I
have
a
slab that sticks up about 24" above existing grade. How far
should
I or can I take the stucco to the ground?
Does the stucco on the
slab
create moisture to crawl up the slab toward the stud wall?
I try to leave 4" above the grade. I
think 2"
is fine because if you have new fill
dirt, it
will eventually settle into the ground
leaving a
bigger gap than you expect. In Southern California the building code
requires a gap of 4" or so, depending on the
county.
The important thing here is to allow for
draining, as well as to prevent the
wall
from staining. You can see old houses done this way where the stucco is flaking
and nasty looking. Also, anything close to
the
ground will get stained anyway. You'll never see this
gap
when you plant grass and plants. It isn't
real
noticable.
Another good reason is termite
prevention and
inspection. If your house is on a hill,
and the framing
is
close to the ground, it is possible that
dirt will wash
down
around the bottom, burying the framing
below the
ground
level. This will rot your framing and
invite
termites.
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