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Living With a Stucco House
Stucco homes are handsome, quiet and long lived when they are cared for. If you just bought one, or have owned one for years without thinking about it, here is what to know about the walls around you.
- Hard coat or synthetic?
- New owner checklist
- Simple upkeep
- Help when you need it
Request a consultation & estimate
Residential or commercial. We’ll get back to you to set up an evaluation.
We never share your information. Prefer to talk? Call (888) 592-1304.
Know which stucco your house has
Stucco houses in Georgia fall into a few groups. Older homes, and many custom homes today, have hard coat: cement stucco over lath that feels solid and cold when you press on it. A large number of homes built from the 1980s into the early 2000s have synthetic stucco, usually EIFS over foam board, and much of that was the barrier type with no drainage behind it. Newer homes with EIFS often use a drainable version.
Why should you care? Because each type has its own weak points. On barrier EIFS, water that gets past a window or a roof line has no way out and can rot the sheathing without showing much on the surface. On hard coat, a buried weep screed or a missing kick-out flashing does similar damage more slowly.
The good news is that most problems start small and at predictable places. Knowing your system tells you where to look. Read about hard coat stucco, EIFS, and the seasonal routine on home stucco maintenance.
Six things to check on a stucco house
Walk around the house with this list once a year. None of it needs a ladder.
Stains below windows
Dark streaks or blotches under window corners often mean water is getting in at the frame.
Roof-to-wall corners
Where a roof edge meets a wall, a missing kick-out flashing sends water behind the stucco.
Clearance at the ground
Stucco should stop above soil, mulch and pavers; buried edges wick water and hide pests.
Sealant joints
Caulk at windows, doors and penetrations that is cracked or pulling away needs to be renewed.
Cracks and bulges
Hairlines are normal; wider cracks, bulges or soft spots that give when pressed are not.
Sprinklers and gutters
Irrigation spraying the walls and overflowing gutters soak stucco over and over.
Often paired with this work
Most wall problems involve more than one part of the envelope.
Stucco
Stucco is a family of wall systems, not a single product.
Learn more
Stucco Contractor
Plenty of crews can trowel a finish coat.
Learn more
Hard Coat Stucco
Three-coat portland cement stucco is the original masonry finish: dense, durable and solid to the knock.
Learn more
Traditional Stucco Finish
The finish coat is the part of a stucco wall everyone sees.
Learn more
Stucco Cement
Most cracking in cement stucco is decided at the mixing board and in the first days after application.
Learn more
Stucco Base Coat
The base coat is the body of any stucco or EIFS wall.
Learn moreWhat you can do and what to leave to us
Plenty of stucco care is simple homeowner work: keeping landscaping trimmed back, aiming sprinklers away from walls, cleaning gutters and rinsing the walls gently with a garden hose. Pressure washing is a different story; high pressure can drive water into cracks and joints and erode the finish.
Anything that involves opening the wall, replacing sealant around windows, or diagnosing a stain should be handled by someone who works on stucco every day. A small, early repair is almost always easier than a large one later. When you are unsure, see fixing stucco.
| Task | Who | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Trim plants off walls | Homeowner | Each season |
| Check sprinklers and gutters | Homeowner | Each season |
| Gentle rinse of walls | Homeowner | As needed |
| Sealant renewal | Stucco specialist | When it fails |
| Moisture evaluation | Stucco specialist | If stains appear |
What we look at on your house
If something on your checklist worries you, an evaluation answers the question before it becomes a bigger one.
Walk the exterior
We identify the stucco type and look at windows, doors, roof lines, the base of the walls and every penetration.
- System identified
- Flashing reviewed
- Ground clearance checked
Test suspect areas
Moisture readings at the places most likely to leak show whether there is hidden water behind the stucco.
- Readings at windows
- Readings at roof lines
- Results photographed
Explain your options
We tell you what is fine, what to watch and what needs attention, and put any recommended work in a written quote.
- Plain-language findings
- Priorities ranked
- Quote in Jobber
What our customers say
Homeowners and long-time commercial clients on working with ASR.
“Great attention to detail and workmanship. Really appreciate the effort to carefully caulk all stucco penetrations and amazingly good job of matching the stucco color since I had the stucco painted 5 years before.”
“We had a section of our wall that was crumbling, and I was worried the repairs would stand out. Not only did they fix the issue, but they matched the color and texture so perfectly that I honestly can’t tell where the damage was.”
“Excellent customer service and craftsmanship! I have used Darrin and the team several times and have never been disappointed!”
Stucco house questions
Questions homeowners ask about their stucco homes.
How can I tell if my house has hard coat or synthetic stucco?
Is it a bad idea to buy a stucco house?
Can I pressure wash my stucco house?
Can a stucco house be painted?
Do mulch beds against the house matter?
Have your stucco house checked
Call (888) 592-1304 or send the form. We will look at the walls with you and explain what we find.
Request a consultation & estimate
Tell us about your home and what you are seeing, and we will set up an evaluation.
- Call(888) 592-1304
- E-mailinfo@advstucco.com
- Headquarters138 Mountain Brook Dr, Canton, GA 30115
- HoursMon–Fri 8:30 am – 5:30 pm
Send us your project details
Residential or commercial. We’ll get back to you to set up an evaluation.
We never share your information. Prefer to talk? Call (888) 592-1304.