Wood siding should be 4" or so from the ground whether that be soil or solid surface. . Grade your landscape the right way. Termites are attracted to moisture and are more likely to infest if the soil next to the foundation is consistently moist. Curtain drains are created by digging a trench in the yard some distance from the foundation. Fernco Elastomeric Clamp. And in a couple places I've foamed on the outside, just to plug a wasp nest. Use deep-rooted plants; shallow-rooted plants could erode over a short period . A pressure washer is a great tool to help clean stucco surfaces, but it's important to understand that the texture and construction of stucco make it vulnerable to very high water pressure. Our ultimate goal is to create a raised garden bed along this wall. Location: Los Angeles, CA. You can start doing this by putting soil directly against your foundation. If you chose to do it any way, be prepared to spend $$$ ($10K - $20K) to do a major repair down the road! Water should be diverted away with properly functioning gutters, downspouts and splash blocks. 5. Keep in mind that herbs and other small plants will need a minimum of six inches of soil, while larger vegetables and flowers will need 12 to 18 inches. 2. You can test your building to make sure there are safe . Step 1. Mix and apply the brown coat. 1: Wood-to-ground contact aids entry into buildings. When the grass is 2 inches tall, resume normal watering patterns. Cutting back plants from the walls is a good idea, especially dense foliage and ivy. Apply Heat. As you can see in the picture there's currently about 6 in of concrete before you get to the stucco. This will take the soil pressure without breaking, and transmit it to the wall. The tool you use to heat the stucco depends . higgins. Add reinforcing supports, if needed. Saturate wall - Starting at the bottom of the wall begin to saturate the entire area until you get to the top. Fernco Clamp. Apply another inch (9.5 mm) layer of stucco and screed to an even thickness, for a total thickness so far of inch (19 mm). 293 comments. Mulch is a good choice if your slope is less than 33 percent, and the right mulch can help to keep soil in place on a gentle slope with or without plants. Move the lawn edge away from the house a few inches, and treat the area between the edge and the house with an herbicide to kill the grass. One method is to put a trench full of pebbles against the wall, with a barrier on the garden side. The frame is then attached with screws at the bottom, top, and sides (see Fig. 50% of it is under a deck. If the weather is dry, warm, or windy . Stone covers the pipe and fills in the area, appearing as a stripe of stone in the yard. Cutting and chiseling mortar off the block is a huge project and completely unnecessary. Stucco siding is a mixture of Portland cement, sand and water. If stucco sand and related materials make contact with the ground, additional mineral salts can be picked up from the soil itself. Air circulation is as important for drying as the temperature, especially in humid conditions. There is no perfect material for covering and protecting exterior foam on foundations. WRCLA wants 2" clearance to prevent wicking. Spray outdoor stucco with a garden hose if you aren't planning to use a pressure washer. I would be more interested in what the manufacturer said about this detail. Rain, humidity or other sources of moisture . 4. the exterior foundation face is a mix of rubble stone, faced with some stucco. However, radon is more likely to get into your home through cracks and holes in your foundation (underneath the home) or private well water (groundwater). A good recipe for using TSP is 1 - 2 cups of TSP to 1 gallon of water. Mold and mildew on the stucco's surface and down to the foundation of your home . The intended message was clear: Builders are doing shoddy work. It's also very hard to drill anything to the wall. As you tend your flower beds next to your house's foundation, pay attention to the water runoff. Large-particle gravel is less likely to be washed or moved by the falling gush of water from the roof during a storm. 2). Step 3: Build up the Soil Grade. The expansive clay soil in the Dallas-Fort Worth area affects landscaping and you should protect your foundation from issues like increases in moisture or too little water. Appx. Advertisement. Leave 2 small air spaces for ventilation (about 4-6 each) - one low at one end and one high at other end. Paint: Now you can paint the surface any color you want. Chlorine bleach will also work, but it can damage nearby plants. In order to clean the stucco without damaging it, only use the pressure washer on the lowest setting and ensure that it's equipped with a low-pressure spray tip nozzle. Signs of expansive soils. One of the most effective ways to clean hard water stains is also ironic: gentle water pressure can remove hard water stains. Luckily, keeping water from damaging stucco is relatively easy to do. Doing this will give the roots of your lawn an extra push for new growth and will also give your lawn a jump start on turning green again in the spring. A 1/2-inch gap should be left around the frame. At the same time, any moisture that is in the block already needs to be able to find a way out. Fig. CA code certainly calls for 2" clearance to concrete patio with stucco. Let it dry: Allow to dry overnight or for a minimum of 12 hours between coats. The most common approach is to apply a stucco-like "parged" finish with a surface-bonding cement. Make sure all downspouts have splash blocks or even better, extenders to carry the water away from the foundation. Water flows right through these porous materials like going through a strainer in your kitchen, so they are useless in directing water flow. This will take four to six weeks. This also includes any materials that may have come into contact