Our Process
Repairing chimney stucco in Kolokee, step by step
Finding the water behind cracked stucco
The National Park Service's guidance on stucco repair, Preservation Brief 22, traces most stucco deterioration to water getting into the structure, and it names the area around chimneys as one of the ways in. Water that reaches the backing rusts metal lath and nails, rots wood lath and eventually lets the stucco lose its bond and pull away.
For that reason the brief puts the building repairs first, such as roof, gutter, downspout and flashing work, and the stucco repair after. We follow the same order on your Kolokee chimney. The water path is found and priced before the finish, so the new stucco is not asked to hold back a leak it cannot stop.
Drainage at the base of the stucco
Stucco over framing is designed to let water that gets behind it drain out. Florida's code (section R703.7.2.1) calls for a corrosion-resistant weep screed placed no less than 4 inches above soil or 2 inches above paving, of a type that lets trapped water drain to the exterior.
Drainage details like this are easy to bury under a patch or a thick coat of paint. When we repair stucco at the base of a framed chimney wall on your Kolokee home, our crew keeps the existing drainage path open and tells you if earlier work has blocked it.
Dampening the surface before patching
Dry masonry pulls water out of fresh stucco too quickly, which weakens the bond. Preservation Brief 22 says wood lath or a masonry substrate, but not metal lath, must be thoroughly wetted before stucco patches are applied, so that it does not draw moisture out of the stucco too fast.
Our crew dampens the prepared masonry on your Kolokee chimney before each coat and watches the surface as the work goes on, because a sunny chimney face can dry out between the first trowel and the last. It is a small step that shows up later as a patch that stays attached.
Earlier repairs that made things worse
Not every crack on a chimney is original damage. The brief notes that previous repairs inexpertly carried out, particularly in rigid portland cement over softer stucco, can cause additional deterioration, and caulked cracks stand out more each year as they collect dirt.
When your Kolokee chimney carries old patches, our team checks whether each one is still firmly attached and whether it matches the stucco around it. Patches that are sound and blend in can stay. Those that have loosened or cracked at the edges are cut out and replaced as part of the repair.
