Well I’m living across the pond , am a electrician and have no idea why on earth I’m watching this at midnight , but I’m so glad I did ! Your channel is awesome , your 1 cool customer who knows his stuff , good on you for sharing that knowledge, all the best fella !
I'm renovating a rental duplex for a neighbor in Punta Gorda Florida and your stucco videos have made the project go forward after encountering numerous existing stucco can of worms situations. The stucco was below grade and the stucco, sheathing and lath were rotted. I had a skidsteer guy come in and move all the dirt away from the house. I used a masonry saw to remove all the rotted stucco and lath. I used a skil saw to cut away the sheathing. Now it's all new sheathing, paper, lath, stucco and a weep screed all the way around. And you're right on saying stucco is a two man job but I did a pretty good job by myself. Anyway, thanks for being a UA-cam stucco mentor. Oh, and the homeowner thanks you, too. She had estimates of up the 40k to fix the situation and we're bringing it in at about 18k.
Your videos really did make this initial endless can of worms project turn into a finished result that passed a code inspection -- thanx Kirk Also, funny thing I couldn't find weep screeds at the big box stores I had to go to small local stores to find the screeds. @@StuccoPlastering
In a lot of cities in Southern California they started using weep screed in 1964-65 on new homes. I’ve owned to 2 houses both built in 64 and they have weep screed. I’ve been in the trade since 1978 and been using it . Thanks so much Kirk for all the great videos over the years , I still learn things from you even after all the years in the trade. I still do small stucco patch jobs by myself now days and will continue as long as my body hold up.
Good to hear from you Kirk. Watching you at there going at gives me hope to continue on. I wish I could have had a couple of my boys follow me in the trade. You must be damn proud of them!
Howdy Doug, as this was nothing but rambling, we put up another one 15 minutes after this one was uploaded. We can't go boring everyone, I know too late. 🕺🏻
Thank you Kirk.. Replanted Californians in Kentucky now getting ready to build my thousand square foot mono slope apartment no hallways,designed myself.. originally our whole family was from Santa Cruz-Boulder Creek area.Californians going back three generations. Dad's an old guy now with some health issues But in the 60s and 70s he was in the tile terrazzo union in San Francisco and he taught me and my brother the trade we've had a business here 50 years. He stucco'd my brother's house and his house and now I'm going to stucco my apartment here on our farm property. your knowledge, just like my father's knowledge of tile (vintage mud man) is invaluable,Thank you for being the libraries that pass this on to us. (Uncalculable value) As I like to say "you are the man with the plan, toes in the sand, drink in his hand ...made, paid in the shade.
Thank you for that Kirk! You are truly the BEST. Was on the fence about incorporating a late-stage maybe too late stage weep screen. Decided not to since Iam still high off the ground and my slab is too. Plus I used fiber cement board and a 2’galvanized sheet metal that I molded behind the cement board all the way to the tip of the bottom of the slab. THANKS.
Kirk, I have a cottage in Hampton Bays I am renovating. This unit was built during the Depression and no, the stucco sits about fourteen inches above grade. I just installed two windows and will have to do some stucco work there. Also, I plan on residing the stucco with Hardie Plank Lap Siding so I will have to fur-out the stucco to accept the fiber cement. Maybe you could do a show on that?
Howdy East End Dude, No Boss, I won't be doing that kind of video as it's counterproductive. Here's a better choice for you at much less cost and ten times less work, which adds no future maintenance when done properly. ua-cam.com/video/xPvm5BUm5-8/v-deo.html/ Repair bad stucco patches with new plaster. 🧞♂
I am currently removing 4inchs of cement render aka pebble dash from a 1920's bungalow in west London. Rain water has been wicking up that has now caused black mold growth within the property. The weather madness is all geo engineering!
Howdy Rana, West London makes me shiver thinking of the area. Hopefully, you guys can fix it by just removing the piled-up dirt? If it's into the mudsill and climbing the stud, it will be a drag to contain. Been there and done it a few times. Best wishes. 🤔
My home was built in 1979 in the Central Valley. Slab on foundation construction. Stucco all the way to the ground. It's interesting you mentioned they didn't use sheathing on homes back then. I had to remove the interior drywall of my garage and was shocked to see the backside of the plaster! The moisture paper was disintegrated as you described. Question for you - I have a section of flowerbed that runs along the side of my house, so there's dirt right up to the stucco, just as you've described. Is my best bet to dig out the dirt to just below the foundation and then fill it with crushed rock or something similar? This flowerbed used to have irrigation, but I've since capped the sprinklers. The stucco is damaged, as to be expected.
