The stucco technique on Applying Stucco, Related Projects, is the least expensive way to cover a wall with stucco, but it takes a long time. It can be especially tedious to keep the various coats moist for several days. New products and techniques are now available. The materials are more expensive, but installation is easier.
Flashing and a water barrier are installed in such a way that water that comes into the wall (through small openings around windows, for example) can escape, keeping studs and insulation dry. Instead of a scratch coat of stucco, sheets of cement board form the substrate. This provides a straight, even surface, something not easy to achieve with standard stucco methods. The cement board is covered with a thin coat of Portland cement, then with a coat of aggregated polymer, which is applied without special troweling techniques. Available in many colors, the polymer surface resists dirt and cleans more easily than a standard stucco finish.
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Install a polymer stucco wall
Remove window and door moldings and trim out with filler blocks that are the same thickness as the new stucco wall (see Preparing Walls for Brick Veneer, Related Projects). Along the bottom of the wall, use a level and chalk line to mark a line, then install flashing along the line. Staple 15-pound building felt (tar paper) to the wall, taking care not to rip it. Overlap joints about 3 inches. Install a metal starter track on the flashing.
Attach the cement board sheets by slipping them into the starter track and fastening them with 2-inch roofing nails or screws designed for cement board. To cut cement board, use a drywall square and a utility knife. Cut into the board and through the mesh on one side, break back the board, and cut through the mesh on the other side. Fill in joints between cement boards with a mixture of Portland cement and water.
Once that sets, cover the entire surface with a thin coat of the Portland cement mixture. After that layer dries, trowel on the polymer texture to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. |
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