Expansion Gaps Smooth Stucco Siding

Asphalt saturated fiberboard designed for expansion joints.

Expansion gaps smooth stucco siding.

The process of smoothing stucco in most cases there s no need to remove the old stucco to create a smoother surface. But i just read an fhb article working with fiber cement siding from june july 2001 that states that on walls 12 or longer hardie recommends you leave 1 8 gaps between the lap pieces and the trim and between the butt ends of adjoining lap pieces to allow for expansion. There is no need to leave a gap for expansion. Quikrete has a stucco repair product that is textured to match the surrounding stucco and can fill gaps up to 1 2 an inch wide.

Siding butt joint treatment. After that the pro will apply a new stucco base coat. Sanded caulk has particles in it that help it adhere to wet surfaces and expand in larger gaps without cracking. Stucco is not an option.

Is there a smart trim type 1 x 8 or 1x10 material with a rabbeted top and bottom to allow a flat installation and provide the proper drainage at the horizontal joints. Caulk can be either sanded or unsanded. The clients and their architect are also looking into possibility using sheets of fiber cement 4x8 to provide the low maintenance and smooth look but. A stucco pro will simply apply a new texture over the existing one.

Unsanded caulk has a smooth appearance and texture. Hardie boards should be joined in moderate contact. Wipe away any excess caulk. But on the exterior gaps in stucco siding can lead not only to further degradation of the stucco but also to a host of nasty issues mold growth for example or pest infestations.

James hardie recommends that a slip sheet joint flashing is installed behind each butt joint in the siding. One reason for the porous nature of the gap can be attributed to old asphalt saturated fiberboard that had fallen apart. Clean out the crack using a scraping tool and a wire brush so that there is no loose material and the caulk has a good surface to bond to. The pro s first step will be to power wash the home.

It has a grainy texture and appearance. Fill any low spots or remaining gaps with additional caulking until the gap. It recommends filling the gaps with caulk. Do not deliberately leave butt joint gaps in fiber cement lap siding and that they do not recommend caulking field cut butt joints in their board type fiber cement siding products.

Use sanded caulk any time you use sanded grout and in joints 1 8 inch or wider. Both certainteed and jameshardie as of september 2008 have made clear that siding butt joint gaps should never be made that is.