Stucco News

Question and answers on Stucco and Plastering-- February, 2014

          Concrete steps and patio doors
Swami-Glad to see you have reappeared.  I've enjoyed your info at stucconews.com for many years so much that I've printed out all the info and saved it for a reference.  Here I've enclosed some photos of the problem:
 
I need to repair stucco around sliding glass door but it butts up against the existing step down.  There is about a 1-1/2 gap between the wire and the step now (probably the thickness of the stucco + mortar). Should I put a barrier between the stucco repair and the remortar of the step? Will I have to remove the whole step?  (I will, of course, be repairing the damaged paper and wire lath.)
 
Hope you can advise. Thank You.
m

 
  1. You'll want to put on an L shaped flashing where the steps join the house.

Behind the steps is nothing but bare wood. Flashing will prevent water from running
back and rotting the wood.

2. Yes you'll want to put on tar paper or other barrier between the concrete and the
wood and a piece from below the door overlapping the flashing.

3. Make sure there are no weep holes in the door threshold.

If there are weep holes, make sure there is a provision for drainage.

4. I remember 20 years ago or so, when we stuccoed houses or additions, there usually
was a piece of wood trim under the threshold to support the threshold.

Now, it seems we always have to stucco under the patio door. It seems that wood is a preferable
material because the stucco gets kicked and stained, and stucco isn't really considered a structural material.

I keep complaining and we still end up putting stucco under these thresholds.