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Why do they call the second coat of exterior cement plaster or stucco ‘a brown coat’ when it’s grey?

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-https://youtu.be/t9FbRK1VuPQ/ Plastering professionals teaching DIY weekend warriors how to plaster.
-https://youtu.be/XkQOIpmrfrA/ Same-day Plastering the most complete Plastering video online, Modern Plaster techniques revealed.

In this video, I’m answering why they call the second coat of exterior cement plaster or stucco ‘a brown coat’ when it’s grey? I’m also showing how to apply a dash finish.

 As I have seen less than 50 base-coats that were brown in color, I took this project on, not to explain how to dash or make money, but instead to explain what my pal, "old man Mr. Whitty" told me 40 years ago.

 It’s been known that the first coat of stucco is called a scratch coat and that the second coat is termed a Brown coat when in all actuality, it's GREY, now you’ll know the answer.

FYI, When I say, ‘Old man Whitey,’ I don’t mean an old white dude. Okay, I guess I do, but we were pals, so I can say this.
Thus when he spoke, I often imagined him explaining stuff without gas-powered mixers but instead plastering from a horse and buggy from the 1800s.
Now, I’m Mr. Whitty

Mark Fowler, former editor of ‘Walls and Ceilings,’ would know why they still call the second coat of stucco the “a brown coat” when it’s been grey for the last 150 years. 😉
As both he and his dad were Genuine and Genius Plastering contractors.
Fowler is currently the executive director of the Stucco Manufacturers Association.

Good day to all our over 100,000 subscribers on Youtube, and the ‘average homeowner, DIYer, or weekend plastering warrior who happens to stumble on this ‘how to plaster video.’ Our channel has more than 40 million views for a good reason. We explain cement plasters clearly so that even my ‘great-grandma’ can understand.

      Below are just a few of our videos to give you an idea of who we are. You may also type in any question you may have on Stucco/Plastering issues on our channel, and like magic, a video will appear to explain how it’s done. Then kick back, relax, and enjoy the show! 🍿
  Oh yeah, don’t forget to save the world, like, and subscribe. It’s not only good karma, but It also makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over. 💃🕺🏻 😉
Below are just a sample of our videos for your learning experience:

Plastering a new finish coat sand finish: -https://youtu.be/chU9So3vy9s 
I’ve plastered every wall, man: -https://youtu.be/g2-XwN80ZOo 
Plastering over concrete walls: -https://youtu.be/_SAA11s0BPs 
Teaching Internal plaster ceiling repairs: -https://youtu.be/GVj1uYAfMuQ
Plastering professionals weekend warriors: -https://youtu.be/t9FbRK1VuPQ  

    In the links below, Jason and I took the liberty of researching the best tools at the lowest cost used by us. This removes the guesswork for you out of buying plastering and other stucco tools.
     At the same time, you can also buy your everyday supplies through Amazon too, whatever your needs are. 🤷‍♂️  
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     Plus, this helps support us a bit so we can keep making these teaching videos.  Below are just some of the tools, hawks, and trowels we recommend through Amazon –

Check out www.stuccoplastering.com/tools for all our recommendations. 🏃🏻‍♂️
Plastering Hawk large:                https://amzn.to/2Up8PFO
Plasterings perfect Trowel:         https://amzn.to/39dFjZ0
Green sponge plastering float:   https://amzn.to/2vKN2QM
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DEWALT Air Compressor:            https://amzn.to/2KiBt6X
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    My dad and I have switched to powerful, modern, and long-lasting all battery-operated Milwaukee tools for good reasons. Take the Dual Chemistry M18 Job-site Radio. For me, this is one of my favorite tools for any job site: http://amzn.to/3aVmD1T.  I plug my cell phone in the top, then listen commercial-free to my music all day… or my dad’s favorite artists.  😏🤔 
 
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 Kirk and Jason Giordano, providing over 850 free Stucco/Plastering videos.

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Comments

  2. Looks Like I will be in the Bay area pretty soon Kirk. patching some walls for sign companies. thanks for all the help over the years. I may stop by the stucco supply in Vallejo, working in Benicia

    Reply

  4. back in the early 80's or late 70s (I can't recall) we couldn't get plastic so old Al Grear had us use fish emulsion to help fatten the mix.
    My arm was sore just watchin you bro. You're lookin good man!

    Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. Kirk, it might be fun for you guys to do a pull up challenge video between you and your plastering friends and Jason and his friends. And when I say fun, I mean fun for me cause I wouldn't have to do any pull ups.

      Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. This is the beauty of it Kirk. As the loser, you'd get to stay home in bed the next day and Jason would have to go to work and pick up your slack. And you'd get a video to boot out of it. Ha!

