Exterior Stucco

Sunny Coast is an expert in exterior stucco installation. We provide reliable, trustworthy and professional stucco installation to property owners, contractors and home builders

Exterior stucco is a durable and long-lasting material that can withstand harsh weather conditions, such as rain, wind, and extreme temperatures. It is also resistant to fire, insects, and rot, which makes it an ideal choice for areas with high humidity or pests. Cleaning and maintaining stucco is fairly easy to do. Exterior stucco installation can create unique architectural features, such as arches, columns, and intricate patterns. It can be used to create assorted exterior stucco textures.

Two Types of stucco:

TRADITIONAL STUCCO

Traditional stucco is a rigid exterior finish best suited for one and three coat applications sand, and water. The finished textures range from rough to smooth finishes, using different sizes and. It’s made from cement, lime, amounts of sand to achieve the desired result.

Cement stucco can have color variations if the project takes more than one mixed batch and can vary due to the amount of water used in the mixture. In general, the colors of traditional are more muted than those of acrylic because it is a cement-based finish. Hard coat stucco will also fade over time and need to be repainted more frequently. Traditional stucco absorbs excess water, drying out after the water drains.

While it may provide inconsistent color outcomes and require more maintenance than acrylic stucco, it is a more affordable option with many choices in colors and textures for your finished project.

SYNTHETIC STUCCO

Synthetic stucco may also be called Acrylic stucco. Acrylic stucco is less rigid than traditional stucco, partly because it involves several layers: A first coat of synthetic stucco, a layer of fiberglass mesh, and a final (top) coat of acrylic stucco. Acrylic stucco is a great choice for one or three coat applications, as well as for finishing EIF installations.

Synthetic stucco is made from acrylic resins, polymers, and sand and resembles a thin glue or a high-quality paint in consistency. It’s harder to work with acrylic stucco because it dries much faster than traditional stucco.

Traditional stucco is supplied in a powder form that must be mixed with water, making it hard to match batches for consistency and color. Acrylic stucco takes the guesswork away because it’s supplied in pre-mixed buckets. Acrylic stucco comes as a white base, but colors can be added to create rich, vibrant finishes. Because synthetic stucco isn’t a cement-based product, the color varieties will be brighter and more brilliant than those available using traditional stucco.

Traditional stucco absorbs water, but acrylic stucco repels it for an even better water-proofing process for the home. Acrylic stucco is pricier than the traditional kind, but its durability and lower maintenance costs may balance out the difference.

Sunny Coast Stucco provides Residential & Commercial Stucco Installation, Stucco Repair, Stucco Renovation, Exterior & Interior Plastering, New Construction, Construction Defect Repair, and Homeowner Associations Services, and more, to the residents and businesses of El Cajon, La Jolla, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, North Park, San Diego, Santee, and surrounding San Diego neighborhoods.

DIFFERENT STUCCO FINISHES

FLOAT/SAND
(most common finish for exterior stucco)

This is a versatile finish that can be used on both traditional and synthetic stucco. It can also be sprayed on or applied with a trowel. Float or sand has coarse, fine, and medium patches.

DASH

Dash is sprayed onto homes with a light, medium, or heavy volume. Dash is a unique look, and it can be changed with 1–3 coats. This kind of finish is available for both traditional and synthetic, and it can be a great option for homeowners who are concerned with cracking

LACE AND SKIP

When you visualize a stucco finish on homes, it is usually lace and skip. This kind of finish is used with both commercial and residential buildings. Lace and skip is rough. Imperfections are easily hidden due to the variations in the texture. First, you put on the base coat, and then there is a fine, medium, or coarse pattern from which you can choose.

SANTA BARBARA

Used only in traditional stucco application, Santa Barbara uses fine sand particles to develop an adobe look. Colored sand can be used to create variations, but if you don’t want variations in the coating, you can paint Santa Barbara finishes. It is also very smooth when finished, but this can cause very visible cracking.

CAT FACE

Cat face features large areas of smoothed sections and evenly placed rough patches. The rough sections are called “inclusions,” these vary in size and shape. Cat face is ideal of either traditional and synthetic, and any homeowner can have it in their home. The best part is that your cat face finish can be completely different than your neighbor’s

SMOOTH TEXTURE

Although smooth texture is one of the most difficult finishes to achieve, it is becoming increasingly popular. Smooth texture can be colored, mottled, and can be customized to fit the aesthetics of your house or office.

VENETIAN

Venetian plaster is really a general term that refers to putty made from fired limestone combined with water. It’s then mixed together to make lime plaster. (So Venetian plaster and lime plaster are the same thing.) And when that lime plaster is applied to walls and exposed to the carbon dioxide in the air, the mixture turns back into limestone.

STUCCO APPLICATION SYSTEMS

ONE COAT APPLICATION

One coat stucco system consists of water-proofing (paper), foam(depending on structural requirements), wire and all metal grounds. A brown coat (base)mix is applied at 3/8” to 1⁄2” thickness over lath, and then floated (depending on type of finish to be applied). Thickness and hydration of base coat is crucial to the longevity of this system. Finish coat (texture coat) is then applied to the base coat in the form of a cement and lime texture or acrylic finish.

COAT STUCCO HARD COAT SYSTEM

The usual 3-coat system consists of a water-resistant barrier typically made from asphalt-infused paper, then other layers of wire, a scratch and brown layer, and a finish coat or primer. The cement base coat is usually about 7/8”.

WRAPPING IT UP

When hiring Sunny Coast Stucco for residential or commercial stucco installation, home or business owners can expect a professional and high-quality service. Our team arrives on time, clean up after ourselves, and are available to answer questions along the process. The team at Sunny Coast Stucco has years of experience in stucco installation and uses the latest techniques and materials to ensure a durable and attractive finish on time and to your specifications. We prioritize customer satisfaction and create a customized solution that meets their specific needs and preferences.