Stucco cracking

Exterior · Stucco · printed page 317 (PDF page 318)

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Book index entries

Cracking – Stucco Stucco – Cracking Wall

Text in the illustration

in general, stucco over wood frame is more likely to crack than stucco over masonry/concrete
cracks may develop at the corners of doors and windows as a result of stress (from settlement) concentrations
control joints at known high stress areas can control cracking
addition

Generated explanation

The illustration shows a two-story stucco-clad house with a gabled roof and a single-story addition. Cracks extend from several window corners in the main wall, illustrating stress concentrations associated with settlement. A vertical control joint is indicated at the junction between the main house and the addition as a means of controlling cracking in a high-stress area. An annotation notes that stucco over wood framing is generally more likely to crack than stucco over masonry or concrete.