Stucco Patch

What is the deal with a stucco patch?

It is very difficult to perfect. Why? Because a stucco patch will never match.

When installing the stucco finish, you can’t stop until you reach a terminating end or dissimilar surface (terminating ends can be inside & outside corners). This is because when applying stucco on a wall, you only have about 20 minutes of working time. You don’t want to stop and start allowing enough time for the stucco to dry because you will see a noticeable difference in stop and starting points.

Consistency in mixing the stucco is crucial because if you add too much water or not enough, that may make the color of the stucco a shade lighter or darker. Once the stucco dries completely, a patch will be noticeable. The older the stucco, the worse the patch won’t match.

Trying to patch older stucco is difficult because the stucco has probably faded and the pores of the stucco has probably collected some particles from vegetation, dirt, rust, & run-off causing stains or discoloration.

A common stucco patch is around windows and doors because the only way to replace a window or door surrounded by stucco is tear off the stucco around the window or door. The best solution for this is to patch the stucco around the window or door and then put stucco trim around it so that it will hide the patch. If stucco trim is not an option to hide the patch, then the only way to make the patch disappear is to resurface the entire area using terminating ends or dissimilar surfaces. This helps better ensure blending of color and texture with the rest of the building.

If the texture matches but the color doesn't then instead of adding an entire new layer of stucco, you can possibly paint the area to get a better match.

Learn all about Stucco Remediation with Guzzo Stucco!

        In a person’s attempt in researching stucco or EIFS they might come across the term “cladding” or “stucco cladding”. By definition, cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer intended to control the infiltration of weather elements, or for aesthetic purposes. Cladding can act as a control element instead of providing a water-proof condition. Cladding as a control element may serve to safely direct water in order to control run-off and prevent infiltration into the building structure. Stucco remediation requires a detailed scope of work and if any one procedure is missed, it is likely that problems will arise again. The same concept applies for EIFS remediation.

       Nobody should rely on caulks and sealants because over time, caulks and sealants always tend to fail from either movement, degradation from sunlight, or from temperature. Water is always bound to get behind the exterior cladding of a building. It doesn't matter if its brick, vinyl siding, stucco, stone, or EIFS, water will find a way through it. If you install a drainage plane and flashing with this type of mentality, you will never have to worry about water coming into the building.    

Stucco is a cement based product. The thing with cement based products is that they are porous which means they absorb water. For example; when a stone, a sidewalk, or a brick gets wet, it becomes darker because it absorbs the water. The same concept applies with stucco.  Stucco has a full absorption rate of about 15 seconds. That means traditional stucco only takes 15 seconds for water to fully absorb all the way through the stucco. 

After 15 seconds, the moisture then hits the drainage plane. The drainage plane is made up of a drainage system that directs the moisture down to find an exit. The installation of the drainage system is made up of simple step procedures set by the building codes and standards. If any one of the step procedures is not followed, it may cause major problems. Such problems are mold, moisture damage, termites, or even structural damage. The only way to properly install a new drainage system in place of a faulty drainage system is to tear down the existing (to the substrate) from the bottom of any starting point (i.e. at grade, above a roof line, above a deck or porch) to the top where the drainage system would end (i.e. soffit areas, under decks) and then re-install the drainage system by following the procedures set in place. 

If homeowners aren't seeing direct water infiltration in their home (i.e. windows, doors, basements, floors, ceilings, or the stucco buckling and pulling away from the wall) the other most common cause to homeowners realizing that they have a stucco issue is that there was an inspection performed where moisture content readings were taken of the sheathing. Unknowingly that a “stucco patch” or a “stucco repair” are one of the worst attempts to fix the problem, homeowners are caught using these phrases almost every time. A stucco patch or repair is only and will ever only be an attempt to fix the problem. It is not a solution and will never be a solution. The only way to fix it properly and be able to guarantee the performed stucco remediation project is to re-install a new drainage system as explained in the paragraph above. 

