First, I live in Michigan, so it is a widely ranged climate from -10 degrees in the winter to 95 degrees and very humid in the summer. I'm currently building a house and am looking at some options for the exterior. Siding is kinda played out and plain. Cultured stone is becoming too popular. I've always liked the look of Stucco though. First, is it hard to apply? What is involved with applying it? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here, or will it become covered in mold and crack? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed?

Any info is appreciated.

Thanks,
Kris

Quoted: First, I live in Michigan, so it is a widely ranged climate from -10 degrees in the winter to 95 degrees and very humid in the summer. I'm currently building a house and am looking at some options for the exterior. Siding is kinda played out and plain. Cultured stone is becoming too popular. I've always liked the look of Stucco though. First, is it hard to apply? What is involved with applying it? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here, or will it become covered in mold and crack? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed? Any info is appreciated. Thanks, Kris

defective stucco installation cases made my wife's law firm a few dozen million dollars.

Quoted: Quoted: First, I live in Michigan, so it is a widely ranged climate from -10 degrees in the winter to 95 degrees and very humid in the summer. I'm currently building a house and am looking at some options for the exterior. Siding is kinda played out and plain. Cultured stone is becoming too popular. I've always liked the look of Stucco though. First, is it hard to apply? What is involved with applying it? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here, or will it become covered in mold and crack? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed? Any info is appreciated. Thanks, Kris defective stucco installation cases made my wife's law firm a few dozen million dollars.

Homeowners who  actually had damages got screwed. Don'tcha just love lawyers.

Quoted: First, I live in Michigan, so it is a widely ranged climate from -10 degrees in the winter to 95 degrees and very humid in the summer. I'm currently building a house and am looking at some options for the exterior. Siding is kinda played out and plain. Cultured stone is becoming too popular. I've always liked the look of Stucco though. First, is it hard to apply? What is involved with applying it? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here, or will it become covered in mold and crack? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed? Any info is appreciated. Thanks, Kris

You can get it w/pigmnet and/or you can paint. Do a google search on EIFS. There is an art to applying it, alot like drywall. Wish I knew more about it.

Anything else?

I don't do it, but it is on the outside of my house here in Tucson AZ.  We don't get the -10, but we do get to 110+.  It does crack, and I have had some professional repairs done, but it seems to be good for this environment and holds up well to the weather.

The sun here is brutal on paint.  Just re-painted, and hope it lasts.

Geoff

it tastes funny

Quoted: it tastes funny

Even on a burger? I've heard it tastes good if you sprinkle a bit on your hamburger. Or maybe that was asbestos? I can't remember.

In northern climates water infiltrates tiny cracks, when it freezes in winter the water expands and makes the cracks larger. It's a great exterior but rarely used in the northern US.

I've seen it a couple times in upstate NY but never an entire house done in it.

First, is it hard to apply?not really in you know how,,go hold a 10lb bag of rice in your hand,,hold your hand out and hold it there as long as you can,do that for 8 hoursa day  for 3 weeks before you do your house What is involved with applying itempty 80lb bag of stucco in mixer or bucket add h20 and sand,, makeit like thick mashed taters consitantcey,,to runny it'll go to thin.? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here,does here or will it become covered in mold and crackcould  if theres tomuch sand,, hous eisnt setlled ect,, it will mold up if not sealed painted ect.? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed? id advise paiting it or adding dye then sealing

worked with it from 13yrs old till 21...

I would think the extreme humidity we get in combination with the freezing might cause problems...

Isn't he on "The Saprano's?"

Don't know if it will work for you or not but if you have a Contractor doing it ask to see his other jobs and talk to the owners too.

No matter what, a house must breath. Seal it up and you'll grow mold in the walls and eveyone will get sick. Stucco is best for drier regions

I moved out of California for many reasons - guns, liberals, and...

...STUCCO. Yes, stucco. Satan's building material. You think vinyl siding is overplayed? Try seeing CEMENT every where you go! It never ends. Ever house looked like an office building. Oh, how I HATE stucco. I did cartwheels when I moved here because there wasn't a stucco structure in sight. In fact, I had an aunt here in Ohio who asked "What's stucco?". I kissed her right there and said "bless you".

If you put stucco on your midwestern home's exterior, I'll shoot your dog and eat your goldfish.

Quoted: I moved out of California for many reasons - guns, liberals, and... ...STUCCO. Yes, stucco. Satan's building material. You think vinyl siding is overplayed? Try seeing CEMENT every where you go! It never ends. Ever house looked like an office building. Oh, how I HATE stucco. I did cartwheels when I moved here because there wasn't a stucco structure in sight. In fact, I had an aunt who asked "What's stucco?". I kissed her right there and said "bless you". If you put stucco on your midwestern home's exterior, I'll shoot your dog and eat your goldfish.

So I take it that you don't like stucco?

BTW, hopefully I get to meet you at the Pit in May. I'll bring a Goldfish just for you.