As a rule, stucco lasts between 50 and 80 years with proper maintenance. I would advise you to remove the stucco next to the wall. If it's against the foundation, that is fine.
Hey kirk love your videos man, Im about to do a big patch on Monday, If i bring the stucco down to concrete do I need a whip screet? Im a painter by trade but with your videos, im confident I can pull it off,
Hi Kirk, after watching Ur video, I immediately went to one side of my outside wall where over the years, all the gardener's wood chips started to pill up higher at the level to the metal. I worked for about an hour trying to remove all the stuff out of the way to leave about 2 inches space to the ground with dirt and wood chips. I do have a question : I noticed the metal in many spots rotted and even fall off, and even some of the stucco to cover the metal underneath in horizontal level also fall out. What do I do right now? Would get more New stucco to patch it under help to prevent moisture to get into the wood behind it? And what about the areas metal already fall off? Thank U so much in advance! 🙏❣
@@shenmeng5426 Good morning Shenmeng Dude, I recommend you do nothing, what you see is harmless. The stucco can and will last forever by itself. Example. My son and I saw an open garage perhaps two hundred years old. I walked in, there were no studs or wood left, the metal wire had rusted out perhaps fifty years prior, yet the stucco alone held up the structure, I tried to move or shake it to test for strength, I cold not budge it. On another note, some people have so much fear and wealth, they can tear down and build from scratch. My family falls into the first category. If it’s not broke we spend the dough on important stuff like food and bills. Your house, your rules. Kirk Giordano Plastering
@@StuccoPlastering : I appreciate so much Kirk to give Ur advise.👍💖 And It sounds good that nothing needs to be done at this point. 😂 I am a female dude, 🤣
@@shenmeng5426 Lol, many inquires are indeed asked by females, By the way, both my daughters can plaster as well if not better than most men. Yes, I am saying, not to lose sleep over such a simply issue that does not compromise the integrity of the home. 😉
Hey Kirk I plastered my brick garage using cement+sand, but in some areas it's cracking and falling off, mainly the chimney and the area close to the ground. What would you do when cement won't hold? I thought about some sort of primer and adding lime to the cement. But I'm just guessing.
Hey Rut Dude, you must pressure wash all surfaces where they are clean enough to eat off, then apply a bonding agent like Quickrete. Now the stucco would adhere permanently. Adding lime won't allow any stucco to bond to anything. Lime adds flexibility and easier spreading but has nothing to do with adhesion; sorry, brother. 👨🏻🔬
Hi Giordano family, I have a question. If my foundation is 12" above grade, but i want my stucco to be 2-3" off grade; could I install the weep screed directly to the foundation at my desired height with concrete screws or nails, even if its installed 8-10" below the mud sill? Thank you for all the information you provide and any insight into my question!
Weep screeds installed into foundations are useless as they don't flex, thus a waist of time. Weeps screeds are designed to be placed onto wood mud sills. If you want to lower the stucco for cosmetic reason, pressure wash the foundation apply a bonding agent and simply add more stucco. To blend into the existing requires skill, to cut the bottom straight agin requires skill or a level. Cheers,
Hi Kirk. You explained at the start of this video that the wire used to be applied loose against the cement foundation wall and then the stucco would bond it to the foundation from the natural suction. I believe my house was originally done this way but the bond has let go and the stucco/wire is just hanging there with an gap now. Could I trowel a cement patch at the bottom edge to rebond and seal it again? My concern is that this would trap moisture as I have no weep screed, but I also don't know how moisture was supposed to escape from behind the stuccco when it was originally bonded? In my case my stud walls are sheathed with buffalo board with paper on top.
Ok so that makes me wonder why bother with weep screed? Isn't that in place to let the stucco breath and have a place to drain if it collects on the backside?
@@kevinmartel9230 A stucco stop allow three coat finishes to drain, provides a stop and and expansion plus a guild for applying 7/8 of an inch of stucco. They were designed around 1980 as a new code requirement. The fact that my house didn’t have them meant my home was built prior to 1980. Your house your rules.
Howdy Max, no matter the age of the home, it's not a good idea to have soil next to stucco or wood; next to a foundation is harmless. The soil's not so bad until it rains; thus, that soil can remain wet for months sometimes if left in an area where there is little to no sunshine or air to dry it out. It can then leach upwards and start the normal molding cycle. You can pull it away from the wall about 3 to 6 inches so the walls don't remain saturated. 😉
Speaking of myths. I heard that mixing 2 bags of 20 min together in a bucket will speed up the set time to 10 mins. I contacted Hamiltons/westpac and they said that the myth was false.