with mold, including insulation and OSB board. It has a white or greyish tint and consists of salt deposits that remain on the surface after water evaporates. Although one coat may do the trick, stucco will usually require two coats due to its high level of absorption and to conceal cracks and other repairs. Stucco remediation involves removal of the stucco and the damaged materials from the walls of your home. Providing more depth allows plants to grow closer together and encourages vertical root growth. Add enough soil to the ground by the foundation to create a good base, and take another measurement from the base of the house with the 10-foot board to find the difference in the slope. This lets me know if there's a hidden leak somewhere. A simple slip of polyethylene plastic is all it takes to prevent rot at the . Finish coats can include small pebbles to add texture or be made with acrylic for more color options. The weight of the mulch will keep the soil from being exposed to wind and water while also preserving important nutrients and moisture in the soil at root-level. If your stucco composition isn't up to par, it's just waiting for leaks, cracks, and water damage. If the concrete is touching the cedar then it is not likely there is any drainage for the wrb and the cedar. Caution: Never mix cleaning agents or chemicals, the result can be dangerous or deadly. When sleeving is required it is very important that the sleeve be sealed water-tight against . The answer requires a thorough explanation. Apply a second coat: Apply another coat of sealant and allow it to dry. Stucco is a mixture of Portland cement, sand, water and lime with doses of acrylics and additive fibers. 06-24-2007, 03:01 PM. Cantor says acrylic stucco is "probably going to be more cost effective . Protecting wood from moisture in concrete. 5. In addition, efflorescence can appear as a powdery . if you put a barrier against the wall, it will do nothing but good. After applying RadonSeal, use the smooth edge of a 3/16 notched trowel holding it at a 45 angle, and skim coat the mortar over the surface of the cinder blocks. Begin building up the soil grade around your house by dumping dirt right up against the foundation. Can aluminum flashing be used against stucco, sealed with caulk, in order to protect the stucco from water/soil damage? If your house rests on concrete, there should be about 2 inches between the stucco and the concrete foundation. Extend the gravel 24 inches away from the window base and foundation, in a layer that's 2 to 3 inches thick. Pushing the mortar into the rough-textured surface. I have had stucco on my foundation walls for decades. Construction. But most of the base of the walls on the outside is still exposed to the elements and creatures. Pressure-washing with too much pressure, on the other hand, can damage stucco surfaces by removing too much of the outer layer and creating more rough and porous areas where stains can set in and build up. During peak growing season, spread a thin layer of mulch around the base of thriving plants. I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for making this . A blow dryer or commercial blower you can rent from an equipment-leasing store or home improvement center can provide sources of heat. Gravel beds around a foundation are safe as long as they do not . Do not let moisture accumulate near the foundation. This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook saves a soggy foundation. Vacuum indoor stucco to remove surface grime before applying a cleaning solution. When the minimum distances between stucco and ground are not met, serious issues begin to arise. Mineral salts are often contained within the stucco itself. Cracked foundation or basement walls. )SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly. On days when the weather is turning or about to turn cold, you may attempt to apply heat to the stucco exterior to keep moisture from invading the stucco. The goal is to push the thinset into the pores and pinholes of the blocks. Install commercial lawn edging against your house, to protect the stucco surface. Standardized ingredients and a complete curation period will give a stucco wall with great integrity and resistance to water. Stucco cures to a hardened state while acrylics dry to a hardened state. The good news is that preventing water damage isn't all that hard. Trapped moisture is the surest way to destroy your stucco exterior and your home's foundation. To prevent subsequent stains, use a protective pad or dish between any plant pots and your concrete surface. Use metal or plastic reinforcing to strengthen the cement parging on foundation foam boards. Mix another batch using 1 part cement and 3 to 5 parts sand. It's not radically different from concrete. We always take the stucco below the grade on historic work or if the homeowner insists. 6. Otherwise the stucco will wick up any moisture over time. Plaster is the general term for material that is applied to a wall surface in a thin layer. You can easily wash the area clean with a garden hose and mild soap if needed. Efflorescence is a crystalline deposit of salts that can form when water is present in or on brick, concrete, stone, stucco or other building surfaces. You need to keep the ground / mulch 4-6 " below the stucco. However, in some cases, sleeving may be required or desired. are turned off in my house, then I go outside, open the water meter's cover, and check the flow indicator (it looks like a star which rotates when water if flowing). Start from the bottom and move up. Insulation Protection. Radioactive material in building materials may add to indoor radon levels. The program, replete with teary homeowners, searched out only the most dramatic errors, including one home with melted siding and another with more than 800 drywall nail pops. Wear rubber gloves and long sleeves to . Working With a Pressure Washer . When applied as a finishing layer, this works wonders. You want to make sure you achieve a solid base prior to measuring the distance from the base. Cost: Because applying stucco requires a high level of skill, the cost will vary regionally with labor costs. Protecting your soil can provide . (This allows for better airflow since warm air rises.) Sloping your landscape properly will help keep . ft. home," says Cantor. It gets wet, it rots, and it attracts termites! Cement finish coats are a nominal 1/8 inch . A pressure washer is a great tool to help clean stucco surfaces, but it's important to understand that the texture and construction of stucco make it vulnerable to very high water pressure. aluminum flashing to protect stucco from raised garden. 