How to fix outside wall plaster


  #1  
Old 08-24-18, 11:20 PM
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How to fix outside wall plaster

Hi folks,

Any tips here would be great. The picture below is the side of my townhouse. I’m definitely a noobie with this one, but it looks like there’s concrete blocks for the foundation, and then they plaster over it with cement? Does that sound accurate? Ultimately I’m trying to figure out what it is so I can research how to repair it. Looks like the ground continued to settle over the years and now they’re making me fix it.

Thanks!
 
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Old 08-25-18, 02:53 AM
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Sounds like you have stucco which is a masonry product. I have made minor repairs to stucco with mortar mix.
 
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Old 08-25-18, 05:06 AM
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Here are two pictures....
 
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Old 08-25-18, 05:17 AM
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Ya, that is stucco, sometimes called parging.
 
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Old 08-25-18, 05:24 AM
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Thanks. Do you have to install a wire mesh first and then stucco over it?
 
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Old 08-25-18, 10:00 AM
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Stucco can be applied directly to bare block. If there is a hole or if it's going over wood you'll need wire. A pic or two of what you need to repair would give us a better idea of what needs to be done.
 
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Old 08-25-18, 10:21 AM
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There are two pictures below in post #3. Let me know if you can’t see them and I can try to post them again.
 
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Old 08-25-18, 10:25 AM
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All I see in those pics are rough stucco. I'd knock down the high spots and add stucco as needed. Since the stucco has been painted you'd need some sort of bonding agent applied first. If you were to scrape all the stucco down removing the paint - you wouldn't need a bonding agent. The stucco adheres well to bare masonry including itself.
 
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Old 08-25-18, 10:39 AM
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Thanks so much for the help. My contractor wants $250 to repair it, so I think I might give it a shot myself. Never have done this before, though. If it’s not too much trouble, could you link me to the actual stucco product on Home Depot‘s website? I’m still not sure if concrete, stucco, cement, are all the same thing?
 
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Old 08-25-18, 10:42 AM
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Some Lowes stores sell a stucco mix but mortar mix will also work. I assume HD has the same/similar products for sale. https://www.lowes.com/pd/QUIKRETE-80...co-Mix/3043247
 
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Old 08-25-18, 11:01 AM
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Ahh, thanks. In certain areas I’d be applying it to the cinder block foundation that has already been painted brown. Do you have to apply the bonding agent to that cinder block before applying the new stucco to the painted cinder blocks? Got any particular bonding agent in mind?
 
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Old 08-26-18, 03:07 AM
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I'm a painter not a mason so I don't know a whole lot about bonding agents other than they insure that stucco will adhere to paint. I used to work in fla where block houses are commonplace. Every so often someone would want their painted block house stucco'd so a bonding agent would be rolled on prior to the mason applying the stucco. I've rolled it on before but don't recall brand names. Small repairs usually stick ok to paint but I'd be leery of going over the entire painted foundation without using a bonding agent. I suspect a masonry supply store would be a good source for both bonding agent and advice.
 
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Old 08-26-18, 04:42 PM
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Is the ridge on the bottom of the picture the issue? That seems pretty picky, You can maybe scrape it off. some bonding agent is in order. A mild acid wash or rinse before the bonding agent is a very good idea. Or a pass with the pressure washer. Putting bonding agent and new stucco over dirt is a waste of time and material. BUT If a contractor will do this with the aforementioned cleaning for the price you suggest. I would spend it and not worry.
 
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Old 08-26-18, 05:55 PM
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Yep, that’s the townhouse association....picky picky picky. The contractor said the $250 price was for a skim coat and painting. From what I’m reading about how to fix this, it seems best to scrape it off, clean it like you said, apply the bonding agent, give it the skim coat, wait some time, then give it the final coat, then paint it. I’m assuming the contractor wouldn’t do that. Just sounds like the skim coat.

In theory I guess I could complain since the association is in charge of the landscaping. In this case I didn’t really do anything wrong...the ground settled and it’s now lower than where the stucco was originally. Maybe I should tell them to put down some sod and new grass.
 
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Old 08-26-18, 09:49 PM
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Fill and new sod occurred to me too.

use a floor scraper or a notched masonry chisel, knock off the ridge and paint clean up the existing paint and paint the foundation. I don't think you really need new stucco.
 
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Old 08-27-18, 03:05 AM
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Has the association said anything to any of the other owners? Seems like the other units would have similar issues.
 
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Old 08-27-18, 05:41 AM
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Wow, I didn’t even consider not redoing the stucco and just painting the foundation. I figured the stucco served some purpose rather than just aesthetics. That would definitely be a lot easier if I could just knock all the stucco off and just repaint the foundation. I haven’t talked to other owners...I’ll have to poke around and see what other people do.
 
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Old 08-27-18, 05:58 AM
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The stucco can serve a purpose as it will slow water being able to go thru the foundation. No concern at all if you don't have a basement. I'd think scraping/chiseling off the high spots and a fresh coat of paint would be fine.
 
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Old 08-27-18, 09:07 AM
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Usually a plasterer digs down a little below the grade to make sure he finishes down enough to get the whole wall covered. The stuff that lands in the bottom of the trench just gets covered over. There isn't much. But sometimes a little of that droppage bonds to the wall. That is what you have. That is why I think just flatten the ridge and paint should solve your aesthetic problem. Hiding it below the grade will also cover the problem. The fact of the ridge is indication the grade has settled.
 
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Old 08-27-18, 09:21 AM
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A cup grinder could also be used to smooth the edge once you break off the excess with a chisel. But it can leave swirls so use it sparingly before you paint.
 
 

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