Stucco panels on tudor

Jon mackay · 04-03-2011, 05:39 AM

This tudor style house is not too common in our area and I wanted to make sure I was reporting properly on the condition of the stucco panels.

Overall, they looked to be in good condition but at the base areas, some darkening was noted which I am assuming is water wicking up from lack of maintenance.

Is there any information on the care and maintenance of these panels as well as inspecting them?

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**John Kogel** · 04-03-2011, 08:21 AM

I just say caulking is needed, but those edges look particularly bad, so I would warn of the chance of damage behind the stucco there.
I would then call for smashing the interior wall with a Mike Holmes fist.

I'm sure someone's going to hijack this thread to talk about those guard rails on the deck. Me first.

Is that vent stack for a radon system? A plumbing vent wouldn't need a cap. Sorry, thread drift too early in the game.

Back to the walls. I would use a moisture meter on that, inside and out. Maybe go as far as advising an IR scan, if I couldn't make a determination by then.

**Markus Keller** · 04-03-2011, 08:49 AM

I recommend immediate repairs if in that condition to avoid further damage. The longer those seams open, the more damage, the more cost. Annual assessment, regular maintenance usually every 2-3 years depending on quality of products used.
My Delmhorst meter has an extension probe. I would definitely stick it into the walls to check for moisture levels. As John mentioned, check the inside walls too.

**Fred Comb** · 04-03-2011, 10:11 AM

That's not stucco!
Looks like hardboard (4x8 or 9' sheets) made to look like stucco. Back in the 70's we called it Stuccato Board. See nail head, lower right corner of second photo. The base of these panels wick moisture and degrades just like basic hardboard siding. Siding is toast - budget to replace.

**Jerry Peck** · 04-03-2011, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Fred Comb

That's not stucco!
Looks like hardboard (4x8 or 9' sheets) made to look like stucco. Back in the 70's we called it Stuccato Board. See nail head, lower right corner of second photo.

Looks like stucco to me, even with that nail there - there is only one nail and if that was nailed to a stud there should be other nails above it and below it.

I've seen that stucco board, but that does not look like it ... at least to me. The pattern in that stucco board repeats itself and I don't see a repeating pattern in those photos (albeit that the photos are not showing the overall wall area).

The base of these panels wick moisture and degrades just like basic hardboard siding. Siding is toast - budget to replace.

Fred,

Now you have me really confused:
A) You say that "Siding is toast "
B) then you say "budget to replace"

If the "Siding is toast" then why would you not write it up for replacement? Why would you say to budget to replace something which is toast?

**Steve Duchene** · 04-03-2011, 08:50 PM

That is a product made by Masonite called Stuccatto. It came in 8' and 9' sheets. It is still available on a special order basis for replacement. The problem with it is it wicks up moisture at the bottom edges because the trim overlays do not allow water to drain away and the joint is never caulked where they meet to keep the moisture from entering. Not one of their best products.

**Mark Parlee** · 04-03-2011, 09:12 PM

That looks like the style we were building in the late 70's
If it is that old then it is not in as bad of shape as I would expect. The siding does need replaced. They were relying on the sealant joint to keep the moisture out and sealant is a maintenance item. The current code requires all protruding wood trim be protected by a metal flashing and has since the 2000 IRC.

**Fred Comb** · 04-03-2011, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Fred,

Now you have me really confused:
A) You say that "Siding is toast "
B) then you say "budget to replace"

If the "Siding is toast" then why would you not write it up for replacement? Why would you say to budget to replace something which is toast?

I apologize if my comment, "siding is toast, budget to replace" was confusing.

**David Bertrams** · 04-04-2011, 05:58 AM

Whatever that stuff is, stucco or stucco board, there should be flashing over the belly band.

**Scott Patterson** · 04-04-2011, 06:26 AM

Oh, I don't think that those stains are all that bad.... But from a picture it is almost impossible to tell. Were those dark areas soft?

We could even be looking at a plaster/stucco finish over a cementitious type panel. I don't think that it is a hardboard produce like Stuccatto, that product has a smoother apperance and as Jerry noted the pattern repeats itself.

William Brady · 04-04-2011, 07:25 AM

I see a lot of stucco and so I have two comments.

1. The nail looks like it is popping out of the surface of the panel and that leads me to think it is not stucco.

2. Because the stain is along the entire bottom it concerns me in that if it were stucco you might see it in one place or another but not that way. You do see that condition if the stucco is being watered every day by a sprayer of some kind. Usually from hard water and then the stain would be a brown color. That angle piece in the second photo has it also.

It is hard to tell one way or the other in these photo's but my guess would be something other than stucco. Tap on it or stick it with a meter at the bottom and see if the pins go into the surface. Good luck let us know the outcome if you find out what it is. You may have already done that.