Just a suggestion, when I watch your videos I think to my self you should wear a hat, create your own hats and promote them on your videos at the end of each video. Enjoy watching your videos.
Well I’m living across the pond , am a electrician and have no idea why on earth I’m watching this at midnight , but I’m so glad I did ! Your channel is awesome , your 1 cool customer who knows his stuff , good on you for sharing that knowledge, all the best fella !
Howdy Matt the electrical contactor from the UK, I like your style. Thank you and cheers as they say across the pond. 🥳
I'm renovating a rental duplex for a neighbor in Punta Gorda Florida and your stucco videos have made the project go forward after encountering numerous existing stucco can of worms situations. The stucco was below grade and the stucco, sheathing and lath were rotted. I had a skidsteer guy come in and move all the dirt away from the house. I used a masonry saw to remove all the rotted stucco and lath. I used a skil saw to cut away the sheathing. Now it's all new sheathing, paper, lath, stucco and a weep screed all the way around. And you're right on saying stucco is a two man job but I did a pretty good job by myself. Anyway, thanks for being a UA-cam stucco mentor. Oh, and the homeowner thanks you, too. She had estimates of up the 40k to fix the situation and we're bringing it in at about 18k.
Sounds to me like your a one-man army; happy our methods helped you out helping the homeowners out, 🕵🏼.
Your videos really did make this initial endless can of worms project turn into a finished result that passed a code inspection -- thanx Kirk Also, funny thing I couldn't find weep screeds at the big box stores I had to go to small local stores to find the screeds. @@StuccoPlastering
Or next time, Google, "plastering yards near me." 👨🏻🔬
In a lot of cities in Southern California they started using weep screed in 1964-65 on new homes. I’ve owned to 2 houses both built in 64 and they have weep screed. I’ve been in the trade since 1978 and been using it . Thanks so much Kirk for all the great videos over the years , I still learn things from you even after all the years in the trade. I still do small stucco patch jobs by myself now days and will continue as long as my body hold up.
Howdy Jeff, my fellow plasterer, we're plasterers our bodies never break down, until after 55, damn I'm long overdue for the glue factory. 🍻
Good to hear from you Kirk. Watching you at there going at gives me hope to continue on. I wish I could have had a couple of my boys follow me in the trade. You must be damn proud of them!
Evening Jeff, thank you,
proud as only a father can be. 💃
Thanks again Kirk and family for another great construction lesson!
Howdy Doug, as this was nothing but rambling, we put up another one 15 minutes after this one was uploaded. We can't go boring everyone, I know too late. 🕺🏻
This guy does a great job explaining things
Thank you, no doubt because I've hired many and trained even more, include my 3 boys and 2 girls.
Thank you Kirk.. Replanted Californians in Kentucky now getting ready to build my thousand square foot mono slope apartment no hallways,designed myself.. originally our whole family was from Santa Cruz-Boulder Creek area.Californians going back three generations. Dad's an old guy now with some health issues But in the 60s and 70s he was in the tile terrazzo union in San Francisco and he taught me and my brother the trade we've had a business here 50 years. He stucco'd my brother's house and his house and now I'm going to stucco my apartment here on our farm property. your knowledge, just like my father's knowledge of tile (vintage mud man) is invaluable,Thank you for being the libraries that pass this on to us. (Uncalculable value) As I like to say "you are the man with the plan, toes in the sand, drink in his hand ...made, paid in the shade.
Thank you and best wishes, 🍻
Thank you for that Kirk! You are truly the BEST. Was on the fence about incorporating a late-stage maybe too late stage weep screen. Decided not to since Iam still high off the ground and my slab is too. Plus I used fiber cement board and a 2’galvanized sheet metal that I molded behind the cement board all the way to the tip of the bottom of the slab. THANKS.
Glad I could help!
This guy is freaking awesome! Great family operation!
Morning daniel, you are too kind, my friend; thank you. 💃🏻
Kirk, I have a cottage in Hampton Bays I am renovating. This unit was built during the Depression and no, the stucco sits about fourteen inches above grade. I just installed two windows and will have to do some stucco work there. Also, I plan on residing the stucco with Hardie Plank Lap Siding so I will have to fur-out the stucco to accept the fiber cement. Maybe you could do a show on that?
