skip to main content

Building a Home

Exterior of house: stucco over brick vs stucco alone

11 years ago

We are getting ready to start building a new house, which will have a stucco exterior, and are getting conflicting opinions about how to apply the stucco. Our builder feels strongly about first bricking the house and then applying stucco over the brick. He says that this cuts down on moisture issues that tend to be associated with stucco exteriors. However, we have talked to some stucco and masonry companies who feel that if stucco is applied correctly ( with waterproofing layer, etc) there is no need for brick. We live in Oklahoma so not sure if that makes any difference. At this point we are just trying to educate ourselves as best we can and avoid any unnecessary costs (brick plus stucco is substantially more expensive) but we certainly don't want to run into major issues down the road. If stucco over brick offers substantial benefits it would clearly be worth the cost. Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

cobra5laddict
11 years ago
there are several stucco systems available today. a couple of the more popular are EIFS type system and a traditional 3 coat.

i think the first thing you need to explain is how your home will be constructed? A home that was constructed using standard stick framing and OSB seathing would be pretty a traditional method. if that is the case then you can more than likley use either system i listed above. both will require the application of craft paper or tar paper etc to create a barrier between the finish coat and the wood structure of the home. Todays stucco typically has an acrylic topcoat as the final finish, this will have the pigment and sand included to give your stucco the trowl finish you choose.

IMHO in my climate (denver co) i do not like traditional 3 coat stucco finishes. the 3 coat systems dry and crack out over time, even with the use of control joints. if i had to use stucco in my climate i would use a EIFS system with the proper drainage protection between the foam and the home. EIFS got a bad rap in the begining because they thought it was a barrier type finish and never anticipated the leaks around window frames etc.
athensmomof3
11 years ago
Is this hard coat stucco or EIFS? EIFS I wouldn't have on a bet. . . many lawsuits from years ago and those houses are extremely hard/impossible to sell around here. I had a home with EIFS accents before this one. It sold the first day we put it on the market. I am so thankful because I am not sure it would have passed the moisture meter test . . . I have heard the best way to do hard coat stucco is cement block then stucco. I would think that is much cheaper than brick and would probably provide the same level of water resistance. . .
Related Discussions
Stucco over brick
Q
Comments (1)
Stucco is just a form of mortar, so it should be easy unless the bricks need major repair. It can be applied directly to the bricks, or you can use this as an opportunity to add exterior insulation first. Here is a link that might be useful: Stucco
...See More
Exterior color ideas (Brick, Stucco, Roof)
Q
Comments (9)
"...Also we are a bit concerned that the roof may be a bit too encompassing..." You are right! Fortunately, we humans never seen buildings in 2-D elevations, such as depicted on drawings. The purpose of these drawings is convey needed information about the construction of a building, and not to illustrate what a building will actually look like in 3-D. For that, perspectives are necessary. So your huge roof will not look as huge and overbearing as it appears on the elevations. But it will dwarf your house and dominate your view of the house. Unfortunately, this is a common occurance when a drafter or CAD operator designs a house by unilaterally focusing on a floor plan, and thereafter simply plopping roof trusses on the walls of the floorplan. Looking at your roof plan, and floor plan outline, there's a quick and easy approach for a completely different roofing scheme which would greatly reduce your roof massing, but it requires eliminating or changing the roof over what I assume is a back porch. I hope natural light in the interiors of your house is not a major criterion, since you appear to have a very large, deep house, almost square in shape. It's going to be dark in there, regardless of your orientation.
...See More
Most durable & low maintenance: Hardie, brick, or stucco?
Q
Comments (59)
One shouldn't compare durability of old brick buildings to current residential practices. Old brick is usually structural, three bricks thick or more. The weakness of brick is in the mortar and old professional work usually featured better sands with sharper, more varied particle sizes. Masons these days usually just stick with cheap, readily available masonry sand. Unfortunately, masonry is a dying trade. The biggest problem is that most residential brick work is a masonry veneer, covering wood-based construction. Along with stone and stucco, most brick veneer projects use inadequate vapor barriers and flashing. The masonry may look great from the outside, but the finishes are hiding mold, mildew and deterioration of the wood structure. Sometimes, this happens surprisingly fast. Masonry is considered a moisture reservoir cladding. It will soak up moisture from rain or sprinklers and send it towards the inside as the sun comes out. This makes it a more risky cladding than wood, metal, composite or vinyl. Masonry is one of my favorite exterior finishes but it takes extra effort than what is common in current construction practices. If you go with masonry, ensure your construction team understands the details like minding the gap and weatherproof window installations. When I was in Germany, there was a lot of troublesome renovation happening to the very old timberframe structures that had been stuccoed during times when stucco was considered more fashionable. The lime stuccos inhibited the drainage and drying of the wood, speeding up the timbers deterioration.
...See More
stucco mould vs door trim on exterior entry
Q
Comments (1)
Jamie, you can make a nice surround using composite material and trim which is very easy to do nowadays and you have a large profile selection available, or you can use stucco mold just make sure they use finish for "traffic area" being this a doorway which is more durable... The con with stucco is if it gets damaged it's much harder to repair and match the color in comparison to replacing a piece of trim. Good luck with your new home!
...See More
gaonmymind
11 years ago
In the Atlanta area anything other than hardcoat stucco is nearly impossible to sell as athens eluded to. Even hardcoat has can be a tad difficult because people associate it with EIFS. The alternative is to do mortar washed brick. It gives the same appearance. That is very popular down here.
CantWait2Build
11 years ago
One thing you may not have considered is how it could potentially affect your Homeowners Insurance. Foe places in the country that are often hit by problems from highwinds, may find your insurance companies provide a discount due to the added protection. The discount may be signifigant. Even if you are far off from building, your insurance agent/company should be willing to give you a "what-if" quote.
betsyok
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you everyone! We are planning to use hardcoat stucco. I will definitely check with my insurance company though... Great idea!

