DOUGLAS E. SMITH
        Smith Custom Builders

Have you ever considered completely changing the look of your homes exterior? Well it’s not as hard as you might think. There are many different Stucco and Stone products on the market today that can be easily installed on your home.

If you decide to change your brick home to a stucco home, it can be done two different ways. One method is using trowel on masonry products. The other way is to completely remove the brick and start from the frame.

The first method uses a special elastomeric trowel on Portland cement base coat. It’s installed directly on the brick, approximently ¼ inch thick. This coat is designed to fill in all the mortar joints of the brick. Applied directly on this coat is a fiberglass mesh material, used to bond the surface together.

Then we install any stucco details, like banding around windows, special foam crown molding, and etc. Then the color coat is applied to the top, with the texture you choose. Parts of the color can be left off and stone accents can be installed directly to the surface. This is done with Cultured Stone, a great looking and strong man made cast product.

The second method is completely removing the brick from the home. The issue with this method is that the brick ledge detail must be addressed. Your contractor can add banding details to hide the brick ledge and soffit brick frieze.

In most cases we just furr out the frame with framing lumber, then add CDX plywood to that new surface. We then install one of the many building wrap products like Tyvek. I prefer this method because now you have a 7 inch wall cavity, allowing the insulation to be R-23. (Thicker insulation)

It also allows total inspection of your existing wood frame structure, and if you desire, installation of structured wiring (home automation) from the outside of the walls.

The stucco surface change is a great time to install new windows, especially if you use the second method. It requires much less work to remove a window when the brick is removed. Now the new double pane windows can be used to enhance the look and increase energy savings.

You now have to address the window return. You will want to install the windows close to the outside of the new frame, then address the sheetrock inside. Now we install the conventional three-step stucco system, just like we install on a new home.

We find that another popular use of stucco and stone in remodeling is in interior kitchen changes, fireplace changes, as well as the chimney itself. These products make great fireplace surfaces up to the ceiling. You can then install a new large stone or wood mantle.

With small changes to the fascia and soffits of the home, and the addition of stucco and stone, you will greatly enhance the beauty and value of your home.