Just driving through your neighborhood you have undoubtedly seen a number of houses that have stucco siding. This type of siding has been popular for years and years, and perhaps for a good reason.
Stucco siding has been used on houses and buildings since ancient times - and by ancient times, we mean Roman and Grecian times! The resilient, smooth surface was perfect for painting the murals that they painted back then, and it was also a functional insulation device.
The Italian Renaissance saw the molding of stucco into many different sorts of decorative shapes, which was then painted and sometimes gilded! Stucco, in those days, primarily consisted of marble dust, gypsum and glue. Today, however, stucco is made of different materials. It is primarily used as an exterior treatment, and it is so popular still that new types of stucco are being created. If you do consider to use stucco siding, be sure to talk to your contractor about all of the options open to you.
There is no doubt that, with stucco having to have lasted since ancient times, that there must be many benefits to it. There are two types of stucco which offer different benefits: traditional stucco, and synthetic stucco. Traditional stucco is made up of lime, sand, Portland cement and water. It is very porous and, when applied, is treated with a clear, acrylic polymer coating that helps keep the stucco from cracking and "lining". If you live in a home that is exposed to a lot of water and moisture, like rain, traditional stucco is probably the better option for you. Unlike synthetic stucco, it is also almost completely impact resistant.
Synthetic stucco, also referred to as EIFS is applied over a foam core as opposed to the wire base that traditional stucco is placed over. This foam core also makes it more energy efficient than traditional stucco, and it is far more flexible and melds well with many other types of building materials.
Whether you choose traditional or synthetic stucco, it is still easy to repair and easy to maintain. Both also work great as sound barriers, so if you live in a noisy neighborhood this may be the choice for you.
Lastly, if you are checking out the stucco market, be sure to note that it does come in perhaps the largest diversity of colors of all other types of siding. It is also fairly fireproof, so you can feel safe and secure when choosing stucco as your home’s siding.
