PLASTER + STUCCO
We are pleased to announce that we are now partnering with Arnoldo and Anibal Arevalo, formerly of Arevalo Plastering and Stucco. They will be overseeing all of Goodale Builders stucco and plastering jobs. We have worked with them for over 15 years, and our clients have always been happy with their great work. We welcome Arnoldo and Anibal and their team from Arevalo Plastering to our crew!
THE STUCCO PROCESS
The first stage of the stucco process on a new building is paper and wire (lathing). This is related to waterproofing and some cities require inspection before the base coats are applied.
The second stage for a new building are two coats, called the scratch and brown. The final stage is the finish coat.
We use the same material for the basecoats, regardless of what finish is applied. The owner chooses the finish, in terms of color, material (acrylic or cement) and texture.
On older buildings, the process is dictated by the work being done, from patches and cracks, to application of a skim coat over old stucco. Texture matching is a large part of the work on old buildings.
EXTERIOR FINISH COATS
La Habra Finishes
When we say "La Habra", we are referring to a typical cement, non-acrylic stucco. La Habra is a brand name and they make a variety of products (including a LaHabra PAREX... see further on for information on acrylic stucco).
La Habra products come in a variety of colors, including plain grey cement. Tinted cement is more expensive than regular cement, which can be painted afterwards. If you use a tinted stucco, you need never paint again.
La Habra cement stucco finish is cheaper in material cost and offers a more natural "Tuscan" or "antique" look. Unlike painted walls, the color doesn't dry uniformly — La Habra walls show 'modulated' color variations. This is particularly true in wet weather when exposed areas are wetter than sheltered areas, resulting in greater color contrast on the same wall displaying a temporary 'patchy' effect. Walls are more uniform in dry weather. This cement is more susceptible to cracking than acrylic products, however these cracks can be repaired.
A natural, chemical process can occur with this stucco called "efflorescence". This means that in damp climates, and particularly in rainy weather, you may notice a white powder on the exterior walls. This does not appear everywhere, but in areas where the water collects and drips down. This contributes to the antique, "old Europe" look of classic "La Habra" buildings. Some people like the look of this, and others don't.
EXTERIOR FINISHES
PAREX Finishes
If you want something with a high resistance to cracking and efflorescence, Parex is the product for you. This acrylic product resists aging, appearing fresh and new for an indefinite length of time.
This is from the Parex brochure, and we think it is quite accurate:
"The acrylic polymeric bonding forms a tough surface, yet remains pliable and is vapor permeable. A durable surface, a skin which allows the wall to breathe; there isn't a better coating on the market.
Parex 100% acrylic finishes stay fresh longer, resisting fading, chalking and yellowing. Parex finishes rely on the acrylic polymers as well as the highest quality pigments available to resist UV fading.
In test after test, Parex finishes endure: wash out resistance, peel adhesion, wet abrasion. For instance, when a stiff brush scrubs back and forth 2000 times over a wet Parex sample, only 4.4% of the sample’s weight is lost."
CRACKS
Cracking is unavoidable with any cement process. Minimal cracking occurs as a matter of course. Living in an active seismic zone increases this tendency! Slamming doors and windows are a cause as well. For large cement surfaces, control joints (lines in the cement such as those seen in sidewalks) are made to minimize cracking.
In terms of the stucco process, cracks are repaired as a matter of course after the brown stage, before the finish. They can also be repaired when they appear in the finish shortly after completion, which occasionally happens, even when due care has been taken. With some colored materials, the stucco contractor will have to skim coat the entire wall to ensure matching color if they are repairing cracks in the finish.
Elastomeric
Parex makes a line of elastomeric finishes which bridge hairline cracks in old or new walls. We have found this to be a great product.
PATCHES
If about 50% or more of a wall needs patching, we will redo the whole wall.
Rapid Set® Eisenwall®
This is a fairly new rapid drying material that cuts out the waiting time between coats. This means that we can patch your house over a period of a few days, depending on the size of the job. With "old style" cement, you must wait a specified time between coats or the stucco will crack, or fall off. The main reason this product is not used for entire buildings is that it is costly.
INTERIORS
Not many people do interior plaster, often referred to as Venetian plaster, and yet it is the most beautiful material we use. The feeling of a house with colored plaster inside, is markedly different than other common options. The walls seem to breathe; shadow and light fall more profoundly. Even with a clean and fluid acrylic plaster, the effect is natural and earthy, as well as elegant.
We can use plain plaster which you will need to paint, colored plaster or colored acrylic plaster. This acrylic has the same beneficial properties as the exterior acrylic, in terms of resisting cracking. This acrylic plaster is finer than regular plaster and the walls require greater preparation on our part. We use mesh tape and glue to cover the lines and nails in the drywall.
We have recently started experimenting with "Venetian Plaster" as well, a smoother and softer product. Because it is not as hard as the acrylic, it is easier to damage but much easier to patch and this can be a real plus.
Visit Vasari Plaster for more information on this type of plaster.
COLOR + TEXTURE
The great advantage of colored stucco and plaster is not needing to paint again. A disadvantage is that repairing cracks in colored plaster is not something you can do yourself. It is also a little time intensive to repair colored plaster.
All of the colored and stucco plaster lines we use offer a fairly decent range of color. More unusual or startling colors can be ordered at extra cost. We can lighten or deepen any one of the regular colors offered by mixing the color.
For interior or exterior acrylic plaster, Variance offers a very rich range of color.
Any color is possible and there is an enormous range of texture, from completely smooth, to knobbly and undulating. Special colors can cost more, as can unique and time consuming textures. But there are many to choose from that don't increase price.
TRIMS
While the word styrofoam surely conjures up a cheap and flimsy material, its use in exterior stucco is neither. It is in fact the common practice for stucco houses. Many times you may have assumed that the detailing on a house was stone. Usually it is styrofoam, covered by stucco, applied with careful hand work. Stone can of course be embedded in the stucco, but this is not a currently fashionable practice. Sometimes owners choose wood trims which require care and maintenance.
Styrofoam, when coated with stucco is a strong, and stone-like material. This trim comes in many different designs, for use around windows and doors and to decorate the eaves. It can be used in conjunction with plywood forms to create pillars and columns. We attach the styrofoam and apply stucco, filling in the joints and using a brush and water to smooth away imperfections. Next, a contrasting stucco finish color can be applied.
Once finished, it is extremely durable.
This photo demonstrates how styrofoam trim can be used on a facade.
