 Advantages of Stucco over Vinyl SidingWhen it comes to your perfect home, you want it to be the best it can be – whether you’re building it from your own design or you’re on the market to buy. So why settle for anything less on the exterior finishing touches? The outside of your home is what everyone will see as soon as they arrive, and should make a good first impression – so you want to make it memorable. And choosing stucco over regular vinyl siding or aluminum siding has many advantages beyond the simple aesthetic appeal, which makes it the go-to material for any homeowner that wants the best balance of looks and strength.
Many people swear by the fact that stucco, as a time-tested and historic building material, simply looks better than straight planks of vinyl siding. We’re a bit subjective, but we agree! There’s something majestic and timeless about a well-done stucco façade – a quality that looks both modern and antique all at once. Strong and firm, stucco inspires confidence in the rest of the workmanship. And speaking of strength, that’s another advantage over other types of siding. The strong, hard foundation of stucco means that it withstands the elements better, as well as being more resistant to chipping and impacts. This means that intense summer heat and long, cold winters will not warp the underlying structure or break apart the paint on top, and that hailstorms have far less chance of causing damage – visible or otherwise – to the exterior. You can set a barbecue closer to the house, as the heat will not affect stucco as it would vinyl siding or metal siding. This is because stucco is an excellent insulator, much more so than vinyl siding, and it keeps heat outside or inside as needed, helping with your heating and power bills throughout the year. Even insurance companies will ask if the home has a stucco exterior, as opposed to wood or vinyl siding, and will offer better insurance rates to homes that have it. This comes down mostly to one simple reason: stucco is extraordinarily fire-resistant, giving an extra layer of protection to your home in a worst-case scenario. In fact, it’s one of the most highly recommended fireproofing construction materials you can use. Another bonus of this quality? Stucco can increase the resale value of your house, when other siding doesn’t. And if all of that isn’t enough to convince you…stucco looks cleaner for longer and fades more slowly than vinyl siding. If you want a long-lasting exterior that you rarely have to scrub clean, you won’t find anything better! So, if you’re ready to renovate your outside walls, or you’re about to break ground on the home of your dreams, choose stucco to give it the elegant finish you deserve. Strong, protective, resistant to the weather, and financially smart – stucco is a homeowner’s best friend. Give Star Masters Stucco a call today to find out more!
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The History Of Stucco
Similar to the plaster used indoors for walls and archways, stucco is a surprisingly strong and durable product that has its origins thousands of years ago in the Mediterranean area. Originally composed of mixtures of lime, sand, and water, it grew in popularity not only because it was easy to shape and work with, but also because it hardened to a tough and extremely hard finish that could stand up to sunshine, salty sea air, storms, and everything in between.
As time passed and stucco became more common, different types and styles emerged. Artists could use it to mold relief sculptures, and painters could easily create vibrant scenes full of colour. Wealthy homeowners could use the stucco to cover less desirable material, like wood or stone, and create masterworks that would stand out to the eye. Even some of the great artwork of all time, like the Mona Lisa, was done on the same plaster base that stucco was born out of! After the colonization of the Americas, variants of stucco – easily created with water, gypsum, sand, lime, clay, stones, and other materials – became one of the most common building materials in the New World. Think of the Spanish villas of Mexico, or the great estates of the Eastern Seaboard: many of them have high-quality, long-lasting stucco finishes that are still around, hundreds of years later. With the introduction of a mixture known as “Portland Cement” in the 19th century, the production of stucco material began to get much more standardized. Soon, formulas for different climates, substrates, purposes, and colours were all in place, and techniques for their application were studied and finalized for maximum efficiency. Today, stucco is so common that people may think it is cheap or sub-standard, but nothing could be further from the truth! By almost any way you choose to measure, stucco is a superior exterior finish material that will protect your home for decades. Easy to clean and paint, immensely hard, waterproof, and able to withstand Alberta’s temperature extremes, stucco is a perfect choice for a province that sees some of the country’s most punishing weather – and it all comes without sacrificing design choices or affordability. And here at Star Masters Stucco, we have some history of our own: more than 15 years of experience bringing the best stucco service to Calgary, with a wide selection of services, products, and finishes to go along with them. And it’s all delivered by a knowledgeable team of experts who can answer your questions and recommend the best way to get your home looking its best. After all, a good stucco job is going to last a long time, and we want our work to speak for itself down the road. If you need new stucco siding or stucco repairs in Calgary, you know who to call – Star Masters Stucco! |
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