The stucco is one of the most famous and oldest construction materials that are used for homes to add aesthetics and protection. It is well-known for its impressive advantages and features that it brings. If you look around well enough around your neighborhood that has stuccoed houses, you can see that stuccoes can surely help to have attractive seamless walls with subtle colors. However, just like any household materials, it has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. But before we discuss them, let us first take a closer look and see what stuccoes are.
Stucco is a type of wall coating that has similar features with that of plaster. The term “plaster-siding” is also used as another name for stucco. Stuccoes can be used either outside or inside of a home, providing great aesthetics and protection all at the same time.
The traditional stucco wall is created with four layers. Each layer has a different use and purpose. They are the dash coat layer, scratch coat layer, brown coat layer, and the finish coat layer. The stucco coating is made up of different ingredients, which are the following:
- Hydrated limes
- Fine builder’s sand
- Water
- Portland cement
These are the most common ingredients added to a stucco coating, but more ingredients can be added depending on what was needed to improve, like polymer for additional flexibility.
Now that we have enough knowledge about the stucco, let us now dive in on some of its advantages.
Advantages:
- Sustainability
- Durability
- Color retention
- Sound-resistant
- Great texture
Here are some of the stucco’s advantages, but we are not going to focus on them. We are here to talk about some of its disadvantages, and how can you overcome them.
Disadvantages:
- Maintenance
Just like any other household materials, a certain amount of regular check-ups and inspection is needed to maintain its quality and keep it in good condition. Although this is not that hard to do, it is something that you must not and cannot avoid.
The first thing that you need to do to maintain your stucco’s quality is to inspect is regularly. Doing this helps you see what improvements you need to do, and see damages that need repairs if it has any.
The second thing that you must do after inspecting it is to fill in any kind of holes and cracks that you see.
Another thing that is needed is to clean it regularly. Just like any part of your home, your stucco wall also needs to be cleaned. But be careful, as the pressurized hose can easily damage and inflict cracks on your stucco wall.
- Labor Costs
Another downside of having a stucco finishing installed is that it is very pricy. If you want to have a quality stucco to be installed on your walls, you must contact the experts near you to be sure that it would be flawless and durable. And that can cost you a little more.
- Porosity
Another disadvantage of having a stucco wall is that it is too porous. Stucco walls are prone to water retention, which can gradually lead to water damages. This usually happens if the stucco wall is not installed by the experts. If you want to have a stucco finish on your walls, make sure that it is done by the experts.