Living in Texas has its perks, but the scorching hot temperatures can be tough on the exterior of your property. Stucco siding is designed to withstand the Texas climate and provides a fire-resistant protection – mitigating some of life’s hazard risks and giving you peace of mind – while making sure that no matter how intensely hot it gets outside, your home won’t go up in flames. Affluent Exteriors is a fully insured, complete EIFS or Stucco exteriors contractor. We provide traditional stucco, EIFS/Synthetic Finish services throughout the state of Texas.

What are the advantages of EIFS?

One of the main advantages of EIFS is that it acts as a great insulator. Indeed, it literally wraps the exterior in an energy-efficient thermal envelope. It also decreases air filtration, stabilizes the interior, and reduces energy consumption.

EIFS also provides a rich, more uniform appearance than regular color stucco. At the same time, it is a more flexible material. This makes it less prone to cracking than traditional stucco. EIFS are also among the most water-resistent exterior surfaces you can put on a house.

As with all wall systems, however, EIFS must be correctly installed and to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. An improper mixture or too much moisture can easily damage an improperly installed synthetic stucco system. This is important since EIFS is not a breathable material. Thus, you need to seal all flashings around windows and doors to prevent water intrusion. It’s also important to address cracks in the EIFS system to prevent water damage.

Traditional Stucco

Stucco is a cement-type mixture of Portland cement, lime, sand, and water. It is a thin finish coating that goes on the outermost layer of residential and commercial constructions.

Modern stucco has polymers and other agents for increased flexibility that improves its resilience. Stucco is very durable, with most warranties extending up to 20 years.

There are three types of stucco to choose from?

1-coat system: use a blend of Portland cement, sand, fibers, chemicals and water. This method only requires a single application and is typically applied over the rigid foam board or lath to provide durable siding.

2-coat system: use a traditional stucco mix, but it’s used for concrete, brick and block walls. Instead of using the metal lathe, a bonding adhesive is used on the wall before two coats of stucco are applied.

3-coat system: use a mixture of cement, sand, fiberglass, acrylic additives and water. This method uses three different layers, starting with a water-proofing underlayment, a layer of furred chicken wire and a base layer of stucco. Finally, a finish coat is added to create texture and choose the color.

What are the advantages of a Stucco Finish?

Stucco is very appealing for many reasons. It’s versatile, long-lasting and easy to maintain.

An advantage of stucco is that it can be applied over any surface, including wood and brick. A 1-inch coat of stucco can provide a one-hour firewall rating, which means it can prevent the spread of fire from one of the wall to the other for at least one hour. With wildfires ravaging communities and homes over recent years, stucco is becoming a popular siding option.

Stucco can well last over 50 years with proper maintenance. It can expand and contract with the weather to sustain critical damage, unlike other siding options. It’s also resistant to mold, rot, and mildew.

Finally, stucco is very easy to keep clean and well-maintained. Pressure washing the exterior once a year is enough to prevent dirt build up in the pores. Any small cracks can easily be fixed with paint or sealants to leave the finish as new.

Why Is It Important to Schedule Prompt Crack Repair

Although hairline cracks aren’t as deep or wide as larger cracks, it’s still important to schedule your stucco repair promptly. Even a small crack will allow moisture to seep into the walls causing further damage over time. This can include wooden framing to rot, create an environment for mold growth, ruin the drywall, and more requiring extensive repairs than a straightforward stucco crack repair.

Repairing stucco before it causes additional damage is an investment in your property. Our elastomeric stucco crack repair services can keep you property in good condition.

Why Does Stucco Crack?

There are a number of reasons why stucco develops cracks. Often, it occurs due to the shift in the ground or foundation over time. Structural loads, the expansion and contraction of the structure, direct overexposure from the sun, and changes in temperature can also lead to cracks over time.

Put your trust in Affluent Exteriors to help with your EIFS or Stucco maintenance and repair.

At Affluent Exteriors, we adhere to the highest standards of workmanship for our EIFS and Stucco projects so that we can deliver the best possible contractor services and products to our clients. We perform all of our repair work with an eye toward reducing the risks of future cracks and approach each repair using a variety of methods, such as using fiberglass mesh or stucco-sand elastomeric caulking materials. Our repair methods are aligned with national standards established by industry organizations. These include the National Wall and Ceiling Bureau (NWCB) and the American Standards for Testing Materials (ASTM). Contact us to request and estimate for your EIFS or stucco crack repair.