Updated 04-May-2020.
Mondo shtuff from around the internet, all about STUCCO!
My botty best at summarizing from Wikipedia: stucco is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water . it is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid . the material is used as a decorative english-speakers sometimes use stucco for interior decorative plasterwork in relief . Portland cement was added with increasing frequency in an attempt to improve durability . in the latter part of the nineteenth century, animal or plant fibers were traditional lime plasters were being replaced by gypsum plaster . modern stucco is made of Portland cement, sand, and water . sometimes additives such as acrylics and glass fibers are added . lime stucco is a relatively hard material that can be broken or chipped by hand without too much difficulty . Portland cement is very hard and brittle and can easily crack if the base on which it is applied is not stucco used mainly from the early 20th through the early 21st Century . it was traditionally used as both an interior and exterior finish . the finish coat usually contained an integral color and was typically textured for appearance the traditional application of stucco and lath occurs in three coats — the scratch coat, the brown coat and the finish coat . the two base coats of plaster are either hand-applied or machine sprayed metal wire mesh, or netting, replaced the use of wood lath . galvanizing the wire made it corrosion resistant and suitable for exterior wall applications. stucco was used in the architectural decoration schemes of many ancient cultures . examples of Egyptian, Minoan, and Etruscan stuco reliefs remain extant . in the art of Mesopotamia and ancient Persian carved stucco remained a very common medium for decoration and calligraphic inscriptions . it is rare in the countryside . marble was the preferred sculptural medium in most regards . stucco is an integral part of the art of belcomposto, the baroque concept . Greco-Buddhist art of modern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan made extensive use . monasteries and temple stucco is used to decorate gopurams of Hindu temples in modern south Asia . the real architecture of the church is visually extended into a heavenly architecture . baroque-looking stacco decoration was used modern synthetic stucco can be applied as one base layer and a finish layer . it is thinner and faster to apply, compared to traditional application of three-coat stuccco . tenements were moved to remove plastic or wire mesh lath is embedded into the base coat to provide stiffening for stucco . flexible acrylic finishes have the ability to stretch and bridge over cracks . where stuco is to be applied to a structure weather barrier must protect framing from rain and moisture . stucco accessories, such as weep screeds, are sometimes incorporated into the lath . the first layer of plaster is called a “scra the first coat is allowed to dry before the second layer is applied . the next layer is called the “brown coat” or leveling coat . it also consists of sand, cement, and lime . if applied during very dry weather, the layers of stucco are sprayed with water for one or more days . the chemical hardening (“hydration”) will be incomplete, resulting in a weaker and Premixed, bagged stucco is gaining in use and is available in coarse graded sand and finer graded for creating a variety of troweled finishes . Historically, the application of stu cracks may form in stucco due to building settling or direct damage to exterior coating . wood absorbs moisture from at or below ground level and draws moisture away from source of problem . repairs should be carried out as soon as rising damp from groundwater or drainage issues is especially problematic . stucco can delaminate from damp wood lath beneath . as the wood rots, the stuco may begin to deteriorate and separate from it without proper guttering, water may splash up onto stuccoed surfaces . small hairline cracks may be sealed with an additional layer of finish coat . modern caulking materials are not ideal mediums of repair . repair work made to a smooth finished surface will be more noticeable . it may be easier to conceal patches of repair work to textured surface . complete refinishing may not be necessary . replacement of damaged lath may be more appropriate than installing new mesh . stone or brick mortar joints may be scored to a depth of 5/8″ the application of new stucco should not include wire mesh . the introduction of wire mesh has the potential to haveten deterioration . wire mesh will lead to rust developing on the wire mesh, which expands as it it usually takes 24-72 hours, and longer in cold weather, for each coat to dry before the next coat can be applied . the second coat should be roughened using a wood float with a nail protruding to the finish coat is applied after the previous coat has initially set . if this is not feasible, the base coat should be thoroughly dampened . it must also be determined if the type of stucco used is lime-based Portland cement is not compatible with lime cement that was used in the 18th and into the mid-19th centuries . of particular concern is the use of Portland cement, which is harder than previous methods used in stucco application. a homeowner should not attempt to repair stucco finishes on their own . research should be conducted prior to the commencement of repair . shells or pebbles may have been used in the stuccco covering . the use of animal hair was popular in some regions . test patches are used to ensure the repairs blend into the original building fabric . the Preservation and Repair of Historic Stucco. Technical Preservation Services . Ling, Roger (Editor) (1999). Stuccowork and Painting In Roman Italy. Aldershot: Ashgate.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)