When it comes to stucco, whether for your home or commercial building, there are many choices for materials, colours, textures and even moisture protection.  If you are simply looking for Stucco Repairs or contemplating what type of exterior finish you would like for a new build, as Kelowna's Stucco Contractor of choice, we will help you make those decisions a little easier and less confusing.

Here is an overview of the types of stucco systems and some of the differences between them, types of stucco finishes and colours available. The main types of stucco systems look remarkably similar when finished but are actually quite different in application and moisture control.  The most traditional and widely used methods are the Hard Coat Systems.  New advances in technology, and gaining in popularity, is the Exterior Insulation Finishing System (EIFS).

Hard Coat Stucco Systems are cement based which lends to the name "hard coat".  In most cases they have a base coat of cement that is applied before the finish coat.  Hard Coat can be applied as a 3 coat or as a 1 coat system.

3 Coat Stucco: Typical three-coat stucco system consists of a water barrier (15# Roofing Felt or Tyvek®), wire, scratch coat and brown coat as a base coat, and a finish coat (primer coat may need to be applied).

​​1 Coat Stucco: Typical ​one-coat stucco system also uses a cement base coat but is only 3/8" thick instead of 7/8" thick like three coat system.  The process is similar to the three-coat system but uses EPS foam in place of a scratch coat.

Hard Coat Advantages: Lower Cost, Durable, Impact Resistant, Fire Resistant, and Many Finishing Options.

​Exterior Insulation Finishing System Stucco does not rely on a hard base coat but instead is thinner layers of modified materials that make up the   EIFS  cladding.  Each manufacturer has their own special system having small differences between layers however, the fundamentals are essentially the same.  Typical EIFS Systems are composed of an adhesive on the substrate, foam insulation board, a base coat containing mesh fibre for strength, and a finish coat designed to keep out water.  If desired, you can also add an additional moisture barrier layer to the substrate.

EIFS Advantages: Better water resistance and higher insulating value.  EIFS assemblies are designed to keep water out, whereas a hard coat stucco system absorbs water which then leaves the system through evaporation and/or through the weep screed.

​​​​