If so, then now is a good time to consider what type of look that you want for your home. The first question that you need to ask is whether or not you would prefer your home to be covered with siding or stucco.

While the former has a very traditional look, the latter offers several benefits that will make any homeowner happy. It provides a more aesthetically pleasing look, it is easier to paint and repair. It offers more protection from exterior conditions.

The first reason that it is often better to choose a stucco exterior for your home is that it offers a very aesthetically pleasing look. Definitely can give your home a smooth looking exterior yet it also provides a bit of texture.

It is a departure from the traditional look of siding or brick. Aditional will offer a unique look that any homeowner would be thrilled to have for his or her home. Having this look will also help your home to maintain some of its retail value, and this is welcome news to any homeowner.

It Looks Great

It Is Easy to Repair

Another benefit that stucco has over siding or brick is that it is easy to repair. If it starts to crack or chip, it can be easily filled. Most cases without having any adverse effects on the look of your home’s exterior. Some times you may start to see cracks in siding or brick. Often these will require a much more involved repair job. It is also very easy to paint on. A paint sprayer is all you will need as there are no large grooves that need to be detailed by hand. Whereas this is surely the case when it comes to siding and brick.

It Keeps a Steady Temperature

Finally, stucco helps to maintain a steady temperature in your home as it acts as a type of insulation. Brick exteriors tend to transfer temperature quickly, and siding often leads to heat or cold escaping through your walls. This is unwelcome news in the extreme months as it can lead to increased discomfort from the heat or cold as well as increased utility costs.

All in all, stucco is an excellent choice for your home’s exterior. It offers all of the beauty that one could ask, it’s easy to repair, and it helps protect you from extreme outdoor temperatures. You will be glad that you had it installed in your home.

Sky Stucco Systems, will handle the process from the beginning to the end if this is something you are considering for your house. Contact us today for a free estimate.

The post Top 3 Reasons to Choose Stucco Over Siding in Canada appeared first on Sky Stucco Systems Contractor.

Are generally found as interior or exterior design elements on residential and commercial buildings.

This particular product is available in different styles and arrays and they are generally designed to improve the aesthetic appeal of a room or building. Due to its popularity, many people use it for commercial construction and home design for a number of reasons.

Other reasons like customizability and durability also make it special against its counterparts like EIFS. Generally, when you look for EIFS Vs. Stucco, you will find that the latter would be the best.

Best stucco moldings are useful in home design and home construction projects as it can keep up its longevity even in extreme climatic conditions. It is possible to modify the mouldings to make it suitable for a number of tastes and indoor and outdoor home applications. The important reason behind its popularity is the color-retentive properties that gives it an appealing appearance for people, who look to get a tailor-made look to their dream home.

Along with traditional moulding styles like decorative baseboards and crown moulding, the best stucco mouldings can take different looks from elaborately carved delicate designs to simple, but elegant designs.

When comparing EIFS Vs. The stucco, the latter, which is natural is useful in creating pilasters, columns, keystones, cornices, window sills, etc… In addition to these many other artistic and architectural elements can be created with stucco. The great thing about natural stucco is that it makes any design possible, which can even be done with other materials like stone or wood, but only at a higher cost.

Traditionally, stucco is made by bringing together different ratios of water, lime, cement and sand to create a plaster and pasty like substance. Natural stucco is known for its versatility and it can be modified for creating different products like exterior window trim bands. Also, its texture makes it breathable and this in turn prevents the moisture from getting collected and chance of mold creation is also minimized.

Synthetic stucco, which is otherwise called as exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS) is used only as an alternative to the natural counterpart. Here, EIFS is stated as the best because it is less expensive and quicker.

Even though it is long-lasting, the natural alternative is stated as the best and even some suppliers are selling synthetic-based moldings. The exterior window trim bands in different shapes are available with some dealers and the homeowners or construction companies can get in touch with the best company.

Choosing stucco as the exterior of home is the best idea to enhance beauty of your home.

The post 101 Guide Exterior Architectural Stucco Mouldings and what are they? appeared first on Sky Stucco Systems Contractor.

​The maintenance is very minimal though, providing that you have sound stucco walls that were applied correctly. It is pretty easy to maintain though and you might be surprised at just how easy it is to maintain.

​Washing Your Stucco Walls:

​Stucco walls can be washed and should be washed two to three times a year in order to maintain the finish coat’s ability to shine awnd function the way it should. You can do this one of two different ways: using a garden hose or a pressure washer.

Using A Garden Hose: ​You can use a simple garden hose and wash down the exterior of your stucco but be aware that this will only remove a small amount of the dirt and debris that gets collected on your stucco walls over time.

Using a garden hose works best on smooth to semi-smooth textures and will provide a decent cleanse, removing the debris that is loose on the surface.

If you want to ​get a much better result from using your garden hose then use a medium stiffness brush to get the majority of the dirt removed. This is a lot more labor intense but will have very different results for your efforts as well.

