Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

[kfc510]

Checked out a house today. Lots of questionable (to be kind) work. But the specific issue I was asked to look at was the stucco.

It looks like they applied some sort of finish paint/whatever coat directly to the brown coat instead of a color coat. Maybe it was elastomeric paint at one time, but it seems more like a cement/paint blend.

Anyone seen this before?
kevin

[Allan Edwards]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

That is elastomeric paint, looks like the finish coat is flaking off with the paint. The "lath" looks like chain link fencing? Probably just a horrible stucco job all the way around.

[kfc510]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

That is elastomeric paint, looks like the finish coat is flaking off with the paint. The "lath" looks like chain link fencing? Probably just a horrible stucco job all the way around.

The hardware cloth in that third pic is simply stuffed in a hole to keep the critters out, that's not the stucco wire. (Not that you aren't right about it being a poor job...)

Does elastomeric paint generally have texture in it? This stuff seemed to have sand/cement impregnated in it.

[Bill Robinson]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

I would call Frank, he is the stucco man.
Tell him I suggested you call him.

[kfc510]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

I would call Frank, he is the stucco man.
Tell him I suggested you call him.

I wasn't sure if I should call my stucco guy or my painter. But I'll definitely send Frank an e-mail with pics. Thanks, Bill.

[MarkMc]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

Does elastomeric paint generally have texture in it? This stuff seemed to have sand/cement impregnated in it.

It does appear that way; and it does when added to the coating. Whether it's an elastomeric or acrylic coating is hard to tell from here - either could have a sand texture as purchased, or added. First check would be film thickness with the latter being around 3-4 mils and the former 12-17 mils. Is the damage localized or is there more widespread blistering/film cracking in evidence?

[kfc510]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

It does appear that way; and it does when added to the coating. Whether it's an elastomeric or acrylic coating is hard to tell from here - either could have a sand texture as purchased, or added. First check would be film thickness with the latter being around 3-4 mils and the former 12-17 mils. Is the damage localized or is there more widespread blistering/film cracking in evidence?

The stuff that's flaking off is approx 1/32" thick. As far as I can tell it's thicker than paint, but thinner than a 3rd/color coat of stucco.

There are dozens of failing spots. On at least two sides of the home it's pretty clear this coating was applied over the entire wall. On a third side it almost looks like paint without the sand/cement/texture directly over the brown coat, and that side is holding up better (also a protected side, tho').

The work was done by the homeowners "handy" father a couple decades ago.

[Bill Robinson]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

I wasn't sure if I should call my stucco guy or my painter. But I'll definitely send Frank an e-mail with pics. Thanks, Bill.

And please let us know what he has to say about it.

[kfc510]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

And please let us know what he has to say about it.

Roger, wilco.

[MarkMc]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

The stuff that's flaking off is approx 1/32" thick. As far as I can tell it's thicker than paint, but thinner than a 3rd/color coat of stucco.

... a couple decades ago.

Possible multiple coating applications by handy dad and prior occupants handy dad? Films don't last forever, and once they do start to crack and blister they can allow more moisture behind, rinse and repeat. At that age that would be most suspect followed by structural 'change.'

[kfc510]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

Possible multiple coating applications by handy dad and prior occupants handy dad? Films don't last forever, and once they do start to crack and blister they can allow more moisture behind, rinse and repeat. At that age that would be most suspect followed by structural 'change.'

Anything's possible... The stuff that has peeled away doesn't appear to me like multiple coats, just one thick coat with some of the brown coat adhered to its backside.

Overall the base layers are in surprisingly good condition. A few cracks here and there, but no more than any other stucco job.

Based on what the HO had described I expected to see large chunks coming loose, or the typical hollow/loose situation when the sheathing has rotted away and the stucco has become load-bearing. But it seems pretty sound overall, just with this weird skin condition.

I wonder, if we scraped it down to the brown coat what the best way to proceed would be.

[MarkMc]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

I wonder, if we scraped it down to the brown coat what the best way to proceed would be.

The whole or just the spots?

[Dick Seibert]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

Yeah, elastomeric, the main brand used arouing here was Tex-cote, sold by Sears and other siding/insulation con-men. Here I'm sandblasting it off the Moraga Catholic church. st monica 1.jpgst monica 2.jpgst monica 3.jpg

As every other crooked company around they have joined the Green Crowd, the stuff works on a surface barrier building, but on a membrane drainage wall structure it's always a failure, trapping moisture in the walls until it starts pealing off. In most cases I recommend tearing all stucco off the building, in the church above there were large concrete walls that were covered with it and all right, so I spent a small fortune sandblasting it off.

[Bill Robinson]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

Dick Seibert; with it and all right, so I spent a small fortune sandblasting it off.

I, I, I, I, I.

Did I tell you what I did?

[kfc510]

Re: Failing paint(?) over brown coat(?) of stucco

The whole or just the spots?

It seems like if you started scraping "the spots" you'd be left with brown coat for the majority of "the whole". On the two sides where it's really doing its thing, anyway. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic(/optimistic) about the adhesion of the rest of the plane, though.

I guess I need advice about both procedures- what to do over the brown coat if only discrete 18" x 30" patches are stripped down, and/or what to do with the entire surface if it is stripped to the brown coat.