Howdy East End Dude, No Boss, I won't be doing that kind of video as it's counterproductive. Here's a better choice for you at much less cost and ten times less work, which adds no future maintenance when done properly. ua-cam.com/video/xPvm5BUm5-8/v-deo.html/
Repair bad stucco patches with new plaster. 🧞♂
Great video! This explains exactly what I'm dealing with on my house.
Cool beans, allow this to be your guild
you can tell this man is pround of a big family. and he should 👍🏻
Howdy, Oh man, your onto me, thank you.👨🏻🔬
Thanks !!! I was just about to bury my stucco.😂😂😂guess I’ll find a way to leave it exposed.
Your house, your rules. But weep or drip screeds are code for a reason.
I am currently removing 4inchs of cement render aka pebble dash from a 1920's bungalow in west London. Rain water has been wicking up that has now caused black mold growth within the property. The weather madness is all geo engineering!
Howdy Rana, West London makes me shiver thinking of the area. Hopefully, you guys can fix it by just removing the piled-up dirt? If it's into the mudsill and climbing the stud, it will be a drag to contain. Been there and done it a few times. Best wishes. 🤔
My 1948 CA beach house has stucco to the ground and is mint.
👍😎👍
Howdy Pale Rider, exzackory.
My home was built in 1979 in the Central Valley. Slab on foundation construction. Stucco all the way to the ground. It's interesting you mentioned they didn't use sheathing on homes back then. I had to remove the interior drywall of my garage and was shocked to see the backside of the plaster! The moisture paper was disintegrated as you described. Question for you - I have a section of flowerbed that runs along the side of my house, so there's dirt right up to the stucco, just as you've described. Is my best bet to dig out the dirt to just below the foundation and then fill it with crushed rock or something similar? This flowerbed used to have irrigation, but I've since capped the sprinklers. The stucco is damaged, as to be expected.
As a rule, stucco lasts between 50 and 80 years with proper maintenance. I would advise you to remove the stucco next to the wall. If it's against the foundation, that is fine.
Hey kirk love your videos man, Im about to do a big patch on Monday, If i bring the stucco down to concrete do I need a whip screet?
Im a painter by trade but with your videos, im confident I can pull it off,
That depends on if it’s new construction, if not no, but keep the look consistent.
Hi Kirk, after watching Ur video, I immediately went to one side of my outside wall where over the years, all the gardener's wood chips started to pill up higher at the level to the metal. I worked for about an hour trying to remove all the stuff out of the way to leave about 2 inches space to the ground with dirt and wood chips. I do have a question : I noticed the metal in many spots rotted and even fall off, and even some of the stucco to cover the metal underneath in horizontal level also fall out. What do I do right now? Would get more New stucco to patch it under help to prevent moisture to get into the wood behind it? And what about the areas metal already fall off? Thank U so much in advance! 🙏❣
@@shenmeng5426 Good morning Shenmeng Dude, I recommend you do nothing, what you see is harmless. The stucco can and will last forever by itself. Example. My son and I saw an open garage perhaps two hundred years old. I walked in, there were no studs or wood left, the metal wire had rusted out perhaps fifty years prior, yet the stucco alone held up the structure, I tried to move or shake it to test for strength, I cold not budge it. On another note, some people have so much fear and wealth, they can tear down and build from scratch. My family falls into the first category. If it’s not broke we spend the dough on important stuff like food and bills. Your house, your rules. Kirk Giordano Plastering
@@StuccoPlastering : I appreciate so much Kirk to give Ur advise.👍💖 And It sounds good that nothing needs to be done at this point. 😂 I am a female dude, 🤣
@@shenmeng5426 Lol, many inquires are indeed asked by females, By the way, both my daughters can plaster as well if not better than most men. Yes, I am saying, not to lose sleep over such a simply issue that does not compromise the integrity of the home. 😉
Hey Kirk I plastered my brick garage using cement+sand, but in some areas it's cracking and falling off, mainly the chimney and the area close to the ground.
What would you do when cement won't hold? I thought about some sort of primer and adding lime to the cement. But I'm just guessing.
Hey Rut Dude, you must pressure wash all surfaces where they are clean enough to eat off, then apply a bonding agent like Quickrete. Now the stucco would adhere permanently. Adding lime won't allow any stucco to bond to anything. Lime adds flexibility and easier spreading but has nothing to do with adhesion; sorry, brother. 👨🏻🔬
Awesome! Thanks for the explanation. Can tell you're good people, you drink good beer!
