Stucco is an excellent siding option that protects the home from outside factors like wind, rain, excessive heat, and cold.

With all these advantages, it’s worth learning about stucco siding features, costs and potential complications to determine whether its the right siding option for your house.

To get started on your siding installation project, contact your local siding pros for FREE ESTIMATES!

How Much Does Stucco Cost?

On average, a square foot of stucco material for a house costs around $5.50.

However, the material requires a base and a finish coat. Both come in packages containing enough material to cover a specific surface area.

One bag of stucco base can cover over 450 square feet of your house and costs approximately $30, making its price per square foot about $0.06.

A package of the stucco finish coat is sufficient for 35 square feet and costs $17.30. Therefore, the coating cost will be in the neighborhood of $2 per square foot of the house.

So far, the cost of all materials for a stucco house is about $7.60 per square foot. When you add the average $2.50 cost of labor to that, you get a median price of $10.10 per square foot of stucco.

Of course, the cost can range up or down, so you might end up paying several dollars less per square foot.

	Average Price Per Square Foot
Material	$5.50
Labor	$2.50
Equipment	$0.40
Total Expense	$8.40

Calculating how much it will cost to stucco your entire house will be a bit more complicated than multiplying the average price per square foot with the area that needs to be covered.

This expense will depend on the surface size, your location, and the possible preparations for the job.

Contractors will charge the different rates in different states and labor costs might vary county to county and town to town.

Also, starting a stucco house from scratch will cost less than having to remove or repair the previous stucco layer.

Cost Breakdown By Stucco Material Type

Another thing to note is that stucco comes in cement, acrylic, and mesh varieties, all featuring different base prices and several quality tiers.

Cement stucco is the most affordable by far, ranging in price per square foot from $0.06 to $0.11.

Acrylic is usually approximately five times more costly, while the mesh option can go for $0.60 to $0.80 per square foot.

	Average Price Per Square Foot
Cement	$0.06 – $0.11
Acrylic	$0.11 – $0.22
Mesh	$0.60 – $0.80

If these prices seem to differ from the average $5.50 figure mentioned earlier, that’s because the cement, acrylic, and mesh costs stated here relate only to the stucco.

The rest of the materials, including wrapping, wiring, and coloring, aren’t included.

Stucco Cost Breakdown By House Size

With all this considered, it’s worth pointing out that you can get a better sense of a stucco house cost when looking at the actual average expenditure.

The national average price of stucco for a home measuring 1,500 square feet is around $9,500. The upper end of the average can be more than $11,000.

Pure “material plus labor times square feet” calculation would give quite a different stucco cost result, amounting to over $15,000. This shows how much variation there can be in stucco pricing.

However, without taking the house size into account, average cost to stucco a house shows an even greater disparity.

On average, Americans can spend anywhere from $4,400 to $15,100 to stucco their home. The upper end of that scale is mostly reserved for homes measuring 3,000 square feet, though.

Average Siding Cost
Small House (1,200 Square Feet)	$7,450 – $11,250
Medium House (1,500 Square Feet)	$8,550 – $13,000
Large House (1,750 Square Feet)	$10,350 – $15,850

Did you know? While stucco came to prominence in the U.S. in the last 100-150 years, the material has been in use for much longer.

The first application of stucco dates back to the 15th century when Italian builders started using it as a substitute for plaster.

Labor And Other Costs Of Stucco Installation

Calculating the exact cost of labor for stucco installation on a house is relatively complex and requires a more in-depth explanation.

This part of the total expense usually amounts to a third of the overall cost. Labor is calculated per worker per hour and is often calculated along with the price of installation equipment.

The average stucco house siding project takes approximately three days and can be completed by three workers. The hourly rate for a single worker may vary widely based on location, but the national average is about $51.

Stucco may need to be applied to the house in three coats, which prolongs installation time. The duration of the project will also depend on the type of stucco finish.

For example: Sand float finish on natural cement will take about 90 hours to cure. Trowel finish on white cement will take 15 hours more.

Besides the labor cost and installation time, factors that can influence stucco costs include wall height and house condition, finish type, stucco quality, potential foam trim installation, and building permits.

For Example: If house walls are higher than 14 feet, scaffolding will be necessary for the project. Furthermore, walls in poor condition will require thorough preparation before the stucco can be applied to the house. These factors can significantly increase the cost of stucco per square foot.

Foam trim can be installed around doors and windows. Its price is based on linear feet and can be around $5 per linear foot on average.