Related Stories

REMODELING GUIDES Stucco Smooths Modern Home Exteriors

Put your home exterior on an even keel with this versatile, sculptural material that comes in a range of modern hues

REMODELING GUIDES 9 Top Siding Materials

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Everyone knows brick and stucco, but what about fiber cement and metal? Learn about the options in exterior siding before you choose

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How to Make Your Brick House Feel at Home in the Landscape

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Use these tips to pull your home’s colors into your garden for a more cohesive exterior look

ARCHITECTURE Roots of Style: Spanish Eclectic Homes Find a Place in the Sun

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Flexible stucco, intricate tiles and more have kept this multicultural style going strong for a century

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Contemporary Coastal-Style Home in Austin

Light exterior stucco, frameless views and an open floor plan set this landlocked coastal-style home apart from its neighbors

CURB APPEAL Know Your House: Anatomy of a Brick Veneer Wall

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Brick's new role as skin versus structure offers plenty of style options for traditional exteriors

REMODELING GUIDES Brick: A Heavyweight for Modern Exteriors

If you picture only traditional homes when you think of brick, it's time to reconsider this modern contender

BRICK Great Materials: Common Brick Stacks Up Style

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

So basic and yet so incredibly versatile, bricks can dress home exteriors, walls, roofs and more. Here's how to bring out their best

CURB APPEAL Clues to Finding the Right Color for Your House

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Waffling over the rainbow of color options for your home's face? This advice from an architect can help

MATERIALS Raw Materials Revealed: Brick, Block and Stone Help Homes Last

By Buckminster Green LLC

Learn about durable masonry essentials for houses and landscapes, and why some weighty-looking pieces are lighter than they look

Sponsored

More Discussions

Does this tile and slab compete?

101

Please critique my floorplan

47

Help with kitchen layout

17

Fireplace Built-ins Measurement and Window Selection Help

19

Tile installation standards help

12