Expansion Gaps Smooth Stucco Siding

Where stucco meets a window door electrical box dryer vent or any other wall penetration you may notice a small expansion gap.

Expansion gaps smooth stucco siding. For these small cracks get a flexible paintable exterior grade caulk. Wipe away any excess caulk. Unsanded caulk has a smooth appearance and texture. This affected most of the fiberboard between the patio and house.

The pro s first step will be to power wash the home. A stucco pro will simply apply a new texture over the existing one. Quikrete has a stucco repair product that is textured to match the surrounding stucco and can fill gaps up to 1 2 an inch wide. Fill any low spots or remaining gaps with additional caulking until the gap.

Gaps are normal and should be expected since dissimilar materials expand at different rates. The manufacturer requires a 3 16 gap at the end of each piece of siding. Hardie boards should be joined in moderate contact. The process of smoothing stucco in most cases there s no need to remove the old stucco to create a smoother surface.

Wet your finger and gently wipe the caulk in the gap to give it a smooth rounded appearance. It has a grainy texture and appearance. James hardie recommends that a slip sheet joint flashing is installed behind each butt joint in the siding. There is no need to leave a gap for expansion.

Caulk can be either sanded or unsanded. If there are minor cracks in your stucco this is a project that most san francisco homeowners can tackle if they want to. Asphalt saturated fiberboard designed for expansion joints. Use sanded caulk any time you use sanded grout and in joints 1 8 inch or wider.

But on the exterior gaps in stucco siding can lead not only to further degradation of the stucco but also to a host of nasty issues mold growth for example or pest infestations. Sanded caulk has particles in it that help it adhere to wet surfaces and expand in larger gaps without cracking. One reason for the porous nature of the gap can be attributed to old asphalt saturated fiberboard that had fallen apart. This includes butt joints and places where the siding terminates vertically against windows doors and other fixtures.

After that the pro will apply a new stucco base coat.