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Sto Powerflex Synthetic Stucco
Synthetic Stucco
There are many variants of synthetic stucco but in general, it is a finish system that mimics the aesthetics of traditional stucco but without any cement components in the finish coat. The synthetic stucco finish coat material is generically referred to as an acrylic elastomeric finish, and is a combination of an acrylic resin, aggregate, color pigments, surfactants and other proprietary additives, and comes premixed in a pail ready for hand troweling. In commercial construction, Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS) consisting of a foam board, coated with acrylic-polymer base coats, mesh and a synthetic stucco finish coat, have been utilized successfully since the mid 1950’s, but are not as widely used for residential construction. In the Southwest, many commercial and most residential buildings start out with traditional lathing, cement base coat(s) and either a traditional cement color coat or upgraded synthetic stucco finish, with both known as a hard coat system. Synthetic stucco finishes are capable of doubling the life span of a traditional stucco color coat and also provide similar aesthetics, but are virtually devoid of the color deficiencies that plague traditional cement stucco finishes. They also substantially reduce cracking that is inherent to all hard coat stucco systems and offer unsurpassed protection to parapet and wall caps.
Sto – The Synthetic Stucco Manufacturer
Sto Corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia with German engineering, is an innovative world leader and producer of a broad range of versatile cladding and coating systems for building construction, maintenance and restoration. Sto Corp. is also the world leader and largest manufacturer of insulated wall claddings (EIFS). In 1980 Sto tailored a systems approach specifically for our region known as “Sto for the Southwest” which was in part a collaborative effort between Sto and Reule Sun Corporation to meet our climatic and architectural needs for synthetic stucco refinishing. Sto continues to revolutionize the industry with over 800 high quality products and application technologies, with Sto Powerflex technology being the highest grade finishes available on the market. Sto products provide superior durability and aesthetics, for our harsh Southwest climate. Reule has successfully utilized Sto products since the introduction over 35 years ago, with Sto Powerflex Finish being the standard for Reule synthetic stucco restoration applications. Sto is the number one specified product by architects worldwide for commercial work and recognized for the ability to meet the demands for exterior building finishes. There are dozens of synthetic stucco manufacturers in the market offering differing qualities at many different price points, and many imitate… but none compare.
There are many variants of synthetic stucco but in general, it is a finish system that mimics the aesthetics of traditional stucco but without any cement components in the finish coat. The synthetic stucco finish coat material is generically referred to as an acrylic elastomeric finish, and is a combination of an acrylic resin, aggregate, color pigments, surfactants and other proprietary additives, and comes premixed in a pail ready for hand troweling. In commercial construction, Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS) consisting of a foam board, coated with acrylic-polymer base coats, mesh and a synthetic stucco finish coat, have been utilized successfully since the mid 1950’s, but are not as widely used for residential construction. In the Southwest, many commercial and most residential buildings start out with traditional lathing, cement base coat(s) and either a traditional cement color coat or upgraded synthetic stucco finish, with both known as a hard coat system. Synthetic stucco finishes are capable of doubling the life span of a traditional stucco color coat and also provide similar aesthetics, but are virtually devoid of the color deficiencies that plague traditional cement stucco finishes. They also substantially reduce cracking that is inherent to all hard coat stucco systems and offer unsurpassed protection to parapet and wall caps.
Sto – The Synthetic Stucco Manufacturer
Sto Corporation based in Atlanta, Georgia with German engineering, is an innovative world leader and producer of a broad range of versatile cladding and coating systems for building construction, maintenance and restoration. Sto Corp. is also the world leader and largest manufacturer of insulated wall claddings (EIFS). In 1980 Sto tailored a systems approach specifically for our region known as “Sto for the Southwest” which was in part a collaborative effort between Sto and Reule Sun Corporation to meet our climatic and architectural needs for synthetic stucco refinishing. Sto continues to revolutionize the industry with over 800 high quality products and application technologies, with Sto Powerflex technology being the highest grade finishes available on the market. Sto products provide superior durability and aesthetics, for our harsh Southwest climate. Reule has successfully utilized Sto products since the introduction over 35 years ago, with Sto Powerflex Finish being the standard for Reule synthetic stucco restoration applications. Sto is the number one specified product by architects worldwide for commercial work and recognized for the ability to meet the demands for exterior building finishes. There are dozens of synthetic stucco manufacturers in the market offering differing qualities at many different price points, and many imitate… but none compare.
Synthetic Stucco Flexibility
Synthetic Stucco Refinishing over hard coat stucco assemblies requires a flexible-elastic synthetic finish coat to move like a rubber band with the hard cement base coat, to reduce crack translation. Rigid synthetic stucco finishes designed for soft EIFS systems will not perform well over a hard coat system, because they are too brittle to bridge the movement of the hard cement base coat and will translate virtually every crack that develops in the cement base coat. In simple terms, synthetic finishes should be soft over a hard cement base, and hard over a soft base like EIFS. For hard coat synthetic stucco restoration, Sto Powerflex Synthetic Stucco offers superior flexibility characteristics, with it being capable of bending around a 1/8” mandrel (about the diameter of a pencil lead) without cracking per ASTM D-522 testing method. Comparing that spec to other products that are only able to bend around a 1” mandrel (about the size of a metal fence post) before cracking, demonstrates Sto Powerflex is 300% more stretchy for superior crack reduction. That’s analogous to a car traveling the freeway at 10mph when it should be going 80mph. Don’t be misled by the term Elastomeric as it is often sold as being efficiently elastic or stretchy, when it could easily be a rigid synthetic finish not designed to perform over a hard stucco base coat.
