troweled surface. Otherwise, the finish coat won’t troweled onto walls. To ensure that the
stick well.
mixture is distributed uniformly, stir the
bonder into water before mixing the liquid
Finish coat. The finish coat is about 1⁄8 in. thick
with the dry ingredients. Reduce the amount
and textured to match the rest of the building.
of water accordingly, as recommended by the
When attempting to match an existing texture,
manufacturer. To ensure that a patch will
you may need to experiment. If at first you don’t
adhere well, brush bonder full strength all
achieve a good match, scrape off the mud and try around the edges of the hole or crack you’ll fill
again until you find a technique that works.
with new stucco. Merely applying patch stucco
Textures are discussed at the end of this stucco-
without bonder creates a “cold joint,” which is
ing section.
more likely to fracture. In most cases, you
stucco trim. If doors or windows in stucco walls must apply new stucco before the bonder
are cased with wood trim, flash head casings with dries; otherwise, the joint won’t be as strong,
Cut back stucco to replace and
flashing tape. Metal windows in stucco usually
although products such as Thorobond® and
correctly flash windows. Here, the
have no casing to dam up water and need no
Weld-Crete® will reemulsify when moistened
roof leaked because the corner of the
head flashing; metal windows usually have an
by the next stucco coat.
window was too close to the roof,
integral nailing flange that serves as flashing after
where a lazy roofer just stopped the
Prepackaged stucco mix is helpful
being caulked. If you need to cut back stucco
step-flashing. The replacement
because it eliminates worry about correct
window won’t be as tall, so its sill will
siding to repair rot or install a new window,
proportions among sand, cement, and
be at least 4 in. above the roof.
install flashing tape over the head casing, and
plasticizing agents. However, you will need to
install polymer-reinforced flashing strips along
add bonder to the mix.
the sides and under the sill.
Exteriors
175
Color-coat pigment (also known as
separates damaged stucco from intact stucco,
LaHabra color or permanent color topcoat) is
prying up this 6-in. corridor of stucco will not
a pigmented finish coat, available in a limited
disturb the solid areas above it.
range of colors. Its principal advantage is its
Now the strenuous work begins. Using a
ease of mixing and its depth of color, which is
mason’s hammer or a beat-up framing hammer,
P R O T I P
as deep as the finish layer. But precolored
carefully pulverize the corridor of pried-up stucco.
topcoats usually aren’t of much use to
Stucco is hard stuff, so whacking it in place with
A ragged edge is easier to dis-
renovators because their colors aren’t likely to
a hammer is more likely to drive it into the wood
guise than a straight line when
match older colors on a house. If a house is
sheathing than to pulverize it. However, if you
applying repair stucco. So when
already painted white, however, white-
pry up the stucco slightly, you can slide a hand
using a hand chisel or a chipping
pigmented stucco will require fewer coats of
sledge under it to serve as an anvil. Then, between
hammer, make your fracture lines
paint to blend.
a hammer and a hard place, the stucco will shat-
meander. A rough edge also helps
Masonry paint and primer, which is
ter nicely.
hold the patch in. For this reason,
alkali-resistant, can be used on any new
After you’ve removed all old chunks of stucco,
don’t use a diamond blade in a
masonry surface. You should still wait at least
you’ll have a 6-in.-wide section of unencumbered
circular saw to cut out stucco.
two to three weeks for the stucco to “cool off”
wire mesh and, ideally, a layer of largely intact
Besides, a circular-saw blade is
too likely to cut through the wire
before painting it. (Follow the manufacturer’s
building paper under that. Once you’ve replaced
mesh and the waterproofing
recommended wait times.) Use two coats of
the rotted framing (and sheathing), insert new
membrane.
primer and two coats of finish paint.
paper, tie new mesh to the old—just twist the wire
ends together—and nail both to the sheathing.
Now you’re ready to apply the new scratch coat.
thE REPAIR
Before repairing damaged areas, first diagnose
why the stucco failed. Then determine the extent
of the damage by pressing your palms firmly on
both sides of the hole or crack. Springy areas
should be removed. Continue pressing until you
feel stucco that’s solidly attached. When remov-
ing damaged areas, be deliberate and avoid dis-
turbing surrounding intact stucco. Avoid damag-
ing existing lath so you can attach new lath to it.
Also avoid ripping the old building paper if possi-
ble. Safety note: Whether removing old stucco or
mixing new, wear eye protection, heavy leather
gloves, and at least a paper dust mask.