Finally, building permit costs will vary based on location and can range from $70 to $230.

It’s apparent that the final cost to stucco a house will depend on many factors. That’s why national averages might be helpful to provide some orientation.

Still, the precise expense of stucco installation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

What Is Stucco?

Stucco is used for house siding. In other words, it’s applied as the final outer layer of the home. This material is installed as a thin coating that protects the home from outside factors.

Essentially, stucco is a mixture of Portland cement, sand, water, and lime. However, that’s the traditional stucco recipe. More modern options use advanced materials like polymers to boost the resilience and flexibility of the mixture.

Stucco comes in three systems:

• 1-Coat stucco calls for one application. It’s a siding made of cement, fibers, sand, water, and different chemicals. This type of stucco is applied to lath and foam boards.

• 2-Coat stucco is the traditional mixture that goes on block, brick, or concrete walls. It does not require a lath to stick to the wall. Rather, this stucco system is applied over a special bonding adhesive.

• 3-Coat stucco is the most complex both in its composition and application. The mixture includes cement, fiberglass, sand, water, and acrylic additives.

  The siding is applied in three layers: asphalt-infused paper, furred chicken wire, and stucco base layer. On top of that, the stucco siding is coated with a finish that provides the final color and texture to the house.

Did you know? The Portland cement gets its name from its appearance rather than the largest city in Oregon. Reportedly, this material closely resembles a particular type of stone that’s abundant on a small island in Great Britain – the Isle of Portland.

Potential Problems With Stucco

While it has many advantages as home siding, stucco can develop certain severe issues, especially if not installed properly.

When the cheapest material is used and installed without proper attention to detail and expertise, stucco can become susceptible to water damage. Even worse, the resulting damage can compromise the entire home.

Did you know? This is precisely what happened in Pennsylvania in the late 2010s.

Poor stucco installation caused damage to hundreds of homes, ending up in costly repairs that often amounted to tens of thousands of dollars. Stucco was applied in overly thin layers, letting the water seep in and eventually rot the very interiors of the afflicted homes.

Worst of all, such issues usually show over a long period of time. They might take years to become visible. By the time the first signs appear, the damage could be so extensive that it makes the home unfit for living.

Improper stucco installation may cause the building exterior to start flaking and develop cracks.

The caulking can get chipped or even fall off, and a particular discoloration can develop around doors, windows, pipes, and other features.

That discoloration is called “stucco tears” and is usually the telltale sign of greater trouble. The tears are actually traces of mildew and mold that are starting to develop.

Soon after stucco tears appear, other more severe symptoms might follow.

Firstly, a strong wood rot scent might appear accompanied by dry rot, especially in areas around windows.

At that point, water leakage could also become a problem as the damage to walls and ceiling spreads.

On top of all this, there can be fungal growth inside and outside the house.

Fortunately, most of these issues are usually repairable, albeit often at a considerable cost. These problems stem from faulty installation rather than the stucco itself.

Stucco Installation

Proper stucco application involves several crucial steps. If any are skipped or done poorly, the potential damage can be catastrophic.

Before stucco is installed, the home needs to be secured from the outside with a special vapor barrier.

Then, the wall surface must be prepared thoroughly and any cracks patched.

Furthermore, it’s necessary to brush off any debris.

Either a wire mesh or lath are then attached before the stucco is applied to the house.

Once the house walls are coated, they’ll need to sit for a while until the stucco cures.

Finally, the finish coat can be textured or smoothed.

Professional installers always leave a gap between the asphalt paper and the mesh for the air to circulate. This effectively creates a rain barrier.

Roof corners and edges must be secured with flashing to repel excess water. Additional seals, downspouts, and gutters are installed for a similar purpose.

Stucco installed to a house this way creates a waterproof layer around the house and will be much less prone to future water damage.

Pro Tip: It’s best to perform a detailed inspection as soon as the first signs of water damage start to show.

Homeowners who don’t react fast might face significantly increased repair costs. In fact, every additional year of water damage can bump up the expenses two or even three times.

Main Features Of Stucco Siding

There are several advantages to using stucco over most other siding types for your house. It’s especially renowned for effortless maintenance and extreme durability.

Resistance

One of the main factors that lend a stucco house its good reputation is the high resistance to various weather conditions.

Stucco is also fire-resistant to the point that a single inch of coating can slow down the spread of fire by an hour.

Insulation

Additionally, stucco can insulate the home to a certain degree. Due to the layered shell the material creates, heat insulation comes with a bonus benefit of sound barrier.