@@DjDuncman we try to be organic as possible 😉🍻
Hi Giordano family, I have a question. If my foundation is 12" above grade, but i want my stucco to be 2-3" off grade; could I install the weep screed directly to the foundation at my desired height with concrete screws or nails, even if its installed 8-10" below the mud sill? Thank you for all the information you provide and any insight into my question!
Weep screeds installed into foundations are useless as they don't flex, thus a waist of time. Weeps screeds are designed to be placed onto wood mud sills.
If you want to lower the stucco for cosmetic reason, pressure wash the foundation apply a bonding agent and simply add more stucco.
To blend into the existing requires skill, to cut the bottom straight agin requires skill or a level. Cheers,
Hi Kirk. You explained at the start of this video that the wire used to be applied loose against the cement foundation wall and then the stucco would bond it to the foundation from the natural suction. I believe my house was originally done this way but the bond has let go and the stucco/wire is just hanging there with an gap now. Could I trowel a cement patch at the bottom edge to rebond and seal it again? My concern is that this would trap moisture as I have no weep screed, but I also don't know how moisture was supposed to escape from behind the stuccco when it was originally bonded? In my case my stud walls are sheathed with buffalo board with paper on top.
@@kevinmartel9230 Stucco does not need to breathe. It can be sealed tight a a ducks but-hole.😉
Ok so that makes me wonder why bother with weep screed? Isn't that in place to let the stucco breath and have a place to drain if it collects on the backside?
@@kevinmartel9230 A stucco stop allow three coat finishes to drain, provides a stop and and expansion plus a guild for applying 7/8 of an inch of stucco. They were designed around 1980 as a new code requirement. The fact that my house didn’t have them meant my home was built prior to 1980. Your house your rules.
May I ask that Kirk said many times about Paper, what kind of paper Kirk was referring to? Thank U!
@@shenmeng5426 Good evening Meng, it’s called two ply 60 minute paper, it’s sold at all the plastering yards.
@@StuccoPlastering Thank U so so much to reply so quickly! it is a WOW to me! I so appreciate U for Ur kind support! 👍
@@shenmeng5426 No problemo. 😉
Do they make weep screeds for stucco over styrofoam ?
They do indeed make weep screeds to go "under" the styrofoam, Its inch and a quarter wide instead of 7/8 wide for conventional stucco.
@@StuccoPlastering Awsome ,thanks
@ no worries
Is 3 inches enough space to be between the bottom of the mud sill and the top of the dirt?
It is, on new construction they call for 6 on existing it’s more about cosmetics or common sense. What looks good to you.😉
You are great, thanks
Good morning Dosio, thank you.
So for a 100 year old house you just recommend raking the dirt away from the exterior wall until it’s below the stucco?
Howdy Max, no matter the age of the home, it's not a good idea to have soil next to stucco or wood; next to a foundation is harmless. The soil's not so bad until it rains; thus, that soil can remain wet for months sometimes if left in an area where there is little to no sunshine or air to dry it out.
It can then leach upwards and start the normal molding cycle. You can pull it away from the wall about 3 to 6 inches so the walls don't remain saturated. 😉
Thanks
Cool beans, Daddieo.
👍
Morning Adam, thank you.
Speaking of myths. I heard that mixing 2 bags of 20 min together in a bucket will speed up the set time to 10 mins.
I contacted Hamiltons/westpac and they said that the myth was false.
Howdy Travis, LOL, the fact is two bags won't fit in a five-gallon bucket. One at a time brother. 😉
👍👍
Just a suggestion, when I watch your videos I think to my self you should wear a hat, create your own hats and promote them on your videos at the end of each video. Enjoy watching your videos.
Thank you, brother. 🍻
@@bennyblanco5918 Howdy Benny, We don't know how to do that stuff; anyone who wants to has our blessings. 🍻
look at all the views !😄
There are a few, 🕵🏼
Unless I'm by myself or a friend do I ever eat donuts.
lol.
sup mudd
Sup in like that.🤔
Speak English Talk Doc😂
No compre nada.🥳
@@StuccoPlastering 🤪🤣
What's up bud I'm going to start my project one of these days🪣🪚🔨🪜
Howdy Fish Traping Dude, I'm going to stop drinking one of these days. No wait, I don't trust a man who don't drink. 🍻
@@StuccoPlastering I hear you buddy Jim Beam 4me