What is Stucco and Why You Should Choose Stucco Siding?
Your house is more than a house. It’s your home. You want it to be a haven, a place where you and your family enjoy being. You want to take good care of it and keep it in good condition. You want it to always look good and to protect you from the elements. However, maintaining a home can take a lot of time and money. For these reasons, you need to plan every aspect of your home very carefully. From structure to the roof, landscaping to architecture, windows to siding, your home speaks to who you are. Whether starting from scratch or remodeling an existing home, planning each part of your home can be a lot of fun. It’s also very important to plan carefully. Stucco is a good choice when you’re choosing what siding to use. Here are some things to consider when choosing the siding for your home. So, what is stucco and why should you use it?
What is Stucco?
Stucco is a form of cement, specifically portland cement plasteThis is spread over an interior or exterior surface in two or three coats. Stucco can be applied directly to masonry or concrete walls. A metal lath can also be applied to walls for the stucco to adhere to.
According to Bob Vila’s history of stucco, stucco was originally made from lime instead of cement. The production of cement made a stucco that dried more slowly and was more workable. It was perfect for the hot arid climates of the Southwest. However, as the use of stucco moved to the North and East, the results were mixed. In some areas, cracks tended to appear more often. This was especially true of areas where the soil expanded and contracted with the weather and houses settled.
Today polymers and other ingredients have been added to traditional stucco. This has made the stucco more flexible and less likely to crack. As a result, it is now becoming a very popular type of siding throughout the United States.
If you are a do-it-yourself type person, you can apply your own stucco siding. However, according to Home Advisor, stucco is one of the most laborious and backbreaking types of siding to apply. For this reason, most people choose to hire stucco contractors. Denver has contractors who specialize in stucco. So do many other cities throughout the United States.
Benefits of Stucco
Stucco is known for its durability. It is impact resistant and can withstand fire. According to Bob Vila, one inch of stucco has a fire rating of 1 hour. This makes stucco ideal for a multifamily dwelling or a neighborhood where houses are close together.
It sheds water and is breathable. Therefore it does not trap water behind it and is resistant to rot and fungus. Stucco is also a great insulator. It does not conduct either heat or cold. Therefore, in a hot climate, it is easier to keep the interior of your house cool. On the other hand, in a cold climate, it is easier to keep your house warm.
There are also benefits from a design standpoint. Stucco can be applied to a smooth finish. Also, it’s a very workable material, and any number of designs can be put into it before it dries. Stucco can be painted, but usually color is added directly to the mix. So, if painting every few years is not your idea of fun, stucco is a good choice.
Stucco Versus Other Sidings
According to Home Advisor, there are three things to consider when comparing siding. These are efficiency, durability and damage. Although there is not a lot of difference between them, stucco is the most efficient. It does not absorb heat or cold. Therefore it keeps the air in the house at a more even temperature year round. Metal comes in second, followed by vinyl and then wood.
As for durability, metal and vinyl siding come in ahead of stucco. However, if stucco is inspected often and any cracks repaired, it can last a long time. In addition, as the colors are mixed right in with the cement, it will not need to be painted. Neither will vinyl, but metal and wood sidings both do. If you want improved durability, Stucco Contractors Denver Stucco and Stone, say that adding fiber mesh to the base reduces the potential for future cracking by 80%.
Every siding is prone to different kinds of damage. Vinyl may crack or split, but is fairly easy to repair. Metal will not crack but is prone to dents. Both of these sidings may be prone to wind damage if not applied well. Wood siding is resistant to both cracking and dents but will dry over time. As it dries out, it will need to be painted more often as well.
Stucco will not need to be painted. The final coat of stucco is the color coat. Stucco contractors Denver Stucco and Stone are among the contractors who apply an elastomeric finish coat. This is a flexible coat that will further reduce the possibility of cracks in your stucco siding. Although you will not have to paint, you may have to patch places where hard objects have made pits and holes in the siding. This must be done to prevent moisture from getting in. in addition, it’s a porous material, so it does stain fairly easily.
In conclusion, it is entirely up to you, as the homeowner, what kind of siding you choose for your home. Stucco is a very popular siding for many reasons. Many people choose it for the way it looks. Others choose it for the benefit of being able to more easily maintain an even internal temperature. Others choose it because they hate to paint every few years. Whatever reason you have for choosing stucco, it will provide beauty, durability and efficiency for many years to come.
