There are around 140 million houses in the United States alone. Each home is unique and personalized. One of the significant differentiating factors of home building is the type of siding used.
Siding creates a distinct look and feel to a home. Natural or manufactured wood, brick, vinyl and stucco are all standard siding options for homeowners. And there are many siding options to choose from.
However, it is interesting to note that the choice of siding is often regional. For example, people can observe stucco in southern border states like Texas and even Florida or western states like Arizona and California. Many attribute stucco’s influence on these regions to these states’ Spanish and Mexican backgrounds.
Stucco itself is a cement-based form of siding that is aesthetically pleasing and exceptionally durable. But, it also has some cracks. Learn about stucco cracks and when to worry.
What Is Stucco?
Stucco is textured siding with a cement base. You can make it from cement, sand and water. The secret ingredient is lime. Lime can add to the cement mixture’s workability and movement, but workers can still make and apply stucco without it.
Getting the correct mixture is quite vital to the lifecycle of stucco. Cracks can arise when homeowners choose and apply improper portions to the siding of their home. One can also add other ingredients like acrylics and glass fibers to the mixture to increase its preservation.
Pros of Stucco
- Durable
- Variety of color and texture in siding
- Fire resistance
- Weather resistance
- Overall low maintenance
- Sound resistance
Cons of Stucco
- When the tiling requires maintenance, it can be damaging to the structure
- Absorbance in highly wet climates
- Labor intensive
- Prone to staining due to weather
- Cracks
Why Does Stucco Crack?
The composition of the cement mixture partly causes cracks in the first place. The materials limit the stucco’s ability to shift and settle as homes age.