Stucco & Exterior Walls in Sherman Oaks
Rusted lath and soft sill plates hide behind sound-looking Sherman Oaks stucco. Fernhill Builders probes for them and prices the rebuild openly.
Two damaging conditions in a stucco wall leave no mark on the face: lath that has rusted and a sill plate that has softened where the wall meets the slab. In Sherman Oaks, Fernhill Builders probes the foot of the wall before quoting, because finding either one changes the job from a recoat to a rebuild along that edge.
Lath that has rusted
Metal lath holds the plaster coats to the framing, and when moisture reaches it, the steel corrodes and loses its grip. The wall may still look flat for a time, then bulge or crack along a line. A tap test and a small opening show whether the lath is bright, spotted or crumbling. Spotted lath near a leak may be treated and covered. Lath that flakes is cut out and replaced with galvanized lath lapped into the sound material around it.
The plate at the slab edge
The bottom plate sits close to the concrete, where splash and trapped water do their work. A screwdriver tells the story: wood that resists is sound, wood that gives is not. Soft plate sections are cut out, the studs above are supported, and treated lumber goes in. Because the repair is structural, the permit with LADBS covers it, and the scope states where the bottom of the wall will be rebuilt and how far up the repair rises. Photos of the repaired plate go into the file.
Stucco & Exterior in Sherman Oaks: common questions
Cement plaster in 3 coats over galvanized lath qualifies, as does fiber cement lap siding. Both are noncombustible. What makes either last is the hidden layer, so the wall is checked for lath and plate damage before the covering is chosen.
Look for a wavy surface, rust stains or cracks that follow a straight line. Those suggest lath or framing trouble and call for opening the wall. Sound plaster with fine cracking can be filled. The base probe settles which way the job goes.
The screed rides above the slab edge or soil with its slot open to drain. After the plate is checked or replaced, the slot is closed with a noncombustible strip. Paving that touches the wall is cut back, since contact is how water reaches the plate.
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Plan your project in Sherman Oaks
Tell us about the house and the stucco & exterior work. We reply about a walk-through and a written scope.