There is no minimally invasive way to determine the cause of the failure without opening up the wall and knowing exactly how the system was installed. It could just be one contributing factor that’s causing the failure, or it could be multiple factors. Attempting a patch or a repair is like putting a Band-Aid that’s waiting to fall off. The repair might seem like a fix in that localized area where the suspected damage is, but if the system was not installed properly in the one area then it would only be a matter of time until another part of the system would fail. That means it’s time for another patch. Now the wall will start to look like a chessboard with all of these patches and repairs because for those who don’t know, a patch or repair can never match the existing texture or color unless given the right circumstances which are very rare. 

A repair on one area of a wall is putting a new proper drainage system surrounded by a faulty drainage system. In time when the rest of the system fails and has to be re-installed, does the repair that was put in place stay on the wall? The more time allowed for the system to fail as a whole, the more is allowed for the damage to accumulate. Damage caused by stucco failure grows at an exponential rate. The sooner the problem is resolved as a whole, the more money anybody will save in the long run. In the long run, more damage accumulating means more time and money spent in labor and material. This is why it is best when doing stucco remediation to do it from top to bottom and to terminating ends going left and right like maybe an inside corner to an outside corner. If you perform a stucco patch and try to tie into the existing stucco system above and below the patch, there is no guaranteeing the patch to function properly with the rest of the system. 



Sincerely,

Jerry Guzzo
Owner Guzzo Stucco

October is ALMOST Over!

Wow! October is almost over already! Guzzo Stucco has been conducting a fundraiser for the South Jersey Breast Cancer Coalition. We chose a local South Jersey breast cancer patient that is currently in treatment, and we are funding her bilateral mastectomy surgery.

How have we been doing this?

With all YOUR help!! We have received the most feedback through our social media contests. We have five active social networks that we are constantly updating and providing you with the newest information on, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram. For every 10 new followers and likes on each of these networks we are donating $5.00, and we have received THOUSANDS of new likes and followers within the past three weeks! We received over 900 NEW likes on Google+ alone! The second way we are fundraising is through testimonials and reviews! We went back through the decades and reached out to all our past and current clients and asked them if they could write a review and testimonial on their services received, and we would donate $10.00 on their behalf!

But wait it gets better! We haven't asked anyone to donate a penny, we are doing all the donating ourselves! At the end of the month everyone that has helped and participated in our fundraiser will be receiving a Breast Cancer Awareness Gift from Guzzo Stucco & the South Jersey Breast Cancer Coalition!

Our Fundraiser and Social Media Contests will end at midnight on October 31st, 2013!!

Visit www.guzzostucco.com to like and follow all our social networks, find out what online directories we are listed on, OR email us with your testimonial!

October has been a great month for Guzzo Stucco, we finished up the AMC Marlton 8 in Marlton, New Jersey and will have pictures of before, during and after next week on Transformation Tuesday! We also completed many residential homes that ranged from top to bottom re-modeling and small stucco repairs!

Have a Stucco or Masonry project, repair, or issue? Send us your pictures at info@guzzostucco.com and we can send you your free estimate with 48 hours!

Here is the Weekly Results of the "Natalia Reyes Bilateral Mastectomy Fundraiser" 

Facebook: 252 Likes
Twitter: 274 Followers
Google+: 1053 Likes
Pinterest: 20 Followers
Instagram: 11 Followers
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1,610 New Likes/Followers
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Please share our pages and fundraiser with your friends and family to help us raise as much money as possible! 

We couldn't be happier and more grateful for all your help with such a great cause! 

Masonry Monday: Guzzo Stucco featured a beautiful Pitman, New Jersey Project PART 1!

Transformation Tuesday: Guzzo Stucco featured the same Pitman, New Jersey Project PART 2! But this time the home exterior was remodeled from top to bottom! The Before & After Transformation will blow your mind!

Work of the Week Wednesday: EIFS-  insulated stucco system using EPS foam boards to give an R-Value to the wall assembly. 

