Stucco Installation
in Utah
New hard coat stucco and drainage EIFS for Utah homes and commercial buildings. Installed by Dallas Christensen's own crew, with no subcontractors, and cured the right way.
The Christensen System: Two Coats, Done Right
Every new stucco job starts behind the wall. Dallas installs two layers of Grade D building paper, lapped correctly, and flashes every window, door and penetration before any lath goes up. That moisture barrier is what keeps Utah's snowmelt and spring rain out of your framing.
Over the paper goes self-furring metal lath, nailed to the studs at 6-inch centers, with corner bead and control joints at every structural transition. Then a Western One-Coat base, 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, applied in one dense coat that fully embeds the lath. That's the modern two-coat system: one base coat and one color coat, not the old three-coat scratch-and-brown method from the '80s.
The base coat is water-cured for 6 to 7 days. Dallas floods the walls with water every day so the cement fully hydrates and reaches full hardness. After the cure, the Senergy color coat goes on in your choice of 150+ Sherwin-Williams colors and texture.
Six Steps on Every Stucco Job
Substrate Inspection
Sheathing and framing are checked before work starts. Any damage is documented on video and shown to you first.
Double-Ply Barrier
Two layers of Grade D paper, lapped correctly. Every window, door and penetration is flashed before lath.
Wire Lath
Self-furring metal lath at 6-inch centers, with corner bead and control joints at all structural transitions.
Western One-Coat Base
One base coat, 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick, fully embedding the lath. Dense and consistent. This is where the wall's strength comes from.
6–7 Day Water Cure
Water on the walls every day. Hairline cracks during the cure are expected and correct. The walls reach full hardness.
Senergy Color Coat
Elastomeric finish in your Sherwin-Williams color and texture, applied after the full cure. This is the finish you see.
Hard Coat or EIFS: Dallas Recommends What Fits Your Home
Both systems work in Utah when they're installed correctly. Dallas looks at your home, your budget and your energy goals, and tells you which one he would put on it.
Hard Coat Stucco (Two-Coat System)
Western One-Coat base with a Senergy color coat. Dallas's standard system on most Utah homes.
- One base coat + one color coat
- Dense, impact-resistant cement wall
- Double-ply paper and full flashing
- 6–7 day water cure for full hardness
- Best for new construction and full re-stucco
Drainage EIFS
Foam insulation board under a mesh-reinforced base and elastomeric finish. Dallas installs drainage EIFS only, never barrier EIFS.
- Continuous insulation, no thermal bridging
- Senergy Alpha base coat with full mesh
- Senergy Conflex XL elastomeric finish
- Best for energy upgrades and EIFS replacement
- Colors with a light reflectance value of 20% or higher (Senergy's limit over foam)
An honest note about cracks
Portland cement stucco is concrete, and concrete cracks as it cures. Hairline shrinkage cracks, small diagonal cracks at window corners, and stress cracks on large walls are normal characteristics of hard coat stucco, not defects. Two things control them: the water cure, which makes them show up as fine hairlines during the cure instead of random cracks later, and control joints. Senergy's specification calls for a control joint at least every 144 square feet of wall, with no uncontrolled run longer than 18 feet. Dallas explains this before every job starts. No surprises.
What Affects the Cost of New Stucco
Most Utah homes land between $8 and $14 per square foot installed. Where yours falls depends on these six things, and Dallas's written estimate breaks each one out so you can compare bids line by line.
Wall Area
Total square feet of wall, minus windows and doors. Bigger homes cost more in total but often less per foot.
System
Hard coat stucco or drainage EIFS. EIFS adds insulation board, mesh and a different base coat.
Removal & Prep
Tearing off old stucco or siding and repairing damaged sheathing found underneath adds to the job.
Height & Access
Two-story walls, steep lots and tight side yards take more scaffolding and more labor.
Detail Work
Gables, roofline transitions, pop-outs, foam trim and every window and door opening add time.
Finish & Color
Texture choice and multiple colors or accent bands change the finish coat cost.
7 Questions to Ask Any Stucco Contractor
Whether you find a contractor through a referral, Google or a lead site, ask these before you sign. Here's how Dallas answers them.
What Dallas Warrants, in Writing
Workmanship
1-year workmanship warranty on all installation work. Covers application defects and workmanship errors.
Full Envelope
When Dallas does the roof, flashing, windows and stucco, the warranty covers the complete moisture path.
Manufacturer
Senergy, James Hardie, window and Trex manufacturer warranties apply separately, per product.
Not Covered
Hairline shrinkage cracks, UV color fading, normal weathering, and water entry through roofs, flashing or penetrations Dallas didn't install.
More Stucco and Exterior Work
Stucco Installation Questions, Answered
How much does stucco installation cost in Utah?
Will my new stucco crack?
What is the difference between hard coat stucco and EIFS?
How long does stucco installation take?
What warranty comes with new stucco installation?
What colors and textures can I choose?
How long does stucco last in Utah?
Can you repair my stucco, or do I need new stucco?
Can stucco go over my existing siding?
How do I maintain new stucco?
Stucco or James Hardie siding: which is better?
Can stucco be installed in a Utah winter?
Do I need a permit for new stucco?
Stucco Installation Across Utah
Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Morgan, Summit, Wasatch and Utah Counties, plus St. George and Jackson Hole, WY.
What Homeowners Say
Finishing the outside? Elemental Spaces, Dallas's outdoor living company, builds custom saunas, outdoor kitchens and ADUs to match your new exterior.
Dallas Answers His Own Phone.
Call, text or request a free estimate. No sales team. No call center. Financing is available through Hearth, so ask Dallas when he calls you back.