Why is stucco used primarily in the south west? (vinyl, color, plank)
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Probably a really stupid question but is there a temperature reasoning behind this? I’m in NY and you BARELY see anything other than boring vinyl siding- or old wood siding. I want to re- side my house in the next couple of years and really just want a white stucco. Is there a reason I shouldn’t/ can’t do it where I live?
Stucco can crack in freezing temps. It is also not waterproof, so it is less commonly used in wet places. However you can just put waterproof stuff behind it.
Stucco not done right in your 4 season environment can be a real nightmare. First, if not done/mixed correctly, like Coldjensens points out, can act like a sponge to constant moisture. There was a huge problem with it back in the early 2000's if I recall for this. Maybe a class-action somewhere on it.
Yes, it looks very pretty, but has to be done absolutely perfect. A neighbor has a stucco house, white, 17 years old, and looks like crap now due to dirt and mold. It's actually more of a Styrofoam material than stucco. Can't pressure wash it for fear of damaging it. It's a million-dollar custom home too. No cracks, but limited options to maintain it.
We had a stucco house in Chicago (we rented). Was a "to the studs" renovation of a historic home in the Glen Ellyn suburb. very nice area. Was renovated in 2007. We rented it from 2009-2011. By the time we left, there were long cracks running down the sides of the home. 4 years since install, and cracks forming. Owner's had them "puttied" with color matching material, but still looked "repaired". They'd repair in the summer, and come next spring, another couple of cracks showed up. This wasn't a cheaply renovated home either. Was on the local historical registry, won a few local awards, etc. Very nice home (that wasn't worth 1/2 of what they paid for it due to the recession - hence why I was able to rent it for a very good deal).
In your environment, I'd say fiber cement / hardiplank would be ideal. I have vinyl on mine (3 sides), and hate it. Want to replace it with fiber cement. Another neighbor (original owner) had his built with fiber cement instead of the vinyl at that same time our home was built in 2000. His still looks brand spanking new. Mine, oxidized and worn out.
Probably a really stupid question but is there a temperature reasoning behind this? I’m in NY and you BARELY see anything other than boring vinyl siding- or old wood siding. I want to re- side my house in the next couple of years and really just want a white stucco. Is there a reason I shouldn’t/ can’t do it where I live?
Temperature? No.
It's actually goes back to "material(s) of abundance"/supply and demand. True stucco was a way to "finish" stone/block walls. You could probably throw adobe in there also. So, call it more "tradition" than anything else.
Today's exterior claddings can work just as well in any part of the US.
Today's stucco (most common, EIFS) is waterproof. It is an elastomeric/vinyl composition.
Stucco can crack in freezing temps. It is also not waterproof, so it is less commonly used in wet places. However you can just put waterproof stuff behind it.
Stucco is just another word for an exterior grade of plaster, and plastering building exteriors has a very long and geographically broad history in architecture in nearly all climates.
The reason you don't see much stucco in the US except in arid climates is not because it is especially suited to dry climates, or unsuited to cold, wet climates, but because wood (and later substitutes like vinyl) has always been a cheap and readily available exterior sheathing material for buildings in the US whereas in the desert, it has to be transported, while the basic materials for stucco are readily available, even right on the building site.
Our house is EIFS stucco over full brick on all sides of the house over 2X6 exterior framing, which for this dry Colorado climate is an excellent solution. The values for the blown-in insulation is R-20 + the EIFS foam boards add another R-4 for a total of R-24 in the walls alone. We have had zero problems in 15 years with it, though we did just paint it (same as original colors) with elastomeric paint to brighten it up and make it look new again. We went with a medium sand finish, not too heavily textured as flickers and woodpeckers will actually hang on the walls and make holes I guess.
We are only looking at concrete block and stucco for our next house in Florida, wouldn't even consider anything else.
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