Quoted: Quoted: I moved out of California for many reasons - guns, liberals, and... ...STUCCO. Yes, stucco. Satan's building material. You think vinyl siding is overplayed? Try seeing CEMENT every where you go! It never ends. Ever house looked like an office building. Oh, how I HATE stucco. I did cartwheels when I moved here because there wasn't a stucco structure in sight. In fact, I had an aunt who asked "What's stucco?". I kissed her right there and said "bless you". If you put stucco on your midwestern home's exterior, I'll shoot your dog and eat your goldfish. So I take it that you don't like stucco? BTW, hopefully I get to meet you at the Pit in May. I'll bring a Goldfish just for you.

I'll bring you some vinyl siding samples.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I moved out of California for many reasons - guns, liberals, and... ...STUCCO. Yes, stucco. Satan's building material. You think vinyl siding is overplayed? Try seeing CEMENT every where you go! It never ends. Ever house looked like an office building. Oh, how I HATE stucco. I did cartwheels when I moved here because there wasn't a stucco structure in sight. In fact, I had an aunt who asked "What's stucco?". I kissed her right there and said "bless you". If you put stucco on your midwestern home's exterior, I'll shoot your dog and eat your goldfish. So I take it that you don't like stucco? BTW, hopefully I get to meet you at the Pit in May. I'll bring a Goldfish just for you. I'll bring you some vinyl siding samples.

And I'll make some stucco targets just for you!

Quoted: First, is it hard to apply?not really in you know how,,go hold a 10lb bag of rice in your hand,,hold your hand out and hold it there as long as you can,do that for 8 hoursa day  for 3 weeks before you do your house What is involved with applying itempty 80lb bag of stucco in mixer or bucket add h20 and sand,, makeit like thick mashed taters consitantcey,,to runny it'll go to thin.? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here,does here or will it become covered in mold and crackcould  if theres tomuch sand,, hous eisnt setlled ect,, it will mold up if not sealed painted ect.? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed? id advise paiting it or adding dye then sealing worked with it from 13yrs old till 21...

You did that instead of English class, right?  

In all honesty, I think stucco is seldom used here because of weather extremes. I'm pretty sure it would be prone to cracking. Contractors are also not very familiar with it, which further complicates matters.

The stuff they call stucco these days isn't real stucco. It looks vaguely like stucco on the surface, but that is where the common qualities end. The modern stuff is little more than styrofoam coated with a rough surface and some paint. We had it on our condo when I first moved in. We found out that mold and moisture had gotten under the 'stucco-foam' and was busily destroying the wood. I don't remember exactly how it happened, but the stucco company was forced to tear it all out and replace it with some sort of new stucco-ish material that supposedly wasn't as prone to mold. In the end we wound up having it all torn out and replaced with vinyl siding.

Galland

Quoted: In all honesty, I think stucco is seldom used here because of weather extremes. I'm pretty sure it would be prone to cracking. Contractors are also not very familiar with it, which further complicates matters.

I figured it was due to the weather...in hot areas (California, Arizona, Vegas) I see a lot of stucco and tile roofs...not so here in northern Nevada, where winter temps can get down to the single digits, and frequently are in the twenties and teens-significantly below freezing.

I live in No. Minnesota and bought my house in 1987. It was 35 yrs. old at the time. In those days stucco was applied with tar paper over the wood sheeting, then a metal mesh to hold the stucco. The house could not 'breath' and any moisture that got behind the stucco would rot the wood. When I decided to re-side (1991) with steel siding, all the stucco was taken off. And it was a bitch of a job. I had a total of an area on the east and west side that took 5 pieces of 4x8 sheets of oxboard and a few studs to repair. My dad (house same age as mine) had the same damage on his north wall 10 years before. Stucco draws in the cold more and also the heat.

If you must, install it with breathable styrofoam between the wood sheeting and the stucco. You need a space between the wood and stucco to reduce temperature transfer and minimize moiusture accumulation. This is from experiences from two people of the same family and this damage is common. That is why a 'breathable' space is important. I know it is all to common, but look serious at a good quality (heavy) vinyl or steel siding. These are very successful up here in Minneosta.

I would reccomend a 'DEFINATE NO' to stucco.

Quoted: Quoted: First, is it hard to apply?not really in you know how,,go hold a 10lb bag of rice in your hand,,hold your hand out and hold it there as long as you can,do that for 8 hoursa day  for 3 weeks before you do your house What is involved with applying itempty 80lb bag of stucco in mixer or bucket add h20 and sand,, makeit like thick mashed taters consitantcey,,to runny it'll go to thin.? Will it hold up in the ever changing temperature here,does here or will it become covered in mold and crackcould  if theres tomuch sand,, hous eisnt setlled ect,, it will mold up if not sealed painted ect.? Are there other alternatives? Do I have to paint it, or is it dyed? id advise paiting it or adding dye then sealing worked with it from 13yrs old till 21... You did that instead of English class, right?

and you are who?>  the i wanna try and be a troll class is next week!

My parent's house in Minnesota has it...close to 40 years old and no problems I know of from the stucco.

I hate stucco.


I hate cheap styrofoam houses covered with stucco.