The exterior of a home can be made up of many different materials, and one popular and durable material to use for your home’s exterior is stucco. Stucco is the reliable finish that will flatter the exterior of your home with its seamless application, as it has been doing for centuries. The outer layer of the exterior and cladding of your home should be complementary to its architectural style while serving the home with a secure and affordable finish, which is exactly what stucco does.

Before you become set on using stucco finish on your home, find out what process of applying it entails and, most importantly, how long it takes to dry.

Why use stucco

Stucco goes on the outer layer of a home’s exterior, making it the most visible. Stucco is versatile in the way it can be applied to the exterior of your home and will easily allow you to create embellishments when using it. Stucco is a mixture that is most like cement and contains sand, Portland cement, and lime. As it is no longer viable to mix stucco yourself with raw ingredients, you can purchase pre-mixed stucco and stucco repair kits at most home improvement stores.

Because stucco is so affordable and one of the most manageable finishes, it remains unbeatable compared to more expensive and high-maintenance exterior finishes.

Applying stucco to your home

Stucco can be applied on a wood-sheath home, but additional materials are required, like concrete masonry. Mesh is a traditionally used method when installing stucco. Using mesh involves applying the stucco over wood or wire lath.

Applying stucco can ultimately be difficult and time-consuming, especially for those with little to no experience using stucco on a house exterior. Because of such a laborious application process, most people forgo doing it themselves and hire a professional team of stucco painters instead. Hiring professional stucco painters may seem like it could significantly inflate your home exterior budget, but applying stucco correctly through professionals will determine the longevity of your finishing. Typically, stucco should last for about fifty years in your home without pronounced deterioration and hiring professionals will enforce the strength of your stucco application.

Waiting for your stucco finish to dry

Your stucco finish drying properly will determine the quality and durability of the application. After applying your stucco finish initially, you wait 48 hours before applying the brown coat. If you want to paint over your stucco exterior, waiting for your stucco to cure is recommended and typically takes a standard of 7-14 days if you are eager, but 30 days is the standard cure time. If you begin to paint too soon, your stucco can become dry and cracked.

Taking notice of the weather before you begin to apply your stucco helps ensure that its tricky application won’t be for naught. Stucco should usually dry for 48 hours before being subjected to rainy or foggy weather. For stucco to dry and set completely, it will take about 90 days.

For the past 20 years, Golden Trowel Stucco has been providing top quality stucco services in Calgary. We are recognized for our quality craftsmanship, our friendly attitude and our commitment to our customers. We can help you with all your stucco needs, including stucco installation, stucco painting and stucco repairs in Calgary. Whether you need it for your home or your commercial property, we can help you with our services. Stucco is a low maintenance and worry-free exterior surface that can completely change your home, so take advantage of it with our services. ≈≈≈. Call us at 403-891-5343 anytime for a free on-site estimate.

One of the benefits of stucco exterior is that it rarely needs to be completely replaced. Instead, a simple update is more than sufficient to get your home looking brand new once again.

The process of updating your stucco exterior is fairly straightforward, so let’s take a look at the steps you would need to take.

Updating a Stucco Exterior

Wash Your Exterior

The first course of action is to pressure wash the side of your home. By removing the dirt and other debris, you’re better able to see if there are any cracks in your stucco that will need to be patched. Additionally, this will give you a clean surface for when you add the paint.

Allow the stucco to dry completely before continuing to the next step.

Fill the Cracks

You will need acrylic-based caulk to fill any cracks on the exterior of your stucco. Depending on the size of the gap, use a caulking gun or a putty knife.

Don’t be concerned by the presence of splits in your stucco. Alberta’s weather can take a toll on our homes, but stucco has the ability to stand up to extreme climates. A few cracks here or there is a small reflection of the rain and wind that your stucco resists. That said, this may be a step that you can skip entirely. Based on the age of your home and the conditions it experiences, it may not need to be patched.

Prime the Wall

In preparation for the paint job, you will need to prime the stucco. Use a paint roller to cover your exterior with an acrylic-based sealant.

Allow the stucco to dry completely before painting.

Paint

A fresh coat of paint is a simple way to update your stucco exterior, but the results are perhaps the most noticeable. Whether it’s a new colour or simply a refresh of the original one, your home will be feeling brand new.

First, paint the top and bottom edges of your walls. This creates a border to work within so that when you paint the remainder of the wall, the paint won’t accidentally get on the roof or the like.

If you are wanting to add a second coat, ensure the paint is completely dried before starting round two.

Updating stucco exterior entails relatively few steps but does require patience as you wait approximately a day between each step. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional specializing in stucco exterior in Calgary if you want further information or assistance.

Golden Trowel Stucco has been providing Calgary homes and commercial properties with top-quality stucco services. For the past 20 years, we have been the number one stucco contractors in the Calgary and Greater Calgary area. We can completely change your property for the better with our stucco services, including stucco installations, stucco, and exterior painting, and stucco repairs in Calgary. We’re flexible and ready to help you when you need it. Call us on 403-891-5343 anytime.

The exterior of your home is often overlooked when it comes to repairs, maintenance and saving money. This may be understandable on account of the endearing quality and craftsmanship of siding material like Calgary stucco. However, overlooking the key effects and benefits of your home’s exterior can cause problems and cost an undue amount of money.

Therefore, it is essential that you understand the true value of exteriors, and in particular, stucco in Calgary. Below, we look at how this material outshines the regular competition, like vinyl and wood panelling.

