What is the difference between masonry stucco and synthetic stucco

Additionally, the material is more flexible enabling homeowners to include additional design elements in the exterior like keystones, cornerstones, or other decorative accents. While there are many positive traits of EIFS, one of the largest concerns with this method is its proclivity for absorbing moisture. The layers in EIFS do not breathe, allowing moisture to become trapped and cause severe damage, including wood rot and mold growth.

Traditional stucco is praised for its overall strength, resistance to the elements, and the fact that it is less likely to absorb water, which can cause permanent damage to buildings. Additionally, traditional stucco is usually a bit less expensive than EIFS. While this finish is generally stronger than EIFS, traditional stucco can be more prone to small cracks due to the comparative rigidity of the material and is less flexible for design. There are three typical inspection methods that can be performed on exterior wall treatments to determine their condition.

Inspectors performing a visual inspection of stucco will point out any areas of concern on the exterior and recommend further inspection if there are visible signs of damage.

If signs of water damage are present, the next step would be to perform interior moisture mapping, conducted using infrared thermography. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website.

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Necessary Necessary. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. While the idea is that the water will seep its way out, what is happening inside shows that water IS getting in.

I believe that the 'cups' allow too much water to be introduced in before it gets out, which accumulates inside until it wicks higher than the flashing, which then finds its way into the window frame which causes swelling, ultimately revealing damage on the inside. My question is: Is anyone familiar with this occurrence? If so, does anyone have a remedy? I am a Gen. Contractor and I built the home. The stucco was applied by a very reputable contractor. The issue is not isolated to one particular area, it happens in very assorted areas, which leads me to believe it is something strange, as I've never seen or had this problem before.

Does anyone have some insight to this issue? I am adding an addition to my stucco home. Contractor wants to use traditional stucco. Architect wants 4" rigid foam on exposed basement concrete walls under the stucco finish.

How do we adhere the rigid foam to the concrete walls? And then how is wire mesh attached to rigid foam. Then we have upper floors with traditional studs and sheathing. Here architect wants 2" foam with stucco on top of this. How is the mesh attached to rigid foam?

And finally what drainage type house wrap should be used, and should it be behind the rigid foam? Thank you for the work you have put into your nice blog. We will bookmark to your blog because it is very informational. We love the site and will come back to see your new posts. Thursday, June 7, Real Stucco vs. Synthetic Stucco. Many people are confused by what the difference is between real cement based stucco and synthetic stucco.

EIFS is for energy efficiency using foam boards or other products to achieve better insulation values and is a whole other discussion. Here is the difference:. Synthetic Stucco is made from acrylic resins and is very similar to paint. They have an aggregate added to replicate the look of stucco without some of the inherent problems of real cement stucco.

Different size sands are used to achieve different finishes as traditional stucco uses different size aggregates. Once on the wall it would be difficult for anyone to tell the difference between Acrylic Stucco and a painted cement stucco wall. The key here is painted. It is fairly easy to tell the difference between real and synthetic, if not painted. Even though the products are supposed to be similar when they are installed they are worlds apart in physical make up and functionality.

Real Stucco uses natural materials and is cement and lime based. Synthetic stucco is acrylic resin based using no cement or lime. The similarity is the sand or aggregate used. The functional aspect is also important.

Synthetic stucco stops water from coming into the wall and are either characterized as water proof or at least water resistant. Cement Stucco typically dries hard enough to keep water out but the idea is not to necessarily keep water out of the stucco.

More importantly it can penetrate the stucco and then naturally wick out and dry by being highly vapor permeable. Synthetic Stucco can keep and hold moisture if it can find a way in. This is usually through the windows, doors, or roof lines. When walls expand or contract due to extreme changes in temperatures, EIFS absorb building movement without causing the unsightly cracking problems that are so common with stucco, concrete and brick exteriors.

EIFS come in virtually limitless colors and a wide variety of textures, and it is easy for the installer to create accent pieces on a structure like arches and cornerstones. While commercial storefronts will typically feature either cladding system, EIFS until today can be hard to get approved in the city of Chicago other than as design accents. This is because in the 90s when EIFS was introduced to the masonry industry, there were no designed waterproofing systems, industry standards or testing requirements in place.

As soon as applicators finished applying it, water could seep into the interior of the application and destroy it. Many municipalities, including the City of Chicago, saw commercial structures with EIFS start to fall apart after only a few years and as such made it very hard to use within code in the city.

Today, standard waterproofing systems behind EIFS ensures that this material is a reasonable option that many businesses continue to use for residential and commercial use. This ensures the commercial masonry project can be completed quickly and on schedule. EIFS that is installed incorrectly can be subject to water intrusion in the wall cavity, causing deterioration and even mold.