[PC211]

Hi,
I am going to stucco the exterior walls and had a question. Does anyone recommend using screws rather than nails to attach the lath to the sheathing? It is 5/8 plywood sheathing.

Also, since I am doing this myself I most likely will not be able to apply the coat to the entire house before parts of it start to cure. I know this is not recommended but will I have problems with cracks developing because of this?

Thanks

[21boat]

I'm a bit confused here. "stucco" or "parging"is a term basically used to coat a wall wall with a mortar/cement material before thick paints came out.
Please explain more I'm a mason and I need to know what material is the stucco. And what's on the 5/8 sheeting to protect that and why the lath?

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[ballengerb1]

Screws tend to split lath more than a nail but you are welcome to try. Do a few screws to see if you can attach without splitting. I would not say I'd recommend it but I would say its safe to try it. To me nails are easier in this application. Start and stop with a stucco job and you will get shrinkage cracks. Can you devote a few days in a row to parging?

[PC211]

Hey there, thanks for the replies.

To clarify, I just removed all the exterior stucco from my house, replaced the old 1x12 boards with 5/8 plywood. I plan on stapling up 2 layers of grade D paper then covering it with paperbacked lath (K-Lath sold here at the homedepot).

I will probably try the roofing nails to attach the metal lath since driving the screws may take too long...

Any tips for a beginner? I have applied lots of stucco patches but never have done a whole wall.

:)

[21boat]

Hi PC211. I assume this is mortar as the "stucco" material. If it is you will put on two separate coats, one is a scratch coat and one a finish coat. So let me know if its mortar and what kind of mortar you are using. I can maybe help here a lot, but I need to know what you are using for "stuco'/ parging and what kind of finish you are trying to get. I have been putting mortar "stuco" on fostuccor over 30 years and probably can give you a lot of tips. So let me know in details the type of mortar and the desired finish you are looking for and is this mortar from a big box store of from a masonry supply house.

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[PC211]

Hi PC211. I assume this is mortar as the "stucco" material. If it is you will put on two separate coats, one is a scratch coat and one a finish coat. So let me know if its mortar and what kind of mortar you are using. I can maybe help here a lot, but I need to know what you are using for "stuco'/ parging and what kind of finish you are trying to get. I have been putting mortar "stuco" on fostuccor over 30 years and probably can give you a lot of tips. So let me know in details the type of mortar and the desired finish you are looking for and is this mortar from a big box store of from a masonry supply house.

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21boat, thanks for the reply.

You are correct, it will be a mortar and I plan on using LaHabra for the two (or three?) coats. LaHabra is what the local big box store carries. I was also thinking about using control joints so I can apply the coat to an area of the wall without worrying about not being able to coat the whole wall. This way I can probably do a 1-200 sq ft a weekend, I will be working by myself and only have 2 days a week free.

I don't know what to call the texture I wanted, but it looks something like "santa barbara" in the following guide: Applications

A local stucco contractor recommend a wire diamond mesh lath rather than the common "chicken wire" lath. I am guessing the diamond mesh lath is more expensive but I want to make sure it last and does not crack too easily...

Thanks:)

[21boat]

I'm an older mason in pa and we stucco many of our old brick buildings or old block buildings with a heavy galv wire (not any roll nettings like Ive seen on web sites)
I found a site a web site that is basic as to how we apply standard stucco. Applying Stucco: Step-by-Step. In stead of 15lb felt we use 30lb felt. We use a wire galv mesh Panels ( 2'x10') diamond patterned screen wire mesh. We apply a stench coat and actually use a tool to scratch the first coat. It looks like a big afroo comb about a foot wide. Let coat dry and then take a trowel and Knock down the ruff lose areas. The wet/dampen down the scratch coat and then apply the finish coat and texture. The strip for the control; joint is a good idea ind keeps the depth better. Another trick is to use a thin 3/8 or thicker gage flat piece of wood and tack that gently over the wire and lath [art to control the waviness of the first coat or even second coat in thickness control. You tack that on one of the lath nailer's and parge to that thickness and move to to the next 24 O.C. and now the one part is the wet gage and the next section is the wood tacked next gage. The final finish as you well know is very much in varieties. Some are air shot on to even using an old smooth sponge inside foam bedding to get a very smooth texture or our trowel as a third coat as the second coat is drying and Spanish stucco look. The look you expressed is what we call in the trades as a knock down finish. Whereas you apply the second coat and then let it partially dry during that day and then take a trowel and spot apply right over the wet 2nd coat and let that set up somewhat and then flatten it out with a finish concrete trowel and (bump) knock down the higher ridges of those splotched areas to get that old Spanish aged stucco. In Puerto We use down there a Marmaleena which is a plaster base we mix Portland cement with. The most important part of stucco is wetting the scratch coat while it is setting in the hot sun and then the finial coat sometimes needs a light mist to cure it slower so shrink cracks doesn't happen even while its wet and partly cured. For color we use a preset custom color mortar mix or we get bags of dye and customize our own color. I use the standard mortar application and its worked since the Romans invented its application and usage. This also is what all old structures have on it. I looked at the Lahabra website LaHabra Stucco - New Technology Stucco And did chuckle about its dustless tech. On the job site we mix the "mud" and after 150 TO 500 bags of mixes dust is dust and so is the work site. Any how I never used this product in our area and I think its because of the 1,000 year old standby that has proven its strength and longevity. I don't know your Geo but here in in Pa its basically old fashion stucco and it does get cold here its 8 degrees now. There also is a lot of dryvit here on commercial buildings. I ve never used the Lahabra system and it sounds like a basic Dryvit system. I don't know how much the bags cost compared to the stranded Portland cement or reg mortar mix. I know in Puerto Rico we use a plaster mix Marmaleena with Portland on the job and apply that as a one coat finish on bare block So There was a few tricks to keep depth uniform and a tool to scratch the first coat. The finish coat you showed me is what we call a knock down finish. On the last coat while its half set up we take the back of a reg masonry trowel and apple a very thin coat in areas and once that sets up some we take a reg concrete finish trowel and apply light pressure over the wall to partially smooth down the last coat and integrated that into the fresh coat below it and it gives that look of an old wall that has a bit of a weathered look to it and has slightly peeled and has been painted over so to speak. I hope this gives you some ideas here and if there are any specific questions on the texture and application post back. Check out the masonry supply houses and inquire about the standard stucco methods with reg Mortars and the cost of materials just for some research and cost. P.S The page for your product is loaded and it mentions the word "brown coat" Which here is a Structo-lite/ brown coat and is used only as our interior base for plaster and lath with a finish coat of plaster on it. The manufacture seems to be in calf. And that would explane a little bit like the Mexcianns are also use to using the plaster mix with portland added except this is in one bag premixed. I did see that you ned to add a dye to the mixes like we do to our reg mortar base mixes for stucco. To be honest the pruduct you have picked is alomost the same as reg portland cement and it probably has smaller size sand particiales in it which we get that also from the masonry supply house loose amd cheaper.

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