Durability

A sturdy internal structure also makes stucco last a long time. It’s common for a properly maintained stucco siding to last over half a century.

The material’s longevity has to do in part with its adaptability and flexibility.

Stucco can adjust to the weather, contracting and expanding to accommodate for temperature changes which makes it stand out compared to other house siding solutions.

Versatility

Another excellent trait of stucco for your house is its great versatility. In fact, this might be one of the leading reasons why the material gained popularity in the first place.

Stucco can be done in a variety of colors with seemingly endless possibilities. Much the same could be said about textures, although these are somewhat limited compared to colors.

When paired with a specific finish, stucco can change its appearance considerably. It can be completely smooth – as in the case of Santa Barbara finish – fine, or as coarse as the homeowner wants it.

Finishes like lack and skip, dash, float, or sand can be made in any texture, from fine to heavy.

Furthermore, the texture can be done in particular patterns or shapes, giving the home a unique look and particular appeal.

Great Aesthetics

It’s worth mentioning that stucco has the advantage of a specific look whatever texture or color is chosen. Stucco doesn’t aim to replicate the look of other materials.

In the aesthetic sense, stucco always boasts a distinct impression that can’t be mistaken for another type of siding. This uniqueness can be emphasized even more when paired with the material’s ability to be shaped more freely.

It’s possible to create impressive stylistic details from stucco – a trait that renders the material well to interior as well as exterior design.

The versatility of application makes stucco the preferred option for homeowners who want their homes to have that extra touch.

Waterproof

Finally, if installed correctly, stucco can prove to be entirely waterproof. However, this is where we need to mention some of the material’s downsides.

Disadvantages Of Stucco

Stucco comes with a number of complications that you should be aware of before installing this siding material on your home.

Complex Installation

Firstly, stucco depends on proper installation to perform its function correctly.

This means that professional installation is almost mandatory – successful DIY stucco application is possible, but only on projects of very limited size.

Professional installation is also a significant factor that drives up the price of stucco.

Expensive

In many cases, stucco siding will be considerably more expensive than others. While the difference in cost may pay off in the long run, the immediate expense could be enough to deter homeowners on a budget.

Limited to Climate Type

Stucco also isn’t suitable for every climate and terrain type.

For example: Houses in regions with frequent earthquakes or high rainfall might be a poor fit for this type of siding.

Stucco can chip when on shifting ground or get waterlogged when exposed to months of heavy rain.

Difficult to Repair

If damage occurs, homeowners who have stucco installed might face new expenses. The material is notoriously hard to repair compared to other sidings where damaged pieces can simply be replaced.

When it comes to stucco repairs, they will require the same method of application used in the initial installation. This will call for a professional service which will often come at a hefty price.

Did you know? Besides its practicality, stucco has great potential for aesthetic appeal. The material is often used in the interior as well as the exterior for its stylistic possibilities.

When paired with other elements and materials like stone, stucco can emphasize the architectural style and add value to a home. It can also be mixed with various pigments to achieve different visual effects.

Pros of Stucco

The following advantages makes stucco an attractive siding option for many homeowners:

• Great fire resistance
• Can repel pests
• Versatility of application, texture, and color
• Long lifespan
• Easy to maintain
• Provides insulation against temperature changes
• May reduce outside noise

Stucco Siding Cons

Like any siding materials, stucco has a number of disadvantages that need to be carefully considered:

• Complex repairs
• Professional installation required
• May be quite costly
• Prone to chipping in areas with shifting ground
• Ill-suited for particularly rainy environments

Pro Tip: You can prolong the lifespan of your home’s stucco siding even further and prevent deterioration with a few simple maintenance tricks.

First, stucco is easily cleaned of any debris or dirt with nothing more than a medium brush and a garden hose. You should perform this cleaning once or, ideally, twice a year for optimal results.

Second, you can ensure no moisture residue or mold builds up on the siding by applying a mixture of water, vinegar, and bleach in a 3:1:1 ratio. The mixture should be rinsed after allowing it to work for several minutes.

Is Stucco Worth It?

To stucco a house has many advantages contrasted mainly by its higher price. However, the price point might seem different when considered in the long term.

Since stucco can be very durable and may not require replacement or reapplying for decades, the initial cost may prove to be well worth it.

And when the aesthetic appeal is added on top of the long-term cost-effectiveness, stucco might count among the best available house siding options.

If your home isn’t located in an earthquake or precipitation-prone area, there are many reasons why stucco would be the right choice for you.