You can use a hammer and a cold chisel to
remove a small section of damaged stucco. But
for larger jobs, rent an electric chipping hammer
Used correctly, an electric chipping hammer fractures
with a chisel bit. Important: The bit should just
stucco without destroying the underlying wire mesh and
waterproofing membrane.
fracture the stucco, not cut through it. Ideally,
the underlying wire mesh and building paper will
remain undamaged.
Let’s say you’re removing stucco to expose a
rotted mudsill. Using a chipping hammer, frac-
ture the stucco surface in two roughly parallel
lines. On the first pass, delineate the top of the
stucco to be removed. Then make a second pass
6 in. lower. Basically, you’ll eventually demolish
all the stucco below the top cutline and restucco
it after you replace the mudsill. But if you care-
fully remove the top 6 in. of the damaged stucco,
you’ll preserve the wire mesh in that section,
giving you something to tie the new mesh and
stucco to.
Cut through the wire mesh exposed by the
To remove stubborn chunks of old stucco from the wire
mesh, pry up the mesh enough to slide the head of a hand
second pass, insert a pry bar under the stucco, and sledge underneath so it can serve as an anvil. Hammered
pry up to detach the stucco from the sheathing.
stucco will then p
ulverize. Wear eye protection and a
Because the first pass of the chipping hammer
paper respirator mask.
176 Chapter 7
If only the finish coat is cracked, wire-brush
and wet the brown coat, apply fresh bonding liq-
uid, and trowel in a new finish coat. But if the
cracks are deeper, the techniques for repair are
much the same as those for patches, except that
you need to undercut the cracks. That is, use a
cold chisel to widen the bottom of each crack.
This helps key in (hold) the new stucco. Chip
away no more than you must for a good mechan-
ical attachment. Then brush the prepared crack
well with bonding liquid.
tExtuRIng AnD FInIShIng
To disguise new stucco patches, it’s often neces-
sary to match the texture of the surrounding
wall. Before texturing the finish coat, steel-trowel
it smooth and let it set about a half hour—
although the waiting time depends on tempera-
ture and humidity. Cooler and more humid con-
ditions delay drying. Stucco allowed to cure
slowly is far stronger than fast-cured stucco. So,
after applying the finish coat, use a hose set on
a fine spray to keep the stucco damp for 3 days.
Here are descriptions of the three common textures:
Stippled. For this effect, you’ll need
rubber gloves, an open-cell sponge float like
those used to spread grout in tiling, a 5-gal.
bucket, and lots of clean water. After
dampening the sponge float, press it into the
partially set finish coat and quickly lift the
float straight back from the wall. As you lift
the float, it will lift a bit of the stucco material
and create a stippled texture looking
After completing the repairs, texture
somewhere between pebbly and pointy. Repeat
the wall to blend the patch to the
this process over the entire surface of the
Spanish stucco or skip troweled. This
surrounding stucco. Here, plastering
patch, feathering it onto surrounding (old)
texture looks rather like flocks of amoebas or
cement, LaHabra color, and water
areas as well to blend the patch in. Rinse the
clouds. To achieve this look, screed off the
were mixed repeatedly, poured into a
float often. Otherwise, its cells will pack with
hopper, then sprayed onto the wall to
patch so it’s just 1⁄16 in. below the level of
create a stippled effect.
stucco, and the float won’t raise the desired
surrounding areas. Then, using a steel trowel,
little points when you lift it. Equally
scoop small amounts of stucco off a
important, the sponge should be damp and not
mortarboard and, with a flick of the wrist,
wet. If you want a grosser texture than the
throw flecks at the wall. Skim the flecks with a
float provides, use a large open-cell natural
swimming pool trowel because its rounded
sponge. If you notice that the new finish is
edges are less likely to gouge the stucco as you
pointier than the old surrounding stucco,
flatten the flecks slightly. Ideally, this will give
that’s probably because the old finish has been
you an irregular pattern of miniature mesas,
softened by many layers of paint. To improve
matching that of the original surface. Another
the match, knock the new texture down a little
approach is to use a wet, sandy mix and load it
by lightly skimming it with a steel trowel.
onto your steel trowel unevenly. (Beforehand,
Swirled. Screed (level) the patch’s finish
coat the hole well with bonder so the new
coat to the surrounding areas, and feather it
material adheres well.) Again, using a
in. After you’ve made the patch fairly flat,
swimming pool towel, you’ll see the material
comb it gently with a wet, stiff-bristled brush.
“skipping” over the sand particles, leaving
For best results, use a light touch and rinse
flattened patches of texture and gaps. To get
often; otherwise, you’ll drag globs of stucco
the right texture, you’ll need to experiment
out of the hole. By varying the pressure on the
with trowel pressure, mix stiffness, and wrist
brush, you can change the texture.
movement.