​Helpful Tip: ​Whenever wetting down stucco walls, manufacturers will recommend starting at the bottom and working your way up for the first initial “wetting down the wall”.

This prevents any staining from occurring that could potentially happen by starting at the top, especially with traditional stucco finishes that tend to absorb water.

​Some brushes have a threaded hole on them somewhere where you can attach an extension wand to make the job easier by extending your reach.

​If you look on Amazon, you will find many deck scrub brushes that work well for this and are wide as well, cutting the required time it takes to get the job done down quite a bit.

Using A ​Pressure Washer: ​A pressure washer is the preferred way to clean your stucco because it is much faster, less labor intense and does a better job than a garden hose would. If you want to clean your stucco then you will ​need a pressure washer that is capable of around 1500 psi MINIMUM.

Always use caution when using a pressure washer and wear appropriate safety gear to prevent injury (eye protection, hearing protection, etc.)

Remember that a minimum recommendation will get the job done but a pressure washer that has 2,800 psi will also do the job, a little faster and a little better because of the added psi. So I recommend a unit around 1,500 – 2,800 psi.

You will want to use a 40 degree nozzle when cleaning the stucco and always be mindful of the distance your nozzle is from the wall and watch the stucco for any damage that may occur from pressure washing. A good distance to maintain is 12″ – 24″ from the nozzle to the wall for cleaning using a 40 degree tip.

Feel free to experiment with the distance and if you want to try a more concentrated nozzle (25 degrees) then be sure you have the nozzle further away to avoid damaging the stucco finish.

​Helpful Tip: ​The closer your nozzle is to the wall, the better the cleaning power but you will ​be cleaning less surface area at once.

​When your nozzle is farther away from the wall you will get more surface area cleaned at one time but it will not be as aggressive at cleaning the wall.

​​Using Cleaning Agents On Your Stucco:

You can also use specific cleaners to help remove tougher stains like dirt, mildew, mold and other problematic materials that can cause staining on your walls. 

There are many different cleaners out there to choose from but I will keep the list short to avoid confusion and keep the process as simple as possible.

Plain Dish Soap And Warm Water: ​You can use warm water and a good quality dish soap to do a general cleaning of mild dust and debris on your stucco walls and  using a good soap (I like Dawn) will give you more cleaning power than just water alone.

​Bleach And Water Solution: ​Bleach can be a great cleaner to use on mold and mildew stains on your stucco walls but be wary of nearby plants, trees or anything else that might be at risk from using bleach.

You can add 1 part bleach to 10 – 20 parts water for a more general type of cleaning on the walls or you can strengthen the mix to 1 part bleach and 5 -10 parts water for tougher stains and “spot treatments”.

​Helpful Tip: ​Always test a small area of your stucco before using bleach in an inconspicuous area of your house or building to see how it reacts and if it harms the color in any way.

Stucco Cleaners From Stucco Manufacturers: ​There are a few manufactures that have stucco cleaners available and these usually come in the form of a spray bottle that you hook a garden hose up to, making it easy to use and pretty effective too.

​The image on the right shows a stucco cleaner from the stucco manufacturer Omega and as you can see, the smaller bottle gets hooked up to a garden hose and you directly spray it onto the wall.

The larger container (gallon) is used to refill the smaller jug (32 oz.) ​which is good for approximately 1,000 sq. feet of wall.

omega-products.com

TSP Solution: ​TSP is a great chemical that is used for many cleaning tasks, especially when prepping walls for paint and it can work great for cleaning stucco as well.

A good recipe for using TSP is 1 – 2 cups of TSP to 1 gallon of water. If the water is warm, it will work better and help to break down the dirt and debris a little better too. Be sure to pre-soak the wall first, from the bottom, working your way up the wall.

​Helpful Tip: ​Start further away from the wall when pressure washing and move closer to get an ideal distance and maintain the distance that works best.

​Maintaining Your Stucco Color:

​Stucco color can fade over time and sometimes it can even become stained or discolored in extreme cases. There are a few different things you can do to prevent these things from happening and things you can do to remedy staining issues, blotchy coloring, faded coloring, etc. as well.

​Preserving Your Stucco Color:

• Regular cleaning is key to maintaining your color over the years​ and it helps to eliminate the accumulation of dirt that builds up and can eventually stain (especially lighter colors) the stucco.
  
• ​Landscaping is very important to have around your home or some type of barrier between the bare dirt and your stucco wall.
  
  Water that hits the ground and splashes up can ruin the bottom edge of the stucco very quickly and will likely stain the wall within a matter of weeks and sometimes even days.
  
• ​If your stucco is painted then you will have to schedule to have the house repainted every 3 – 7 years (on average) and keep avoid letting it go too long.
  
