Stucco

Apologies for the long delay - work got really busy, which didn't leave much time for blog updates - let alone working on the house.  Before winter rolled in, I managed to get my exterior walls taken care of.  I hired out the stucco job, since it is one of those things that pretty much has to be done right the first time.  If I messed it up, it'd be a painful process to knock the walls back down and try again.

Before applying the stucco, the house gets wrapped in tar paper, preventing moisture from working its way through the stucco and into the walls, where it could cause mold and invite termites.  Next, a lathe of chicken wire is nailed down.  Then it is time for yet another inspection.

After passing the inspection, the first coat of stucco (the scratch coat) is applied.  After allowing the first coat to dry, it is covered with a second coat of stucco (the brown coat).

At this point, foam trim is added around doors and windows.  Then a color coat is applied.  The end result looks pretty snazzy, though some additional painting is still required.