3. Allow another 48 hours to moisture-cure the brown coat, which should also be 3/8 inch thick (or per the manufacturer's recommendations). I received an e-mail . Lots of stucco has broken and crumbling, as is some of the rubble. While these drains are an effective way to limit water pooling in the yard, they don't stop water from reaching the . You really don't want to do that! Your first step will be to remove any soft or porous soils, mulch, wood chips and any stones or gravel from around the area being regraded. Even if they remove the shingles and stucco the wall, the plaster will let moisture through and the eventual cracks will let termites through. Working With a Pressure Washer . On a $250,000 home, that can range from $7,500 up to $40,000 in home value protection at the time of sale. [20] Once the brown coat loses its sheen, float it smooth. If the water is warm, it will work better and help to break down the dirt and debris a little better too. Once dug, a pipe is laid in these trenches. If the stucco touches the ground, it will absorb any moisture present in the soil or even the concrete. A blow dryer or commercial blower you can rent from an equipment-leasing store or home improvement center can provide sources of heat. Often times planters are placed adjacent to stucco walls and the sprinklers are placed at the outer perimeter shooting water in towards the house or stucco wall. For example, if the lower wall is three-feet . The first step is to dig out the area you want to make a flower bed. Like you said, it is only common sense, jeesh. When we sold our home in Georgia, as a condition of the sale, the buyers insisted that we put a MoistureFree Warranty on our home. In an effort to protect the interior, I've foamed around the inside of the sill. The 2 most common ways stucco can be damaged by surface moisture is: 1) Improperly placed and adjusted irrigation sprinklers. Elevated indoor radon levels may pose a risk to human health. Stucco is a cement-type mixture made of Portland cement, lime, sand and water. Shifting soil under the foundation of your home can cause cracking to occur. Stucco cladding - install self-adhesive flashing behind the weep screed, a perforated metal strip at the base of the exterior walls, at the height above grade specified by the local building code. A November 16, 2016, Nightline segment detailed shoddy construction in production homes around the country. Re: Tricky issue: Soil against siding - moisture prevention. What Is Stucco? Water is the number one enemy of a house's foundation. Before cleaning, always test the agent on an inconspicuous location to determine its suitability and to make certain it does not damage the material. Lawns turn brown as a defense against the cold, feeding before this time encourages fresh growth and will protect your lawn. You need to get down to the dense dirt underneath. When damage causes voids in the coating, such as cracks or holes, it is important . Cement stucco finish "cures" as opposed to drying. Next, you must build up the soil grade in order to properly drain water. This is what happens when wood siding is too close to the ground. This is for drainage to control expansion and also the stucco at the bottom 2-3 inches tends to flake and look bad. Portland cement-based plaster is such a material that uses . Plants can hold moisture against the building, slow down the drying effect of circulating air and they provide a hiding place for rodents. #8. Some of the issues stucco below grade can cause are: Cracks and crumbling to the stucco's exterior that are not just unsightly but also gateways to water damage. This allows time for the mortar to cure and dry, which reduces the movement of alkalies. There are other reasons to take the stucco below grade. Hi! Home; About Us . In order to clean the stucco without damaging it, only use the pressure washer on the lowest setting and ensure that it's equipped with a low-pressure spray tip nozzle. "The newer acrylic systems cost about $25,000 to $30,000.". http://www.homebuildingandrepairs.com/stucco/index.html Click on this link for more information about stucco problems and wall repairs. My neighbor did mention they had some company way back when that did stucco throughout the entire neighborhood at the time and it was hard as rock. Stucco finishes render your exteriors fresh, termite resistant Expansive soils can damage the walls just as it does footings; therefore keeping moisture away from the house is wise. There are a number of yellow or red flags that your home may be having issues that relate directly or indirectly to expansive soils. 