• If you have a traditional stucco finish that is unpainted then you may want to consider having it fog coated to restore the luster of the original stucco color and to make it look like new again.

​Stucco Cracks Are Part Of Maintenance…

​Stucco is going to crack, it is just the nature of the material but you can fix most of these with a little bit of patience and know-how. Most of the smaller cracks can be fixed using a little caulking and is something most people can do themselves.

Many of the cracks that form are hairline cracks and I have a more in-depth tutorial on how to fix hairline cracks in stucco that shows you how to go about the process.

​Applying Caulking Where It’s Needed:

​Applying caulking at specific locations where the stucco meets woo or another material is part of maintenance on your home and I think it should fall under stucco maintenance.

Anytime the stucco meets another material, you will have to apply a bead of caulk because the two different materials expand and contract at different rates, which can cause a gap or crack to form. Caulking will bridge this gap and flex with any type of movement preventing issues from potentially happening.

These areas should be inspected annually and you should reapply any caulking when necessary (usually 3 – 5 years on average). An acrylic caulking will blend in best (if done properly) but a silicone or polyurethane caulking will work better and last longer but is difficult to work with.

​Stucco Maintenance Cost:

​There are minor things that should be done and a lot of them are very low cost and sometimes even free, depending on what you have on hand in and around your home.

On walls that are in very good condition, you may only need warm water, dish soap and a scrub brush, which most people have at their disposal and if not, it would only cost you $20 or less, in most cases.

Other items include caulking and cleaning agents which are very inexpensive too so in general, stucco maintenance is very inexpensive if you tackle it yourself.

The only way you may run into more costly tasks regarding maintenance is if you have neglected your home for a while making a larger amount of work, if you have repair work that needs to be done as well or you hire someone to do the work for you which isn’t that bad considering the value of your home and what you are getting for the money.

​Traditional Finishes VS Acrylic Finishes:

​Coming Soon! No, its here already!

​Common Problems That Can Arise:

​In the process of cleaning your stucco walls, there can be a couple of problems that can arise so I wanted to briefly touch on these so you know what to expect and what to look out for.

Finish Chipping Off: Sometimes when you are in the process of cleaning your stucco, the finish can come off in some spots. You can’t always prevent this and it is more of an aesthetic problem (in most cases). This is more likely to happen when pressure washing.

Fixing this can be done but you will need to know what type of finish material you have on your home (traditional or acrylic) and what type of texture. You will also have to get a custom color match with the correct finish material or paint if you want it to blend in as close as possible.

​Stucco Color Is Faded Or Discolored: ​When your color becomes faded or discolored it is easy to remedy but more work that you might think (in some cases).

You can apply a fog coat to tradition stucco finishes (unpainted) or paint to get rid of the discoloration or fading (after cleaning the area well) but color matching is hard and “spot coloring” areas will still be noticeable.

In order to get the entire wall to look consistent, it is recommended that you color the entire wall (from corner to corner). A lot of work, especially if you have a larger wall that the color issues are on.

​Stucco Has Larger Cracks: ​Larger cracks (larger than 1/8″ wide) will require a bit more attention and sometimes can be a sign of a more serious problem (1/4″ and larger). These are better left to have someone come out and look at what’s going on to give you an idea of what to expect.

More often then not, stucco contractors will come out to give free estimates and if you find one that is willing to discuss the problem with you, giving a little insight on what might be causing the issue and how serious it is.

​Staining Along Bottom Of Walls: ​Staining along the bottom of your walls is usually caused by rain falling and hitting the dirt on the ground and splashing up onto the wall. 

You can prevent this by having a barrier of rock, mulch, straw or some other type of material that covers the soil. This is the best way to prevent this from happening in the future.

​If the staining has already occurred then you will need to put in a pretty decent amount of effort to remove or fade the staining, especially if it has been accumulating over a few months.

A pressure washer is recommended for these types of tough stains and a 25 degree nozzle at a distance of 8 – 12 inches is going to be my starting point. Go as close as you can to the wall without removing any of the finish but use caution and go slow.

​Some Other Helpful Tips On Cleaning Stucco:

• ​Work on one wall at a time from corner to corner in order to get the best possible results. This will ensure that you get every wall as clean as possible and will help prevent the walls from drying too quickly, which could be counter-productive.
  
• ​If you have a large house, you can break it up into sections to make the process less labor intense. Try to break the process up into two – four days if you need to, working one side of the hose at a time.
  
• ​Remember to pre-soak any stucco walls before doing any cleaning. This will help to reduce any staining that can occur if you are cleaning surrounding areas that run down the wall.
  
• ​Different textures will hold different amounts of dirt and the rougher the texture, the more dirt you will have built up on your walls. More frequent cleaning will be required to maintain a clean looking exterior if you have a rougher texture.
  
• ​Traditional stucco finishes will soak up water (even dirty water) and will be more prone to staining and discoloration when compared to an acrylic type of texture.

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