How Calgary Stucco Helps You Save Money

Maintenance-Free

First on our list of benefits, the relatively low or nonexistent maintenance of stucco. Stucco painting is a rarity for necessity, although it is a popular way to refresh the facade of your home. Plus, even for minor chips or dings, the repair and replacement are quick and easy.

Long-Lasting

Stucco is also long-lasting and can even exceed the lifetime of its top competitor, vinyl siding. As one of the oldest building materials in existence, there is a good reason for stucco to remain near the top in terms of durability and utility. The ability for this material to resist harsh weather elements like rain, snow and sleet also makes it popular in our Northern climates, as much as the low cost and availability make it common in other parts of the world.

Fire-Resistant

Finally, stucco is fire-resistant, meaning that it will protect you and your neighbours in the event of a fire. This may seem like a less common problem in our current day, but in the past, it made stucco one of the strongest options for building materials. Even now, the continued prevalence and favour that stucco enjoys is partially as a result of its remarkable ability to stave off the spread of fire. In fact, certain insurance providers will discount your premiums just for having a stucco exterior.

Golden Trowel Stucco has been providing Calgary homes and commercial properties with top-quality stucco services. For the past 20 years, we have been the number one stucco contractors in the Calgary and Greater Calgary area. We can completely change your property for the better with our stucco services, including stucco installations, stucco and exterior painting, and stucco repairs in Calgary. We’re flexible and ready to help you when you need it. Call us on 403-891-5343 anytime.

Stucco is a favourite siding choice because of the tremendous benefits that come with it. Why? Because it can create the exact appearance, a homeowner has in mind for their house. But that’s only one of the reasons why stucco is such a popular choice.

What is Stucco?

In basic terms, stucco is a mixture of cement, sand, lime and water that creates a solid layer that works as a coating for a property’s exterior. With its range of colours, different textures, including course, pebbled, raked, smooth and swirled, stucco can be applied to many properties, including commercial.

The Benefits of Stucco in Calgary

Durability

Let’s get straight to the point: stucco is a durable material that can be used throughout your home. As such, you can expect that it endures Calgary’s erratic and powerful weather (from snowstorms to blistering heat). It will also be resistant to mildew, mould and rot. You can expect this mixture to last up to 50 years.

Low-Level Maintenance

You don’t want to spend any extra money on protecting your home. That’s what makes stucco so popular: it’s a low-level maintenance material. Compared to other siding options, stucco does not need to be repeatedly painted, reinstalled, replaced or regularly cleaned. The cost of stucco repair is even cheaper than expected if you even need it. The only effort required is to give it a shiny look, which requires you to wash it with a power washer now and then.

Easy Installation

The installation of stucco, including drying time, only takes about two days to complete. Compared to other options, that’s super fast and quick. That also means that the cost of the installation is lower than other options. As mentioned above, you’ll also get to enjoy a wealth of colours at your choosing.

Add Value to Your Home

As stucco is energy-efficient, fire-resistant, low maintenance, and adds great curb appeal, you can expect a boom in the value of your home. Simultaneously, it can improve home insurance premiums as there are so many benefits to it.

Cost-Effective

When you combine the durability, the low-level maintenance, the easy installation and the value added to your home, you can see that stucco is a worthwhile cost-effective investment.

Get Calgary Stucco for Your Home

If you wish to experience the benefits of stucco in Calgary, then it’s best to look for an experienced professional to administer the installation for you. To get the longest-lasting performance, you’ll want to choose a highly experienced stucco contractor with a track record for superior workmanship. Make sure you look for installation services with a labour warranty and a variety of options. Having stucco in your home can transform it for the better, saving you money over the years.

External insulation and finishing systems (EIFS) or stucco in Calgary? Which is better? This is the question we hope to answer in the article below. However, to answer the question, we must first understand each type of material.

What is Stucco and EIFS?

What is Stucco?

Stucco in Calgary is a mixture of portland cement, water, and other mineral materials. The first step is to install a wire mesh in the area. Next, the application of stucco occurs in several layers until we achieve the desired thickness and appearance. In some cases, the use of styling tools allows for a unique or exciting finish after application.

Stucco has many benefits, especially for its long history. The ability to make homes out of what is essentially, mouldable rock, has been a great boon for humanity throughout history. It would undoubtedly take a great material to replace the utility that stucco, as a material, has historically enjoyed.

What is EIFS?

EIFS is an external insulation system made of different types of polystyrene and fibreglass. When you install EIFS, the process is often similar. The polystyrene is attached to the fibreglass netting to give it a rigid structure, and multiple layers can be placed over the top, depending on the building specifications. Furthermore, EIFS can also have moulds or holes cut or precut to facilitate better other parts intricate to the building, such as drainage pipes and more.

EIFS has many benefits since its introduction back in the 1960s. Excellent insular properties, relatively cheap production, and fantastic handling make this material an excellent choice for quick construction projects, normal development and much more.

Why Stucco in Calgary Wins

Stucco wins the contest for a few reasons. First, the legacy of stucco gives it a fairly substantial crack at the prize, and secondly, the ease and material collection of stucco seals the deal. While it is true that EIFS might have better insular properties, ultimately, if you were trapped somewhere looking to build a permanent structure, there is only one choice. A mixture of rocks and minerals, as opposed to a material generated through specialized, exacting chemical processes. Even using the rebar-reinforcement is easier to acquire and produce, as opposed to fibreglass matting.

What do you think is better? Let us know on our social media pages!