Hi, I have a question about hardie board lap siding and the possibility of applying stucco over the hardie siding. The siding is relatively new and in good shape. When I built my house I wanted stucco but ended up going with the lap siding because of cost and time restrictions. The lap siding it self looks OK, but I don't care for all the gaps between planks and trim. I assume I would need to use wire mesh, but would this work around the corners too. I have 6" corner trim boards and I would like to just basically wrap the entire house in stucco. I know that the stucco would probably take on the general shape of the lap siding but I think that would look OK. I really would like to just cover up all the things I don't like about the siding and trim, like the small gaps, seams, nail heads, caulk, etc. I have a lot of trim just because of the shape of the house and the fact that the siding has to butt up against something at the corners and at windows and doors.

There is a LOT more to doing a good stucco job... and much of that is properly doing it to allow drainage when water does get in... or you create a nightmare of rot, mold and create a Termite and carpenter ant Utopia.

I would do my own siding, even brickwork... Stucco I would leave to a professional.

Would it be OK to stucco a house in sections over a 2-3 year period. Maybe 1-2 sides of the house each summer till its done. This would make converting my lap siding to stucco affordable, but Im concerned about the finished look. Would it look the same as if it was all done at once, or would there be seams at the corners that look odd. I would plan on finding a reputable stucco contractor to do the whole house (so it would all match). That's assuming a contractor would be willing to do one side of the house at a time.

PLease ask follow-up question on this topic to your original post... requesting mods merge this.

There is absolutely NO way this could be done over several months and make it look like it was done at the same time..much less several years even if the same contractor did it, its going to look like completely different people did it...and no if its not done all at once..its NOT going to match and I doubt any contractor would do it the way you asked.

You shouldn't have gaps at the trim. Someone didn't follow Hardie instructions.
Stucco over Hardie clapboard sounds ugly beyond belief, just as a design alone. And just for starters vis a vis construction, your trim will all be inset.

Any advice on which type of stucco is the most affordable, The part that bothers me is tearing of all this relatively new siding. Im in a wheelchair or I could remove it myself, but Im sure it won't be cheap to have someone pull all this off. That's why I was hoping the stucco could be done in stages. My parents house is stucco but they can't remember how much it cost them 13 years ago. Ive read it could cost 10$ per sq. ft. for the 3 coat system.

Please I beg of you, don't do it. Don't even think about doing it.