Smooth Stucco tips

Smooth Stucco avoiding hairline cracking.

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In this video, we explain smooth finish stucco and hairline spider cracking? I don’t advise smooth stucco finishes anymore.
Why? Two smooth coats of a fine stucco finish on any exterior stucco basecoat will usually crack?
Why? They are applied with Portland cement finish stucco.

Unlike our Portland cement, which expands, swells like a bullfrog, then the dam breaks, and blam, spider cracking over 99 percent of the wall, if you look super close.
If you apply fiberglass mesh netting to the entire home, the stucco finish may take still hairline or get spider-checking with the first rain or damp weather.

If you really wish for a smooth stucco finish on your home.
I advise hydrating the basecoat for at least two weeks while moist curing it.
That means using your garden hose and saturating the walls down so that they no longer hold water so that the water runs off the walls.
Do this about 5 times within the two-week curing time.
Why? The rainwater or hose water will make the stucco swell or expand, and then when dryer conditions return, they will hairline or crack.
This assures the best one can do before the final application of the smooth stucco finish.

As the first rains, the dual finish will expand, and then when the curing begins, this finish is sealed because of the steel trowel. Thus, hairline or shatter or spider cracking will occur.
This has nothing to do with the proper applications or hydration of the base coats.

[Lysporster]

Not only here to watch and learn, But watching Kirk telling how it is.

[IMPALA]

Thank you for all the videos, I have taken my Stucco finish to another level because of you. Keep up the great job.

[xavierf]

Kirk, you are a brilliant communicator! It really is a skill that not everyone has - but you have excelent communicaion skills in buckets loads!

[TimKollat]

I do microcement floors and walls. Very similar. The variations in color/mottling from troweling is what makes these finishes look great in my opinion. Much more natural looking.

[clintprice]

Kirk, As always another great learning experience. Jay, congratulations on the addition to the Giordano family, your parents must be over the moon with him!
Enjoy every day, I sure remember them, coming home after work is the best.

[pensive]

You use a $2 dollar brush with $Million dollar skills Kirk.
Nice craftsmanship.

[TheObSeRvErTheObSeRv]

Nice to see your work KIRK, A TRUE PRO AT PLAY..;-)...And congrats to your SON and his wife for that little jr KIRK!!...All the very best.;-)

[patrickjohnson]

Also if the framer does not leave a 1/8 inch gap between the sheets of shear panel to alow for expansion will add to the cracking.

[williampoliti]

I’m a cement mason and watch Kirk on my day off lmao

[robloxmaniacdanceandshake]

This channel has made everyone better at plastering!!!...

[YMTYMY]

Kirk is a real pro i love watching him . Am a plaster me self in Bay Area 🙈 always watch Kirk and fallow him I’ve learn a lot from this gentleman. My respect to him .hopefully someday i get to meet him so i can shake his hand. very humble guy i can tell

[pibblesnbits]

I watch how you stay so clean in every video. So much skill. An apprenticeship would be my dream!

[MrMrjauregui]

So glad I found your channel, very informative and straight to the point... And you are a funny guy (in a good way, of course) cheers!

[dsradventure]

Base, Screed, FHA, or weep screed, however you prefer to call it, is not for expansion! It is simply place below the bottom plate so water will weep out the bottom between the paper and cement. Secondly it acts as the ground or termination point for your stucco edge. Other than that, you're entertaining to watch and I respect your knowledge. I was a lather for a long time ;)

[darkrider]

Always amazed at the information you provide. I inherited an adobe house and had no idea where to start with repairs and techniques to use with the finish, materials, and exterior products. Thank You.

[KingSobieski]

i did a 2 coat stucco in my 100yr old basement with a smooth coat finish. This guy makes it look so easy.

[kevinhornbuckle]

I enjoyed your brief discussion of the problems of running a big crew. Stick with family. Everyone has problems. You can juggle jobs and problems better if you stick with family, and you know how to roll with it.

[LaJoyB]

You finally answered my question. I have lots of hairline cracks very smooth Santa Barbara. Now I can fix myself.

[marcleblanc]

Captin Kirk, you are lucky to work with family. I journied out in my own Career. Because its to hard to work with family, to me they always expect more from you for less and usually someone is grumpy

[T.E.P.]

what a day! get to see a Kirk Giordano vid. Hi guys. loooks great