12. We are often asked if stucco and plaster are the same thing, and if plaster and exterior insulation finishing systems (EIFS) are the same thing. Use at least 3 inches of mulch . It is applied in a combination of layers with a standard base coat and a refined finish coat. Mulch. It is the result of stucco being installed below the place where the building's foundation meets the soil. This will prevent the water from finding its way back to your foundation, even in major storms. Soil expansion can lead to foundation cracks so it's best to water your property uniformly. Apply Heat. Begin building up the soil grade around your house by dumping dirt right up against the foundation. Shovel about 3 inches of dirt up against the foundation of your home. In most applications, copper's corrosion resistance to underground environments provides a lifetime of service in direct burial in the soil. Downspouts should be designed to move water at least 10 feet away from your foundation. If your downspouts aren't currently emptying water at least 10 feet away from your home, in most cases the solution is as simple as purchasing downspout . Alternatively, you may put decorative gravel around the house foundation. Check out these landscaping tips to protect your foundation while keeping your yard looking attractive. 4. How to Remove Efflorescence. Red clay is the dominant soil type in the southern United States but can also be found as far north as Pennsylvania and even western states. Avoid using plastic sheeting as a ground cover. 3. the sill looks to be in decent shape but it not airtight on the foundation. Below grade is the opposite. Protect Your Lawn By Removing Dead Leaves from Plants and Flowers The slope helps rain splash away from your house. On days when the weather is turning or about to turn cold, you may attempt to apply heat to the stucco exterior to keep moisture from invading the stucco. Wicking is preventable. Step 1. Laying gravel around a building foundation has benefits and disadvantages, all depending on soil type and grade. Protecting your soil can provide nutrients, and it's not difficult. Acrylics dry from the outside in and can be sensitive to environmental conditions. Spread the dirt out about 18 inches away from your home, decreasing the slope of the soil to about an inch high as you get farther away. This can include materials damaged by mold and mildew, as well as structural lumber and plywood that has begun to rot. The most important method for caring for stucco is to periodically clean the stucco surface. Use a deep nap roller (3/4 to 1") to work the paint into the surface and to achieve a nice uniform surface. Be sure you have moistened the soil to a depth of 1 inch. Efflorescence can occur when temperatures and moisture levels increase around a structure with stucco finishes. Install the lathe and stucco to the first bend in the weep screed. Mon-Fri: 7:30am - 4:00pmEvenings & Saturdays By Appointment Only Get a Free Estimate: 623-544-1211 info@twdaz.com. The retaining wall idea is the only sound one. , and here and here and here! S. Let's talk some basic tips on how to use your lawn grass to protect your garden soil. It is a thin finish coat that goes on the outermost layer of residential and commercial constructions. 1. Leave a crawl space so everyone can get inside and block opening with shielding materials. This is a common problem. During installation, make sure the stucco does not go all the way to the ground. Keep the overseeded lawn moist until the young grass plants are 2 inches tall by repeating a light watering every day during periods without rain. Spraying will get the paint onto the surface. Add enough soil to the ground by the foundation to create a good base, and take another measurement from the base of the house with the 10-foot board to find the difference in the slope. These finishes range from a thin paint-on . Mix together a solution of 5 parts water to 1 part oxygen bleach, instructs AI Restoration. Find out exactly how stucco can protect your home. Placing organic mulch or inorganic ground cover such as gravel around foundation diminishes weed growth and helps to make a building look tidy and well-maintained. Install the water-resistant barrier to overlap the top edge of the weep screed. Dripping pipes, leaky roofs and other sources of rogue water wreak havoc on stucco, which necessitates potentially expensive stucco repair in Bluffton, SC. "In the West, conventional stucco costs about $20,000 for a 3,000 sq. Make sure all downspouts have splash blocks or even better, extenders to carry the water away from the foundation. Spread mulch over growing plants. Again, the few inches of bare ground will barely be visible, but you'll probably have to reapply the herbicide every so often. Posts: 4229. Pebbles also do not carry much damp as they have hardly any capillarity. Schedule a stucco inspection in the Chicago IL Area. An appropriately balanced mixture of Portland cement, sand, and water will yield a durable and sturdy stucco composition. Use a Breathable / Permeable Barrier. The tool you use to heat the stucco depends . Red clay stains occur after heavy rains when water carries the clay deep into the pores of the concrete, brick or stucco. (See below for a shopping list and tools. Then let it dry-cure for 10 days (even though most . Figure 2. Pre-wetting the surface before cleaning with a detergent loosens surface staining soil and stops dirty water from being absorbed into the . Then, use the same 10-foot board used in step 1 to take note of the . Just thought I'd drop this here. Although it's great at protecting your home from the elements, stucco is vulnerable to water damage. TSP Solution: TSP is a great chemical that is used for many cleaning tasks, especially when prepping walls for paint and it can work great for cleaning stucco as well. This can also occur if the soil is built up around the home later . Once a month I make sure all the faucets/showers/etc. Concrete will allow water or water vapour to move through it quite easily, so any wood in contact with concrete must either be pressure treated wood, or you should have a plastic separator between the wood and the concrete. When building a tiered set of retaining walls, position the higher wall behind the lower wall at twice the distance as the height of the lower wall.