Thread: Stucco

I know stucco gets cracks in it and where they usually show up. So what would cause a crack like this? The other one goes from the bottom corner of a window straight down the wall. These are not expansion joints

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Is this a single story? Can't speak about the window crack - is that on the same wall? But this looks a lot like the window/door was originally framed and stuccoed to that size (to where the crack is). Then at some point the window width was reduced by a foot and the gap reframed and re-finished. Perhaps the whole wall was re-finished to blend in but whoever did the work didn't cut the stucco back and use adhesive sealer on the raw edge. Is there any noticeable plane change/undulation of the drywall inside?

Maybe the window was originally a door and this door was a window - just swapped over during a remodel

ip

Originally Posted by Ian Page

Is this a single story? Can't speak about the window crack - is that on the same wall? But this looks a lot like the window/door was originally framed and stuccoed to that size (to where the crack is). Then at some point the window width was reduced by a foot and the gap reframed and re-finished. Perhaps the whole wall was re-finished to blend in but whoever did the work didn't cut the stucco back and use adhesive sealer on the raw edge. Is there any noticeable plane change/undulation of the drywall inside?

Maybe the window was originally a door and this door was a window - just swapped over during a remodel

ip

It is a single story track home, built in 2004 and window is not on the same wall.There is nothing noticeable on the drywall side. It is possible that the opening was framed wrong and they did not catch it before the stucco was applied.These are not surface cracks they go all the way through.

I think the stucco guys call it a "cold joint", stucco repair or new stucco meeting old. If it's not done properly, and even sometimes when it is, it will crack. Looks like it has been patched before.
Why is there a pool in the living room?

Originally Posted by Benjamin Thompson

I think the stucco guys call it a "cold joint", stucco repair or new stucco meeting old. If it's not done properly, and even sometimes when it is, it will crack. Looks like it has been patched before.
Why is there a pool in the living room?

Good call Benjamin, someone did attempt to patch it and I can't speak to the pool issue it wasn't included in the inspection

WAG: Shear wall panel sheathing in vertical orientation behind finish - vertical line of demark, perhaps not adequately fastened after tacked in place or less than sufficient spacing between. Could be stud wrong side out. Movement, bowing, or moisture content change.

Another possibility might be that the window or door opening height compared to wall height (ex. 6'8" in 8') didn't necessate top and bottom opening blocking in shear wall - but combination of exceptions applied created a problem/conflict with minimal engineering thus problem, ex: not extending shear panel to top plate of double wall plate, continuing nailing pattern within double plate - but having a splice in lower plate of the double top plate at same vertical panel demark or seam.

Firm believer of requiring (in plan) blocking at horizontal lines of openings at openings adjacent ends of shear walls/panels, especially overall wall end panels, in seismic areas, even where code may not minimally require in general, due to combination of factors creating non compliance often in the construction (for example "tacked" or "pinned" panels not later re-nailed as required, shorted panel height (not top to of double top plate, plate members not nailed to required shear pattern when same, or splice in lower of double top plate not staggered to shear panel seams, esp. vertically installed panels).

P.S. That would be "tract" not "track" home or housing; as in: a "tract of land" which was further subdivided into individual lots.

Since the crack is so uniform I would check for an expansion joint embedded in the crack.

Originally Posted by James Duffin

Since the crack is so uniform I would check for an expansion joint embedded in the crack.

It's not an expansion joint, why put one there? Some builders out here use them for res. buildings but not to many in this area. This is a simple two coat stucco job and than a color coat

Look beneath/beyond the cosmetic, possible segmented or perf. shear wall/panel construction or calculation defect. UBC 2B+/IBC/RC C/3+. Thermal imaging may reveal irregularities, plans review & struct. eng. measurements and calcs.. first 1/5 out from opening or edge of perforation or end of segment - suggests irregularity, defect, etc. in need of correction. Defer for further review/evaluation structural before finish.

Originally Posted by David Garton

It's not an expansion joint, why put one there? Some builders out here use them for res. buildings but not to many in this area. This is a simple two coat stucco job and than a color coat

Wny not put one there? That is a mighty even crack to be random.

How did you detrimine that it was a thin coat app.? Are there expansion joints eleswhere? it would be helpfuf to see the top. If it is a repair / patch they may not have fixed the oridginal problem and it will continue to crack. Have you drilled through the stucco to test the moisture content of the substrate? If it's thin coat an IR camera will not help, you need to drill through the stucco to messure the moisture content.

Here's a pic from Thursday, yeah, we got winter finally. This is where an addition was attached a couple of years after the original build.

Its not a cold patch. It looks like the mesh was not overlapped properly.

Originally Posted by Steven Turetsky

Its not a cold patch. It looks like the mesh was not overlapped properly.

I'm not a stucco expert, but I tend to agree as the crack is not really parallel with the window frame. If it were an addition or something added later, you would expect the crack to be plumb, no?

If there is an addition there, I would tend to lean towards the addition being the cause. If the stucco is applied directly to block (if it is block) with no mesh (as is conceivable), the joint probably opened up. An expansion joint would have avoided that. If there was mesh (screen) applied, chances are it may not have cracked. If its on something other than wood, its probably a mesh problem.

Perhaps if you look close you could tell. What do you see when you look into the crack?

Unless you suspect movement beyond expansion and contraction, just recommend opening the crack, and sealing it with something low modeus. Repairing the crack will just create a cold patch, and it will open again anyway. If it takes in water, after it's sealed, there are other options.

.

Dave,

How far from a corner is that crack? You mentioned single story...is it a slab on grade or raised?

Somebody touched on point of shear termination, coupled with Moistop/Lath...CRACK! 2004, the market was busy... some blow-n-go shear and lath methods, not too hard to imagine cracks forming.

Originally Posted by Tim Spargo

Dave,

How far from a corner is that crack? You mentioned single story...is it a slab on grade or raised?

Somebody touched on point of shear termination, coupled with Moistop/Lath...CRACK! 2004, the market was busy... some blow-n-go shear and lath methods, not too hard to imagine cracks forming.

Tim, It,s probably 10-12 ft. from the corner and it's on a slab. There where no visible signs of anything on the drywall side

[QUOTE=Steven Turetsky;160880]If there is an addition there, I would tend to lean towards the addition being the cause. If the stucco is applied directly to block (if it is block) with no mesh (as is conceivable), the joint probably opened up. An expansion joint would have avoided that. If there was mesh (screen) applied, chances are it may not have cracked. If its on something other than wood, its probably a mesh problem.

Perhaps if you look close you could tell. What do you see when you look into the crack?

Unless you suspect movement beyond expansion and contraction, just recommend opening the crack, and sealing it with something low modeus. Repairing the crack will just create a cold patch, and it will open again anyway. If it takes in water, after it's sealed, there are other options.

This is a wood framed house. There is nothing in the cracks (hollow), you can stick a screw driver and touch the framing behind it

So if its over wood, there must be a seam there, and the mesh is wrong.

Originally Posted by Steven Turetsky

So if its over wood, there must be a seam there, and the mesh is wrong.

Thanks Steven, I write it up as a installation problem(defect),(substandard work) however you want to say it, something they would have to live with. Recommended that they seal the joint.