Traditional
stucco is a cement mixture used for siding, usually on Mission
or other Spanish style homes. The cement
is combined with water and inert materials such as sand and lime. Usually,
wooden walls are covered with tar paper and chicken wire or galvanized metal
screening. This framework is then covered with the stucco mixture. Sometimes,
the cement mix is applied directly to specially prepared masonry surfaces.
This
Spanish style home in Miami Springs, Florida has stucco siding. The homeowner,
Kim, sent this photo for our Mystery House series, where you can see
more views of the house.
Although
stucco-sided homes became popular in twentieth century America, the concept
of using cement mixtures in architecture goes back to ancient times. Wall
frescoes by ancient Greeks and Romans were painted on fine-grained hard plaster
surfaces made of gypsum, marble dust and glue.
Stucco techniques
were elaborated by the Italians during the Renaissance and spread through
Europe. This marble dust compound could be molded into decorative shapes,
polished to a sheen or painted.
Many homes
built after the 1950s use a variety of synthetic materials which resemble
stucco. Mock stucco siding is often composed of foam insulation board or cement
panels secured to the walls. Although synthetic stucco may look authentic,
real stucco tends to be heavier. Walls made of genuine stucco sound solid
when tapped and will be less likely to suffer damage from a hard blow. Also,
genuine stucco holds up well in wet conditions. Although it is porous and
will absorb moisture, it will dry easily, without damage to the structure.
One type
of sythetic stucco, known as EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems),
has been associated with moisure problems. The underlying wood on EIFS sided
homes may suffer rot damage. However, other types of synthetic stucco are
quite durable. It's always a wise to have a professional inspection before
purchasing a stucco-sided home.
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