Repairing Stucco

How would you recommend I repair this stucco? The stucco is bubbling and crumbling near the bottom where it meets the soil. I'm prepping to paint the house and this is extensive in the entryway of the house. They ran the stucco below the soil. It looks like damage from water intrusion. The stucco is 40 years old. My dad says to scrape'n'score, restucco, and apply tar at the soil tline to water proof. I've respect his advice and experience, but I've learned to get a second opinion.

 

I coudn't get the pic links to work but sounds like dad's advice is right on.

 

The best way to repair it would be to remove it up the wall far enough to install a weeped casing bead or weep screed at least 4" above the dirt level. I assume it is concrete beneath the stucco?

 

Thanks for the advice. The stucco is applied on felt over studs. There is no sheathing. The stucco goes below the soil line. The soil line is not above the foundation.

The house is on a slab and was built in '63

 

Then you should be fine adding a casing bead or weep screed (I would use weep screed). If you have to, you can pinch it down, but just keep it clear of the dirt. The foundation that is exposed to dirt does not need stucco or tar, so you can simply scrape the degraded stucco off and leave it as is.

 

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but I have a similar situation.

With regards to the weep screed: my southwest style stucco house doesn't have one and the stucco goes down to and, in some spots, below the dirt level. After reading thru the forums, I now know that the grade should begin about 8" or so below the top of the slab, true?

If this is the case, I've measured the window inside and transfered that dim to the outside and it seems that the dirt is actually at the proper level, for the most part, but the stucco is applied way below where I would now think it would terminate. The slab sides are wrapped in that white styrofoam stuff.

In the meantime, I've pulled the high dirt level down below the stucco edge (maintained positive grade) to prevent any wicking/insects, whatever.

My questions are where would the weep screed sit in relation to the top of the slab? I would think an inch or two below that point to be below the kick plate?

What/how would be the best approach in evenly 'cutting' the stucco to a proper termination point? (This is until I'm ready to do anything further)

And what's a rough dollar per foot number be to have a weep screed installed? (I've never done anything with stucco - yet)

The house is from 1999, doesn't seem to be synthetic stucco) and weep screeds weren't code out here at that time but are now.

TIA

 

Cienega32,
Youre problem is similar to mine, except mine already has some damage. The house I grew up in had a similar problem and the solution was to add a cement skirt around the base of the house. The skirt went a few inches below the foundation to about 4 inches to above the foundation, and was around 4" thick. I'm going from memory here, so my measurements are approximate. Adding a skirt would be a whole lot easier than retrofitting a weep screed.

On my house, the soil is almost even with the foundation in places. I plan to add a skirt and improved drainage in those places.