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Art Bryan
Art Bryan is president and owner of Southwestern Remodeling Contractors, Inc. Art started Southwestern Remodeling Contractors in 1970. Southwestern is a fully-licensed residential and commercial licensed general contractor in Wichita and the surrounding counties. Art has been a member of the Wichita Area Home Builders Association and the National Remodel Council since 1974. In mid-2000 Southwestern received the distinction of being named one of the "Top 25 Most Diversified Remodeling Companies in the United States.” Southwestern is listed as the 84th Top Remodeler in the country by Qualified Remodeling Magazine. Art can be contacted at his office at (316) 263-1239, fax at (316) 263-6230, or you can e-mail him at ARTSWR@aol. Com
Home Improvement
2003-07-01 13:54:00
How do you do stucco? Is it affordable?
Answer:  The answer your last question is yes, you can put stucco on an existing home.  Now let me go into a little more detail for you.The first step would be to remove your existing siding.  One of the most important things to do at this time is to check the existing boxing, and door and window trims on your home.  All wood should be checked carefully for any rot or moisture.   Any damaged wood should be replaced.  This is the perfect time to consider replacing any windows or doors that are not energy efficient.  In today's marketplace your design choices for window and door systems are unlimited.  Once the stucco has been installed, the time and cost to do any replacements will be  greatly increased.  Stucco is made from Portland cement, sand, lime and water.  Because stucco can be tricky to apply, and preparing a frame house for stucco installation can be time consuming and labor intensive - consider hiring a professional contractor.  This is not a do it yourself job.  The estimated time for this project depends not only on the weather, but also on the size and design of your home. The cost of stucco is approximately $10.50 to $11.50 per square foot.Most contractors will take care and choose an overcast day.  Excessive heat can dry the stucco prematurely, which causes shrinking and cracking.  Conversely, cool temperatures make the stucco too stiff for troweling.  The ideal temperature for installing stucco is between 50 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit.On a wood framed a home the first step is to install a vapor barrier.  There are a wide range of products available for this purpose, but this is definitely not an area to 'scrimp' on.  This is one of the most important steps taken to protect your home from moisture. Then a  base strip, on which to attach a steel mesh, will need to be nailed on to the home.  Once the steel mesh is attached to the house the three steps for applying stucco can begin.The first layer, known as the scratch coat, is put on with enough pressure to set the mix into the weave of the steel mesh, approximately 3/8 inch thick.  This surface is then scratched before it hardens.  The second coat, the brown coat, should also be about 3/8 inch thick.  Its purpose is to furnish a uniformly smooth finished plane and provide uniform plaster suction over the entire surface.  After the second coat has moisture cured, at least 48 hours, the third and final layer can be applied.  In most cases this layer of stucco is only 1/8 inch to ¼ inch thick; it is also referred to as the finish coat, topcoat or color coat.  There are several finishes that can be produced on this coat.   Allow from 10 days to 3 weeks for the completion of this project.Another product you might consider is called Drive-It.  This product was developed in the 70s and has become a very popular alternative to stucco.  It offers more flexibility and is a far superior product.The beginning process is much the same as stucco.  On an existing frame home, the  siding must be removed and a vapor barrier installed.  One of the most popular is a product called Vy-Tek.  Once the vapor barrier is in place an insulation board is installed.  This insulates the entire wall surface, enhancing the energy efficiency of the wall as well as making your home noticeably quieter.  Expanded  polystyrene (EPS) boards wrap the exterior and adds an R-value of 4.17 per inch over the entire wall.The insulation board is a styrofoam system that can be custom formed for unique wall designs, and details such as moldings, arches and revels, that are costly or impossible with other claddings.A base coat with a continuous layer of fiberglass reinforcing mesh is then applied over the insulation board.  There are different weights of mesh to provide the impact resistance which best suits the application.  Base coats are designed to adhere in the most demanding conditions.  Allow the base coat to dry hard (normally 8 - 10 hours) before proceeding to the finish coat.The finish coat is then applied.  With a wide range of standard colors and the ability to match non-standard colors, your color options are unlimited.  The color is incorporated into the finish coat to ensure long-term color retention and provide the highest level of dirt and mildew-resistance. Whether you want an exotic stone-like appearance or need a traditional stucco look, there are finish products available to suit the project.The cost is approximately $9.50 to $10.50 per square foot, and can be installed in about half the time as stucco.The versatility of this product is unlimited.  You will find little to compare it to in the areas of aesthetics, flexibility of design, insulation value, noise reduction, color selection, and time and economy of construction.
 
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