Stucco/Hard Stucco

Stucco

Stucco creates a beautiful appearance for the exterior of your home. Its unique look makes it popular among discerning homeowners. Yet, if you aren’t a home exteriors expert, you might not know that there are actually two different types of stucco that are typically used or what

the difference is. Here’s a look at hard coat stucco and EIFS stucco, and why one makes more sense for Colorado homes.

Hard Stucco

Hard coat stucco, also called traditional stucco, is an outer coating for your home composed mainly of Portland cement, lime, sand, and mixed with water. Today’s hard coat stucco may also include other additives.

Traditional stucco creates a hard, rock-like finish with an interesting texture. It’s applied in one to three coats, depending on the existing exterior it’s being applied over. It can be applied directly to masonry or concrete walls

or applied in two to three coats over a metal lath placed on any other home exterior surface. This process has been used for hundreds of years. Metal flashings are used to carry water away from the surface. Hard stucco provides a good barrier against woodpeckers, dings from bumping against it or it being hit with a stray golf ball, or hail.