Does stucco need a weep screed?

Weep screeds are generally only used on walls constructed with wood framing, and are not required on stucco-coated masonry structures or when adhered stone is installed over masonry.

Does EIFS have a weep screed?

Moisture Drainage MD-EIFS Most systems have a weep screed (PVC starter track with weep holes), but not all systems.

How does stucco weep screed work?

Weep screed is a special piece of metal flashing that runs along the bottom of walls that wicks moisture out of holes that are located at the bottom of the flashing. It hangs below the lower sill plate to ensure that the water wicks past any material that could become damaged by excessive amounts of water.

How do you prep a wall for stucco?

When working with an existing masonry or brick wall, you’re going to first need to use some fresh mortar to repair any cracks that exist, then wash the wall with a power washer (or use a trisodium phosphate-water mixture and scrub it). The wall should be thoroughly wet before you apply the first coat of stucco.

How do you protect water from stucco?

A great way to protect the look of your stucco and prolong the life of your exterior stucco is to apply a Stucco Sealer by Rainguard®. Our Stucco Sealer is an easy to apply, reliable sealants that will help keep water and moisture from absorbing into the surface of your stucco.

Why should barrier wall EIFS be avoided?

MOISTURE ISSUES The barrier in any EIF system is the basecoat and mesh layer. This layer will not allow the penetration of moisture and functions as the moisture-intrusion-preventing workhorse of the system.

How can you tell if stucco is EIFS?

The easiest way to identify synthetic stucco (EIFS) is by touching the material with your bare hand. When you touch the wall where the stucco is installed, it will feel like plastic. You can also knock gently on the wall. If it sounds hollow and thin, you have EIFS on your home.

Does a weep screed need holes?

The holes or slots in the weep screed helps hold the stucco in place when the stucco is being first applied and helps prevent the stucco from rolling out along the sloped edge of the weep screed. It provides a straight-line and stopping point for the base of the stucco wall.

Do you overlap weep screed?

The nose of the weep screed should be 4 inches above earth. The water-resistant barrier should lap over the attachment flange of the weep screed by at least 2 inches. The weep screed can be installed along long runs and overlap each other, or abutted.

What is a weep screed for stucco?

Definition of weep screed: A stucco wall weep screed is a component specified by stucco wall system manufacturers to assure that any water that penetrates the wall coating, such as at leaks around the mounts for exterior lighting or at windows or doors will be drained safely to the building exterior.

Where do you install a weep screed?

Proper placement of the weep screed is at the bottom of the stucco wall coating, extending visibly to the building exterior and installed between the building housewrap or air/water barrier and any manufacturer-specified wall flashing system.

What happens if there is no weep screed?

If there is no weep screed and the stucco runs down into the soil, rather than terminating above the soil, then a process called wicking may occur. This is when moisture in the soil migrates or moves upward through the stucco, due to capillary action.

What are weep screeds made of?

The weep screed material is generally corrosion-resistant 26 gauge galvanized sheet metal, but it may be made of aluminum, stainless steel or of certain approved plastics. Note that there are other types of weep screeds, i.e. Mid-Wall Weep Screed, however, the majority of homes do not have this type.