Smooth finish stucco, also known as Santa Barbara finish, is considered one of the most beautiful architectural surfaces. The smooth, variegated texture exudes elegance and is highly demanded for upscale homes and buildings.
Cementitious stucco products, commonly known as Santa Barbara Mission Finish, Santa Barbara Finish, and Smooth Coat, can achieve a range of smooth and semi-smooth finishes. These products were designed to create an old- world finish reminiscent of the early California missions and other early types of plasters.
The sand stucco finish, also known as float, is arguably one of the most popular types of stucco finish. The name “sand” comes from its grainy appearance as actual sand is mixed in with the stucco to achieve its texture. The end result can be more fine or coarse depending on the type of sand you use.
The Santa Barbara finish is known for its subtle texture and is lighter than a traditional smooth finish. It's often achieved using a fine cement-based finish which is applied thinly to attain that slightly mottled look.
Stucco can come in a variety of different textures and finishes to achieve your desired aesthetic. Stucco with a smooth finish is more expensive than textured stucco because more skill and precision are needed during application.
Three coat is the original stucco process, consisting of paper and wire, a scratch coat, a brown coat, and a finish, or “top” coat.
LACE TEXTURE
The lace finish is the most common found on homes and is usually what people think of when they think of stucco.
Traditional stucco is more durable, fire resistant, and has greater longevity, being able to last up to 50 years with low maintenance. Traditional stucco is also very porous and dries out quickly, while synthetic stucco is not and can have water damage issues if not installed properly.
The brown coat is applied over the scratch coat to prepare the plaster base for the finish coat application. The three coats consist of two base coats and one finish coat. The first base coat is called a scratch coat, the second is called a brown coat. In two coat work, there is a single base coat and a finish coat.
The smooth, thin layer of traditional stucco finish is prone to cracking, especially if there is any movement or vibration in the building structure. Some minor cracking is expected, but excessive cracking can detract from the aesthetic appeal.
There are a few simple tests that any homeowner can perform to determine whether he or she has EIFS or traditional stucco. Go outside and knock on an outer “stucco” wall of your home. If it sounds hollow, there is a good chance you have EIFS.
A sand finish has a more delicate texture than the dash one. Sometimes, a heavy sand stucco finish can look like a thin dash finish.
In order to get optimum results, you need to finish the stucco with a sealant that resists water penetration, but still allows any moisture that gets behind the wall to exit in the form of vapor.
When the entire process is completed, fine sand finish stucco has a delicate and soft look that is less noticeable than other types of stucco like a dash finish. The sand granules only slightly stand out from the stucco, giving it a bit of texture and enhanced appearance.
EIFS is more flexible than traditional stucco and consists of a moisture barrier, foam insulation, cement basecoat, reinforcing fiberglass mesh and an acrylic finish. Synthetic stucco is 80% lighter than traditional hard-coat and relatively durable, due to containing fiberglass.
Builders apply stucco finish on the exterior of a building or home in multiple layers to a thickness of about one inch. Stucco comes in various colors and texture finish types, from smooth to textured, and, depending on the stucco's application, can achieve a number of different aesthetic textures.
Cracking. Cracks in your stucco walls cause water to seep in, which is a serious problem. It is tricky to tell if your home has been affected by these deep stucco cracks, but cracks are always an indicator that you need to call a contractor.
Vinyl siding! In the battle of stucco vs vinyl siding, there's no contest. Vinyl siding is more energy efficient, durable and easy to maintain. All of this at a fraction of the cost.
Spanish Lace is probably the most common type of stucco in the US for good reasons: 1) Its the easiest stucco to apply.
Use DAP Elastopatch Pro-Grade Elastomeric Patching Compound to fill reoccurring gaps and/or cracks up to ¼ inch wide x ½ inch deep. Available in smooth and textured finishes, it provides a permanently flexible fill that won't crack, crumble or fall out as the surface expands and contracts over time.
Three Coat Stucco Systems
As its name suggests, three coat stucco is applied in three layers: 3/8-inch thick scratch coat, 3/8-inch thick brown coat, and approximate 1/8-inch thick finish coat.
Stucco foam, better known as Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS), has accelerated building energy efficiency for over half a century. In the 1950s, it was initially developed in Europe to reduce structures' heating/cooling costs.
Cost. Installing stucco finishes can be more expensive than traditional drywall. The cost varies depending on the complexity of the design and the skill of the installer.
Lath is the first step in the cement stucco process. It consists of water resistant paper, wire mesh and other metal components that make up the required preparation before the cement can be applied. It attaches to the walls of your home and is the foundation for applying stucco.