Stucco Cracks due to Building Settlement

Log Out | Topics | Search Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Thread Last Poster Posts Pages Last Post   Closed: New threads not accepted on this page

Author Message Paul Henderson (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, February 06, 2015 - 05:42 pm:    A 15 year old non-grouted, stucco coated cmu block wall exhibits what appears to be severe failure. The location is in the northeast in an area that experiences severe temperature fluctuations during the course of the year. The bond between the finish, scratch and cmu surface appears strong as it spalled off together; only the metal corner beading kept the stucco in place. The cmu beneath is broken into small pieces and crumbles to the touch. I have photos but do not know how to attach them. The questions are: apart from freezing moisture, what caused the failure?, was it the lack of grouting? how should the wall be repaired and or rebuilt? Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1241 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 - 09:37 am:    David "I recommend lots of control joints and a good elastomeric paint or coating applied over the top." Not for new stucco work, maybe for stucco that is at least 2 yrs in place. Also it depends on the substrate, on solid substrates control joints are not as beneficial, many of the real experts in stucco work are against using control joints as frequently as the code "recommends". Also my friend you should avoid recommending any solution to stucco problems without specifics addressed, stucco litigation is hot and heavy in Florida where construction is maddening. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 1242 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 - 09:42 am:    Paul, what do you mean by "non-grouted", are you referring to non-reinforced cmu? Nathan Woods, CSI, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: nwoods Post Number: 625 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 - 11:59 am:    Paul Henderson, you might want to engage a forensic expert, such as http://www.buildingforensicsintl.com/ John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1615 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, February 16, 2015 - 02:37 pm:    Very few CMU walls in the New England area have no grout at all unless they are quite old. Even for non-load-bearing CMU, there are usually grouted/reinforced cells every so often, say 4 ft centers, with horizontal bond beams for taller walls. However, fully grouted walls are not typical here. There is the possibility that water can travel downwards through non-grouted cells, of course. However, whether this would cause the failure is another question entirely. Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 712 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Monday, February 16, 2015 - 10:24 pm:    I believe that some of the early recommendations for joints in CMU walls were based on walls with few to no grouted cells. On the other hand where all the cells are grouted and there is significant reinforcing steel there are few control joints and essentially no problems. We need to be clear where the recommendations came from so we can decide if they are applicable.