Talked to an old timer about stucco curing in the heat

Guy who's been doing this since the 70s told me to mist my stucco three times a day for a week instead of the usual two. Said rapid evaporation in the desert makes it crack if you cut corners. Has anyone else tried that in July temps?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_alice2d ago

...and that reminds me of this guy I knew back in Phoenix who swore by watering his foundation walls in the summer. He'd set up a soaker hose around the whole house, run it for like twenty minutes at dawn. Said it kept the slab from shifting when the monsoon rains finally hit. I mean, I thought he was nuts until my own driveway cracked that August. Maybe the triple misting is worth a shot if the old timer's been doing it that long. Desert heat does weird stuff to anything with moisture in it.

maxl932d ago

Yeah man, I've done this exact thing on a couple of jobs in the valley. That extra misting really helps with hydration cracks, especially when it's pushing 105 and the stucco is drying out way faster than it should. Stick with the old timer's advice, your finish will thank you.

simonk982d ago

Messed up three batches of stucco last July before I learned this the hard way. Spent a whole Saturday redoing the south wall because I figured two mists was plenty in 108 degree heat. The old timer down at the supply yard laughed at me, said I was basically making stucco jerky. Now I set a timer on my phone for 7am, noon, and 5pm and stand there with the hose like a total dork watering my house.