Exteriors
177
MAtERIAlS
Rain Gutters
Gutters direct water away from the house, pre-
Metal gutters can be fabricated on site by a gutter
venting water from collecting next to the founda-
specialist with a mobile machine. Or you can
tion and thereby possibly undermining it. The
assemble them from 10-ft. or 20-ft. prefab
two most common gutter profiles are half-round
lengths, using pop rivets and exterior caulking.
and K-style, in which the gutter has a squared-off Plastic gutter sections need cementing. Gutter
back and an ogee front. For appearance’s sake,
runs that are longer than 40 ft. need an expan-
try to match the profile of new gutters to old.
sion joint to keep them from buckling. Here are
To clear water adequately, gutters must be
the materials most commonly used.
sized properly and cleared of leaves and debris
Aluminum. By far the most popular, aluminum
twice a year—in spring and in fall. Your lumber-
resists corrosion, is easily worked, is reasonably
yard probably has elaborate gutter-sizing charts
priced, and is durable—though it will dent. It
based on regional rainfall, roof square footage,
comes prepainted in a range of colors. Standard
and pitch. But you might remedy chronically
thickness is 0.028 in., but spending a little more
overflowing downspouts simply by upsizing the
for 0.032 in. is prudent, especially if heavy snows
gutters from a standard 5-in. width to a 6-in.
and ice dams are common in your area.
model and installing larger downspouts. To keep
galvanized steel. Stronger and harder to dent
roof runoff from running behind gutters and rot-
than aluminum, galvanized steel rusts if you
ting fascia, extend the roof drip-edge flashing so
don’t keep it painted. There are prepainted variet-
it overhangs the gutter.
ies, generally in the same colors as painted metal
If gutters are spaced too far from the roof
roofs. The minimum thickness is 26 ga.
edge or slope away from the drip-edge, you can
Begin any gutter installation by
place an L-shaped piece of metal flashing over
Copper. Handsome when new, copper acquires
checking the slope of roof edges and
the back of the gutter and tuck its upper edge up
a beautiful green patina as it weathers. It’s mal-
trim and then measuring the areas
under the drip-edge. (Notch that flashing so it fits leable, durable, and about five times as expensive
to receive
gutters. Typically, gutters
around the roof hangers.) Some K-style gutters
as aluminum. This gutter is usually formed from
extend beyond the roof section 1⁄2 in. also come with an integral flange that runs under 16-oz. sheet copper. Copper resists salt air but on each end. As you reconnoiter,
the roofing and serves the same function as a
may be corroded by cedar-shingle runoff.
consider where downspouts will be
least obtrusive.
drip-edge.
Plastic. Plastic comes in 8-ft. and 10-ft. lengths,
with matched fittings. You can join sections
either with liquid cement or with neoprene gas-
kets. It’s virtually maintenance-free and durable,
if the plastic contains a UV inhibitor. Its expan-
sion joints can accommodate a wide range
of movement.
zzzzzz gutter lip and Roof Pitch
FLAT
5/12
1 in.
3/4 in.
Place gutters below the roofline,
so they won’t be torn off by sliding snow.
12/12
7/12
Most metal gutter stock is relatively lightweight, so
it can be cut, drilled, and attached easily with a modest
assortment of tools. When using a hacksaw on gutters,
cut from the back and bottom sides forward, so you’ll
1/2 in.
be cutting the shaped (thicker) edges last. Aluminum
1/4 in.
and copper are soft and easy to work; galvanized steel is
more challenging.
178 Chapter 7
gutter hangers
gutter sections need to be supported by hangers at least
every 32 in.; closer if there’s a heavy snow or ice load. the
many variations can be grouped into two general types: roof
zzzzzz Prefab gutter Pieces
mounted, which employ a strap nailed to roof sheathing, and
Spike-and-ferrule
fascia mounted, which screw or nail directly to fascia boards or
hanger
Strap hanger
rafter tails. Whatever type hanger you use, gutters are less
Corner
likely to pull free if you nail or screw the hangers to framing
Connector
behind the fascia or roof sheathing. here are profiles of four
common hanger types:
Bracket hanger
Spike-and-ferrulehangers nail directly into rafter
ends or through fascia boards. Although this is a simple sys-
tem, its detractors point out that 7-in. spikes leave large
holes, encourage rot, and—in the end—don’t hold well.
Roof-mountedstrapnailers support gutters well
Renovation 4th Edition Page 41