Stucco has been around for literally thousands of years. There are amazing applications of it in Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. It Is a fantastic solution for a fiscally motivated builder. It is also one of the most commonly misused, misapplied, misdesigned (yup, that’s a word), and mismaintained* systems in the universe.[1]
Congratulations, you have stucco on your home in Austin, Texas![2] Fun fact about stucco – it is permeable. No, not permissible… permeable. As in, it… lets… water… through. Installed properly, stucco exteriors are built using a multi-layer technique with multiple waterproofing layers, metal lath, and a minimum of three layers of stucco. It is then painted with an elastomeric[3] exterior paint. There is a layer that allows water to escape, and flashing at the bottom of the system helps the water escape completely.
Shew, now that we got the dry stuff[4] out of the way let’s talk about what really happens with stucco! Most builders do not take all of the steps necessary to make stucco systems entirely waterproof. As a general rule of thumb, stucco is not a good choice for homes built in humid areas.[5] Significant damage can occur under the surface when water gets trapped behind stucco.
So what do we [largely] depend on to protect our homes from water damage? A layer of elastomeric paint. Wait, what? Yup, probably one single coat of paint is what keeps the wood from rotting, the drywall from crumbling, and often mold from growing. Without proper maintenance, stucco can be the death of our savings accounts!
So, how do we keep water damage from sneaking past a likely improperly installed [but no question likely beautiful] stucco system? You have to be proactive and inspect your stucco regularly. Can’t see some of those high walls or chimneys? Then call an expert in stucco to inspect it regularly for you. Not a fan of stalking?[6] Then make absolutely, positively sure that your stucco is painted at least every 10 years by a stucco professional. Painters are sweet, amazing, wonderful people… who are not trained in stucco and may not properly patch, repair, seal, and paint stucco to ensure the system is as durable and long-lasting as possible.
* Ok, I made this one up
[1] This phrase is legally defined as a Marketing Term by the Truth in Advertising Act of 2014
[2] Congratulations, of course, meaning congratulations on having a multimillion-dollar umbrella policy!
[3] Elastomeric is a fancy term for “stretchy”
[4] My wife expressed her very strong desire to NOT include this pun… but I used my one veto because I loved it so much!
[5] Don’t think Austin is humid? Guess you are a native Austinite who compares us to Houston… because anyone from California will KNOW Austin is humid!
[6] Ok, last one… this author, this publication, and this community does not support stalking (except when stalking pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Totally valid application!
