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Old 02-13-2010, 11:43 AM
 
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These aren't like the grand canyon but just hair line cracks but some are very long and I have quite a few around the house. House is less than 2yrs old.



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Old 02-13-2010, 11:59 AM
 
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They'll probably get bigger -- I'd get them fixed.

They're normal because a house will settle but if the foundation wasn't very good, the problems are a lot worse in a short time than if the foundation was good. Maybe all this rain we've been having this year isn't good for stucco.
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Old 02-13-2010, 12:01 PM
 
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Time to go to Lowes and get me some stucco repair stuff. Hopefully it doesn't get worse though.
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Old 02-13-2010, 12:44 PM
 
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Default I would say it depends...

My parents lived in a house for 30+ years, and never once saw a crack in the stucco. I would say it is not something to be concerned about, and not uncommon in modern construction... but you know what they say, they don't build them like they used to.
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Old 02-13-2010, 06:03 PM
 
Location: Ruidoso, NM
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ALL cement based products crack! There are ways to "control" the cracking and they are called "control joints" for that reason. Unfortunately stucco construction usually doesn't provide them. The main reason to be concerned about cracks is if moisture can intrude - rain water or water from garden sprinklers, for example. If the house has a good eave overhang, and sprinklers are not allowed to spray on the walls, then the cracks should not be of concern. If the wall can get wet, then over time the wetness will corrode the reinforcing wire and holding studs and possibly cause rotting of underlying framework. And of course thaw/freeze cycles can open the cracks further. In that case sealing the cracks with a silicon (or other flexible sealant) should be undertaken and redone periodically.

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Old 02-13-2010, 08:10 PM
 
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Well I don't have sprinklers so hopefully when I patch them I don't get more.
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Old 02-13-2010, 08:44 PM
 
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It has to be thicker than a nickel to be a problem.The cracks that you have there are very normal.The best thing you can do is paint over them with elastomeric paint.Its paint with a rubberized texture so the house can move and will reduse those crack lines.Cracks happen to stucco and that the bottom line.
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Old 02-14-2010, 07:31 AM
 
Location: Ruidoso, NM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danieloneil01 View Post
Well I don't have sprinklers so hopefully when I patch them I don't get more.
Today when speaking of stucco exterior it's usually stucco over a wood frame construction. But in El Paso there are houses built with cinder block in some post-WWII neighborhoods, and a few built from traditional adobe. These also often have stucco exterior finishes and in the case of cinder brick, cracks will follow the mortar joints in the brick. Cinder brick are not going to "rot" from water intrusion so the cracks are not as detrimental to longevity.

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Old 02-14-2010, 12:44 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danieloneil01 View Post
These aren't like the grand canyon but just hair line cracks but some are very long and I have quite a few around the house. House is less than 2yrs old.


They are normal, some will get bigger, some may not. I would get someone out just to get an idea of where to go from here. This doesn't mean there is anything really wrong. We have lived in a couple places where outside cracks are part of the settlement of the earth and have never had a problem. In NM both our church and our home had cracks. None ever got much bigger or needed to be filled. Well that isn't totally true. cracks in the cement on drive ways and walk ways do seem to expand.

Nita
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Old 02-16-2010, 10:58 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bascat348 View Post
It has to be thicker than a nickel to be a problem.The cracks that you have there are very normal.The best thing you can do is paint over them with elastomeric paint.Its paint with a rubberized texture so the house can move and will reduse those crack lines.Cracks happen to stucco and that the bottom line.

So do they mix this up at Lowes so it matches my paint now?
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