WHAT TO EXPECT
What to Expect in a Standard Restucco or Full Lath Stucco Application
As applying stucco can be a confusing and often daunting process, we have created this link to better prepare our customers for what they are about to experience during our generic full lath and restucco applications.
First and foremost, you should bear in mind that we have performed COUNTLESS installations, and that above ALL we know EXACTLY what we are doing when applying stucco. Our reputation is of PARAMOUNT importance to us, so rest assured that you are in the very best of hands.
However, due to the complexity, inconvenience and overall mess associated with any restucco or full lath stucco application, no matter how straight forward; we feel education and forewarning helps our clients to understand, and moreover deal with the process during the short period required for successfully applying stucco.
This page is broken down into two areas, RESTUCCO and FULL LATH. Both have different nuances that need to be explained and should be understood in full before work commences.
FOR BASIC RESTUCCO PROJECTS (GUIDELINE PURPOSES ONLY)
A traditional restucco application is a multi-phase process which consists of surface preparation (such as sandblasting or repair, if applicable), a basic skim coat application, which in this case may either be a "skim coat" brown coat to 'plumb' out the sandblasted surface, or an acrylic modified base coat such as 'FoamTek'. Either product should be introduced to create an ideal (perfectly level) substrate for the new color coat application and finish.
PHASE ONE: SCAFFOLD INSTALLATION
Depending on the size of the project at hand, our licensed scaffold sub-contractor will generally need one to two days to install the required scaffold staging to complete our application.
PHASE TWO: PREPARATION
Preparation entails "masking" windows, doors, fences, walkways and driveways in anticipation of either sandblasting or repair. Repair is of course, the addressing of damaged areas in order to maintain the integrity of the application, and all repairs should ideally take place prior to sandblasting to prevent the high pressure sand & water from breaching any 'exposed' framing prior to applying stucco.
PHASE THREE: SANDBLASTING
A horrible, noisy truck will come trundling through your neighborhood like a large school bully and immediately upset everyone. Sandblasting is a messy business. PERIOD! Sand & hi-pressure water "blasting" against the walls of your home and obviously ending up EVERYWHERE else in the process. Your neighbors will generally hate you, and there will be complaints from at least one of them. We find that speaking to your neighbors at least a few days before, giving them a simple "heads up", does in part help to soften the blow A LITTLE. It is recommended to move cars, close windows and basically re-arrange anything within a 50 feet radius of the sandblast area. Prepare yourself. It is not a pleasant process – but critical nonetheless. Visit our dedicated SANDBLASTING page for more information.
PHASE FOUR: SKIM COAT APPLICATION
Depending on the age and quality of the previous stucco base-coat application, sandblasting will have a wide and varied effect. Some homes survive sandblasting with the base-coat barely scathed, whilst some, with older or poorly mixed and/or applied base-coats suffer a much greater negative reaction in the form of a new, largely uneven substrate. This must be remedied prior to final color-coat and is achieved by the application of a new, fiber-reinforced brown skim coat or an acrylic modified base coat such as Omega's FoamTek. LA Stucco recommends a full 'skim' coat application over the entire property; this GUARANTEES a plumb, uniform substrate which is the most crucial component to any first rate stucco finish.
PHASE FIVE: CURING PERIOD
A sufficient curing period consists of only 2 days for a FoamTek application, and 7 days for a full brown coat application.
PHASE SIX: COLOR COAT APPLICATION
The most important phase of all; - the finish. The existing brown coat is dusted with a fine mist of clean water, prior to our final color coat application. The texture will dictate our EXACT approach to this crucial finish application that will truly expose "the men from the boys!"
PHASE SEVEN: FINISH & CLEAN-UP
Depending on time of completion; our crew will spend at least half a day for a full and comprehensive clean-up effort after applying stucco.
FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION / FULL LATH STUCCO PROJECTS (GUIDELINE PURPOSES ONLY)
PHASE ONE: SCAFFOLD INSTALLATION
Depending on the size of the project at hand, our licensed scaffold sub-contractor will generally need one to two days to install the required scaffold staging to complete our application.
PHASE TWO: LATH INSTALLATION
After a thorough job-walk has been completed, our lath crew will commence the crucial lath installation. Our installation begins with premium weep screed, followed by a two-ply 'grade D' waterproof barrier and finished with the "first in class" Structalath, by Structawire.
PHASE THREE: SCRATCH COAT APPLICATION
Our basic scratch coat application, consisting of Riverside plastic cement is tooled to perfection. Most importantly, it is our policy to ensure that no lath or paper is left exposed 'post application'.
PHASE FOUR: CURING PERIOD
A sufficient curing period for a standard scratch application is 48 hours.
PHASE FIVE: BROWN COAT APPLICATION
When applying stucco at the brown level, we use a combination of both plastic AND common cement in a 50/50 ratio. We then add 2" chopped glass fiber strands to the mix for added re-enforcement. Our brown coat is then 'darbied' to perfection in anticipation of the finish coat.
PHASE SIX: CURING PERIOD
A sufficient curing period for a standard brown application is 7-10 days.
PHASE SEVEN: COLOR COAT APPLICATION
The most important phase of all; the finish. The existing brown coat is dusted with a fine mist of clean water, prior to our final color coat application. Depending on the required texture will dictate our EXACT approach to the crucial finish coat application.
PHASE EIGHT: FINISH & CLEAN-UP
Depending on the time of project completion, our crew will spend at least half a day for a full and comprehensive clean-up effort after applying stucco.