Synthetic Stucco Refinishing over hard coat stucco assemblies requires a flexible-elastic synthetic finish coat to move like a rubber band with the hard cement base coat, to reduce crack translation. Rigid synthetic stucco finishes designed for soft EIFS systems will not perform well over a hard coat system, because they are too brittle to bridge the movement of the hard cement base coat and will translate virtually every crack that develops in the cement base coat. In simple terms, synthetic finishes should be soft over a hard cement base, and hard over a soft base like EIFS. For hard coat synthetic stucco restoration, Sto Powerflex Synthetic Stucco offers superior flexibility characteristics, with it being capable of bending around a 1/8” mandrel (about the diameter of a pencil lead) without cracking per ASTM D-522 testing method. Comparing that spec to other products that are only able to bend around a 1” mandrel (about the size of a metal fence post) before cracking, demonstrates Sto Powerflex is 300% more stretchy for superior crack reduction. That’s analogous to a car traveling the freeway at 10mph when it should be going 80mph. Don’t be misled by the term Elastomeric as it is often sold as being efficiently elastic or stretchy, when it could easily be a rigid synthetic finish not designed to perform over a hard stucco base coat.
Synthetic Stucco Breathability
The building code for our homes in the Southwest is designed to insure the wall assemblies (sheetrock, insulation, sheathing, building paper, stucco) breathe and do not trap moisture inside the wall, which otherwise could lead to wood rot, structural damage and mold propagation. For any new synthetic stucco being applied over a hard coat base, it must be able to provide adequate permeability (breathability) so as to allow any moisture to transpire through the wall and exit without being trapped within the wall cavity. A typical family of four generates from two to five gallons of water daily that is introduced inside the home from respiration, cooking, bathing, laundering and swamp cooling that must be able to escape to the exterior. This is accomplished through ventilation, but also by transpiration through the wall assembly. Stucco has more than adequate permeability, but a synthetic stucco finish should be verified to insure it meets the permeability requirements. When the resins of synthetic stucco are designed to be flexible, they typically suffer in permeability. Think of a rubberized coating or elastomeric paint coating as being very stretchy, but “sealing” the stucco and offering virtually no permeability to allow moisture to move through the finish. Elastomeric paints for stucco provide very poor permeability, and when they blister it is usually due to moisture being trapped behind the paint coating and then heated by the sun. The moisture turns to steam vapor (steam moves locomotives) and breaches the bond between paint finish and stucco from the pressure release. Painting stucco is not recommended for homes, although painting free standing walls that do not need to breathe, is a viable cost alternative. Some synthetic stucco finishes can also seal the wall just like paint, so it is important to read the product specification. Sto Powerflex synthetic stucco finishes provide not only superior flexibility, but tests high in permeability to insure the building retains the original design permeability requirements and allows the walls to breathe.
Synthetic Stucco Parapet Treatment
Parapets at the top of the wall are a predominant architectural feature for flat roof construction, but at times a nemesis for weather tight protection. When snow and rain settle on the parapet caps, moisture slowly soaks in and migrates through the finish coat and into the base cement stucco, and with freeze – thaw cycles from night time freezing and daytime heating, the stucco breaks down and peels, which can lead to leaks. To counteract this issue it is recommended that prior to the synthetic finish coat application, a waterproof membrane be applied to the parapet caps to prevent any moisture from migrating into the stucco base coats. Sto offers Flexyl, a waterproof product just for this application, which is an elastomeric resin about the consistency of peanut butter that is troweled onto the parapet caps and while wet, embedded with polyester mesh. Once dry, it is like a reinforced rubber inner tube and analogous to a roofing system for the stucco parapet caps, offering 100% waterproof protection for these most vulnerable areas. Flexyl bonds to the underlying stucco superbly and also can be applied over the roof flashing to bridge the seam that occurs between roofing and stucco, which substantially cuts down on the annual maintenance cycle required for roof flashings. Sto Flexyl is also recommended for any flat stucco areas, such as wall caps, chimney caps, bancos, etc., where moisture can settle. At Reule, Flexyl is a standard for synthetic stucco jobs with parapets, and required by Sto to receive a factory warranty. A variant of this is process is also offered for traditional stucco color coats.
