About Stucco Siding
Stucco siding uses materials as lime, silica, cement and water to create a distinct look. It has an average warranty of fifteen years, and has even been known to last more than that. Stucco siding is solid, durable, and seamless. It is also fireproof.
Stucco siding provides an aesthetic effect and can be manufactured to the specific color of choice. Pigment may be mixed with stucco or it can be painted to get the desired color. The finish may vary from smooth, to raked and swirled. One can even mix in pebbles and sand to get that extra coarse finish. This flexibility will give you more options in implementing a siding style of your preference.
The process of stucco siding involves having sufficient base coats of sand and lime mixture, and then appropriately wetting them in between coats before the final application. Installation should be done preferably by professionals in order to avoid the hassle and to get the look desired – though this could cost money.
The traditional method of installing stucco is done over a mesh, involving the use of concrete over a wire or wood lath. Some may use an expansive acrylic-polymer finish so that it will be able to adjust to the weather conditions of the area. This makes stucco siding durable and strong, lasting a lifetime on ideal conditions. This characteristic also makes it a very good insulator for both warm air, and cool air.
Maintenance of this type of siding is minimal and will require only hosing it annually, and repainting – if it is currently painted and the situation calls for it. Utilizing stucco for your siding needs would cost more than if you opted for vinyl or perhaps, fiber-cement siding. The process though would be done in just days.
The use of stucco siding started around the days of Renaissance Italy and offers many different looks depending on the finishing employed. Original and natural stucco are hard and moisture resistant. Synthetic stucco however, though may look authentic, but may not be as strong and durable as the natural ones.
With stucco siding, you have way more flexibility in playing around with the decorative effects it offers. With the availability of your choice of colors, it can work well with the theme in your home. It can complement the style and design your home currently has, or will have. Stucco siding may just be right for you.