Throwback Thursday: Guzzo Stucco featured, Owner Jerry Guzzo on the job with a carpenter contractor in 1989!

CLICK HERE to see all our new Pinterest Boards & Pins!

CLICK HERE to start following us on Instagram!

CLICK HERE to see our New Stucco Patch Page!

Warm Regards, 

Caitlin Nicke 

SMO Marketing Director 

caitlin@guzzostucco.com

Guzzo Stucco Masonry, Inc

www.guzzostucco.com 

3501 D'Ippolito Dr.

Vineland, NJ 08360

P: 856-690-8888

F: 856-690-8890

Thank-you! Thank-you! Thank-you!

October is a very exciting month at Guzzo Stucco! If you follow our Social Networks you have seen that we are sponsoring South Jersey Breast Cancer Coalition to help raise money for Natalia Reyes Bilateral Mastectomy Surgery!  

How can you help? Well, there is 2 different ways! 

If you are a current or past customer of Guzzo Stucco, you can visit any of our online directories, such as Google Places, Yelp, or Bing and post a Review of our services! Once completed and we receive notification we will donate $10.00 on your behalf! 

If you have not used Guzzo Stucco services, you can still help! How? By connecting with us online! Like and Follow one or all of our Social Networks; Facebook,  Twitter, Google+, Pinterest! For every 10 New Followers or Likes on each network we will donate $5.00 on your behalf! 

Weekly Results: 

Facebook: 132 New Likes

Twitter: 88 New Followers

Google+: 434 New Followers

Pinterest: 2 New Followers

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656 Total New Likes/Followers

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Please share our pages and fundraiser with your friends and family to help us raise as much money as possible! 

We couldn't be happier and more grateful for all your help with such a great cause! 

Masonry Monday: Guzzo Stucco featured a beautiful Ocean City, New Jersey Project 

Transformation Tuesday: Guzzo Stucco featured the Before & After Transformation of this Cherry Hill Home! 

Word of the Week Wednesday: Stone Veneer- used as a protective and decorative covering for exterior or interior walls and surfaces. 

Throwback Thursday: Guzzo Stucco featured a project from 1986 with owner, Jerry Guzzo, upon completion of "South Side Cleaners" masonry store front! 

CLICK HERE to see our NEW Pinterest Boards and Pins!

CLICK HERE to see our NEW Stucco Siding Page! 

Have a question about a project or need a FREE estimate? Email your pictures to info@guzzostucco.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible! Or Call 1-856-690-8888! 

How to "Stucco"

When we talk about Stucco and EIFS (Exterior Insulated Finish System), everybody needs to understand that stucco is a cement-based product. All types of structures move as far as expansion, contraction, and breathing. Compared to most structures, the wood-based structures expand, contract, and breath the most. When a cement-based product is applied on top of a wood structure, it is always prone to crack no matter how many precautionary measures are taken. The cracking, is any, should be minimal. Things like wire lathe, fibers in the cement, allowing cement the proper time to cure, added layers of mesh embedded in the base coat, and surface finishes that are elastic are all ways to help prevent cracking. When applied on top of a framed structure (whether it's plywood, OSB, or dens-glass), a stucco "system" needs to be installed, more importantly a "drainage system". All that a drainage system consists of in stucco and EIFS is the allowance for an air space with an exit for moisture to drain out while using the proper materials set by the manufacturers and the most current adopted code.

Guzzo Stucco knows how to stucco! Our staff consists of highly trained professionals that have been in the industry for years. Our employees have spent the majority of their time in the industry learning about stucco by working for us. We value our employees and maintain a healthy relationship by training side by side with them to ensure the quality of work that has been instilled in our company since we started in the industry. We do everything by the code set by the IRC (International Residential Code). Wanna learn how to stucco today? Call Guzzo Stucco! 1-856-690-8888

Click Here  to visit our website!