Synthetic Stucco Summary
When refinishing over a hard coat stucco look for a synthetic stucco finish with: 1) High flexibility to reduce cracks; 2) High breathability so as to not trap moisture in the wall; 3) Water resistance to repel moisture; 4) Stable color pigments for uniform-durable color; 5) Resistance to dirt pick up and self- cleaning properties so the wall is either self cleaned by the rain or a garden hose; 6) Parapet waterproof treatments for flat roof architecture to insure a roof-like seal at the top parapet and wall caps; 7) A Systems approach with all products from one manufacturer standing behind the performance of all materials, from patching compounds through the finish coats; 8)A strong stable manufacturer with a transferable factory warranty. With these attributes a synthetic stucco application will initially be more expensive than a traditional stucco color coat restoration but over the life cycle, can actually be less expensive than a traditional stucco color coat on an annualized basis. If the cost of a proper synthetic stucco application is not in the budget, it is advised to consider a thorough conventional stucco restoration rather than a budget synthetic stucco application, because the budget synthetic application can fail in less time than a good conventional cement stucco job. When properly executed, a quality synthetic stucco application can double the life of a conventional stucco color coat, mimic the aesthetics of traditional stucco and look pristine for many years.
The building code for our homes in the Southwest is designed to insure the wall assemblies (sheetrock, insulation, sheathing, building paper, stucco) breathe and do not trap moisture inside the wall, which otherwise could lead to wood rot, structural damage and mold propagation. For any new synthetic stucco being applied over a hard coat base, it must be able to provide adequate permeability (breathability) so as to allow any moisture to transpire through the wall and exit without being trapped within the wall cavity. A typical family of four generates from two to five gallons of water daily that is introduced inside the home from respiration, cooking, bathing, laundering and swamp cooling that must be able to escape to the exterior. This is accomplished through ventilation, but also by transpiration through the wall assembly. Stucco has more than adequate permeability, but a synthetic stucco finish should be verified to insure it meets the permeability requirements. When the resins of synthetic stucco are designed to be flexible, they typically suffer in permeability. Think of a rubberized coating or elastomeric paint coating as being very stretchy, but “sealing” the stucco and offering virtually no permeability to allow moisture to move through the finish. Elastomeric paints for stucco provide very poor permeability, and when they blister it is usually due to moisture being trapped behind the paint coating and then heated by the sun. The moisture turns to steam vapor (steam moves locomotives) and breaches the bond between paint finish and stucco from the pressure release. Painting stucco is not recommended for homes, although painting free standing walls that do not need to breathe, is a viable cost alternative. Some synthetic stucco finishes can also seal the wall just like paint, so it is important to read the product specification. Sto Powerflex synthetic stucco finishes provide not only superior flexibility, but tests high in permeability to insure the building retains the original design permeability requirements and allows the walls to breathe.
Synthetic Stucco Parapet Treatment
Parapets at the top of the wall are a predominant architectural feature for flat roof construction, but at times a nemesis for weather tight protection. When snow and rain settle on the parapet caps, moisture slowly soaks in and migrates through the finish coat and into the base cement stucco, and with freeze – thaw cycles from night time freezing and daytime heating, the stucco breaks down and peels, which can lead to leaks. To counteract this issue it is recommended that prior to the synthetic finish coat application, a waterproof membrane be applied to the parapet caps to prevent any moisture from migrating into the stucco base coats. Sto offers Flexyl, a waterproof product just for this application, which is an elastomeric resin about the consistency of peanut butter that is troweled onto the parapet caps and while wet, embedded with polyester mesh. Once dry, it is like a reinforced rubber inner tube and analogous to a roofing system for the stucco parapet caps, offering 100% waterproof protection for these most vulnerable areas. Flexyl bonds to the underlying stucco superbly and also can be applied over the roof flashing to bridge the seam that occurs between roofing and stucco, which substantially cuts down on the annual maintenance cycle required for roof flashings. Sto Flexyl is also recommended for any flat stucco areas, such as wall caps, chimney caps, bancos, etc., where moisture can settle. At Reule, Flexyl is a standard for synthetic stucco jobs with parapets, and required by Sto to receive a factory warranty. A variant of this is process is also offered for traditional stucco color coats.
Synthetic Stucco Summary
When refinishing over a hard coat stucco look for a synthetic stucco finish with: 1) High flexibility to reduce cracks; 2) High breathability so as to not trap moisture in the wall; 3) Water resistance to repel moisture; 4) Stable color pigments for uniform-durable color; 5) Resistance to dirt pick up and self- cleaning properties so the wall is either self cleaned by the rain or a garden hose; 6) Parapet waterproof treatments for flat roof architecture to insure a roof-like seal at the top parapet and wall caps; 7) A Systems approach with all products from one manufacturer standing behind the performance of all materials, from patching compounds through the finish coats; 8)A strong stable manufacturer with a transferable factory warranty. With these attributes a synthetic stucco application will initially be more expensive than a traditional stucco color coat restoration but over the life cycle, can actually be less expensive than a traditional stucco color coat on an annualized basis. If the cost of a proper synthetic stucco application is not in the budget, it is advised to consider a thorough conventional stucco restoration rather than a budget synthetic stucco application, because the budget synthetic application can fail in less time than a good conventional cement stucco job. When properly executed, a quality synthetic stucco application can double the life of a conventional stucco color coat, mimic the aesthetics of traditional stucco and look pristine for many years.
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