Expansion Gaps Smooth Stucco Siding

There is no need to leave a gap for expansion.

Expansion gaps smooth stucco siding.

James hardie recommends that a slip sheet joint flashing is installed behind each butt joint in the siding. This affected most of the fiberboard between the patio and house. Wet your finger and gently wipe the caulk in the gap to give it a smooth rounded appearance. Sanded caulk has particles in it that help it adhere to wet surfaces and expand in larger gaps without cracking.

A stucco pro will simply apply a new texture over the existing one. Clean out the crack using a scraping tool and a wire brush so that there is no loose material and the caulk has a good surface to bond to. Asphalt saturated fiberboard designed for expansion joints. But on the exterior gaps in stucco siding can lead not only to further degradation of the stucco but also to a host of nasty issues mold growth for example or pest infestations.

For these small cracks get a flexible paintable exterior grade caulk. The pro s first step will be to power wash the home. Where stucco meets a window door electrical box dryer vent or any other wall penetration you may notice a small expansion gap. One reason for the porous nature of the gap can be attributed to old asphalt saturated fiberboard that had fallen apart.

Gaps are normal and should be expected since dissimilar materials expand at different rates. If there are minor cracks in your stucco this is a project that most san francisco homeowners can tackle if they want to. It has a grainy texture and appearance. Such gaps can allow for excessive amounts of water to get past the stucco and therefore should be caulked on an annual basis.

Fill any low spots or remaining gaps with additional caulking until the gap. Unsanded caulk has a smooth appearance and texture. This includes butt joints and places where the siding terminates vertically against windows doors and other fixtures. This means that the boards should be touching each other when they are installed.

Hardie boards should be joined in moderate contact. Use sanded caulk any time you use sanded grout and in joints 1 8 inch or wider. Wipe away any excess caulk. The process of smoothing stucco in most cases there s no need to remove the old stucco to create a smoother surface.

After that the pro will apply a new stucco base coat.