Most stucco repair patches the visible crack and calls it done. The crack comes back in six months. Dallas finds what caused it β foundation movement, flashing failure, moisture intrusion β and fixes that first. The patch comes last.
Hairline cracks from thermal movement are cosmetic. Cracks at window corners are structural. Cracks with rust staining mean moisture is already inside. Dallas classifies every crack before recommending a repair scope.
Under 1/16". Normal thermal movement. No moisture penetration. Clean repair with color-matched finish.
45Β° diagonal cracks from window corners. Usually from missing control joints. Requires mesh reinforcement, not just patching.
Long straight cracks across a wall. Often at control joint locations. May indicate differential settlement.
Interconnected web of cracks across a large area. Usually a resurfacing candidate after preparation.
Orange staining means the wire lath is corroding from moisture. Moisture is already inside. Patching the surface does nothing.
Dark staining means active water infiltration. The flashing system has failed. Water damage may have started behind the wall.
Every stucco repair Dallas performs follows the same five-step process. The steps cannot be shortened β skipping any one of them is how repairs fail in six months.
Utah's 40β60 freeze-thaw cycles per year crack stucco at weak points. Elastomeric finishes and proper control joints prevent recurrence.
Control joints must be placed at structural transitions. Missing joints cause cracks to run freely across the entire wall.
Window and roofline flashing that was never installed correctly allows water behind the stucco. The water freezes and cracks from inside out.
Utah's clay soils expand and contract with moisture. Differential settlement cracks stucco at structural connections.
Stucco applied too thick in one coat, insufficient cure time, or wrong water-to-mix ratio creates a structurally weak system that cracks on its own.
Stucco over 20 years old has often lost elasticity. High-altitude UV breaks down the binders. The system becomes brittle.
Rust staining or dark water marks mean moisture is already inside your walls. See our water damage restoration service β
Professional diagnostic. Written scope. Dallas finds what's really going on before recommending a single dollar of work.