommended to implement a fiberglass mesh wrap in any restucco situation. The additional support of the fiberglass truly works wonders in securing a uniform and durable finish.

Learn more about our 'Crack Isolation System' by Clicking Here.