Stucco is a plaster used for finishing. It is made of cement, lime, sand, water and some other materials. It is a building material specially designed to suit hot regions. It helps to regulate temperatures. It is nonflammable and very durable.

Stuccoes were first used by the ancient Greeks, the Arabs and the Romans. Over time, their use has spread to other parts of the world and they have become one of the preferred building materials in the United States. They have beautiful surfaces and great strength.

Stuccoes are in two types. There is the traditional type which is also called hard coat. The other is the synthetic type. Hard coats are made mainly from cement. Other materials used are lime and water. Hard coats are durable and can stand up to extreme weather conditions. They are absorbent; hence they dry at a quick rate and are not easily damaged by water. The lime used in making them is organic and act as a preservative.

Installation of hard coat requires a scratch, brown and finish coat. To begin the process, substrate is first installed. Next, a metal lath is added to the substrate. A coat of stucco is then applied using a trowel after which it is left for a while to set. Another hard coat is finally applied.

The synthetic types have been in use since the 1950s. They are made by adding some synthetic materials like fibers and acrylics to the traditional hard coat mixture. The synthetic materials added, make the mixture tougher and more flexible. Synthetics are lighter which makes them more prone to dents. Also, their application process requires just one coat unlike the traditional type that is applied three times.

Maintaining walls with stuccoes is quite easy. Washing them occasionally is all that may be required to keep them looking beautiful. They do not need to be painted. Some pigments could be added while mixing to give the finished product a nice tint.

The product should be examined on a regular basis to see if there are any cracks. Both internal and external stress could result in cracks. Internal cracks are mostly caused by shrinkage. Since the product is made of cement, it shrivels when dried and tends to crack. Extreme weather conditions as well as poor construction jobs cause external cracks to occur.

When cracks are not too severe, they should be mended by applying a whitewash every year. Whitewash contains lime which makes hard coat tough. This prevents water from leaking through. Another option is to apply a paraffin mask, which makes the product resistant to water. Oil mastic can also be used in place of paraffin mask to achieve the same result.

More serious cracks can be remedied by applying any good bonding agent with a brush. This should be followed by a cement and acrylic mixture brush application. After some hours, a final brush coat of cement stucco is then applied as finishing.

Stucco installation charges are quite affordable. It costs about eight dollars for a square foot. The building where it will be used must first be inspected to ascertain the total quantity that would be required. Good quality types should be purchased so as to avoid damage issues in the nearest future.

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