      Reply

  12. It was about two years ago when, looking for help I found this channel. I was doing a room addition and needed the stucco done, but at that time I wasn't able to find a stucco guy affordable enough to my miscalculated budget so the only choice was to do it by myself… with the help of Kirk. The work was done(i just wasn't an experienced stucco guy) properly.
    And last week I did an extra work for a customer; closing a sliding door and patching the wall and trying to simulate the existing texture. It wasn't an easy task but next day the owner asked me; "how did you do the same pattern!" And I just was honest and told him, well, actually is not exactly the same, but I feel good because looks very similar.
    So, I owe everything to my manager! Thanks Kirk

    Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc.
      thank you very much! Kirk people like you are one of those few who go through life positively influencing the lives of others

      Reply

  14. Thanks for sharing. Makes sense now why the old timers always say “just like baking a cake” haha. I always thought it was because the brown float is the last pass for the second coat – hence the brown coat.

    Reply

  18. really love your video. hope one day you can come to China and show your expertise. here the plasters are used in the way of fancy thick paints. but i like the original look that cement gives.

    Reply

  19. As always a great Video. Old world plasters might have known but not the young guns. Here in Cincinnati Ohio (old German) we still have a few old world plasterers. Gabbard Construction LLC. But you are the best!

    Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. Couldn't agree more. They used animal products for just about everything not long ago. I'm sure it was a by-product, as now. Don't work too hard. Save some for later.

      Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. you definitely have, many thanks for doing that, it's what I needed to be able to fix my termite damage and take on the stucco work with a hope of making it look passable (first timer)

      Reply

  25. Kirk, you was gonna say why dashing became a thing… then you got sidetracked on a different thought, like I do more often than not, nowadays.
    So, something about the surface not being right?
    My thanks to my brother, who told me about y’all. He’s learned so much from you, and is introducing Portland, Oregon to plaster and stucco over the native clapboards they prefer.

    Reply

  29. Hey Kirk, I have a question for you.

    I'm from the wonderful state of Vermont up in the Northeast, where people have very loose ideas about how stucco is to be applied. We have wild weather swings and lots of snow, probably unlike sunny California where you are. I've been watching your videos for a while and I recently started a masonry repair business. I was curious to know (and if you don't want to answer, that's fine [if it's a trade secret I understand]), how you go about pricing jobs for color coats? I recently had a woman that needs many repairs done, but in reality the whole house should be re-skinned. I'm very concerned about doing patch-work that won't hold up for more than a year and I'd like to give her a good estimate. Do you go by the square foot or what? Sorry for being so long winded! Keep up the awesome work and the great videos!

    Dante

    Reply

  33. Haven't finished the video, but my guess why it's called a brown coat is because of the color of dirt. First coat of a wattle & daub house was made of a clay plaster. Only the finish coats used lime plaster to prevent the clay from weathering.

    Reply

  34. Old plaster here also glad you can still get er done 40 yrs of drywall and plastering took its toll on me Both rotator cuffs both knees replaced , arthritis everywhere else . I always advise any kid going in the trades be a electrician, HVAC even a plumber Cheers

    Reply

  36. Thanks for all you guys do. Here in west Texas we have lots of stucco from the 40s and 50s browns are usually so soft that it will fail with the dash. I started out life on a 4-2-1 sand lime portland for browns and they seem to have held up fine, but lately just use scratch and brown with fiber for every thing. What's your historical perspective on lime and portland vs. the newer (to me) blended mixes?

    Reply

    • عصر بخیر ممنون دوست من
      گچ کاری کرک و جیسون جوردانو ، بیش از 850 فیلم گچ بری / گچ بری رایگان برای آموزش شما به اشتراک گذاشته شده است.
      با هم ، ما جامع ترین دائرlopالمعارف ویدیوهای گچ بری و گچکاری را که در سطح جهان تولید شده است ، همه توسط پیام رسان های گچ بری مورد علاقه شما در YouTube ایجاد کرده ایم.
      بازگرداندن صلح ، عشق و برادری به گچ بری
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lath_and_plaster

      Reply

  42. Hi Kirk
    I have questions. I live in a old 1939 house. had my house restuccoed with brown coat and top coat, 2 questions? #1 I need to put my security bars back on the house. How long do I have to wait before it is safe to put bars back on. make that 3 questions. # 2 I saw a hairline crack in stucco a few days after top coat was put on. is that normal? #3 I found the inside plaster nickle size had fallen off inside the house in my living room. I put my finger into spot and the plaster crumbled like sand. Do I need to tear down whole wall? Leak has been fixed, thats why I had home was restuccuoed.

    Reply

  47. I'm going to stucco a brick pizza oven I built, is 2 coats enough and do I need to use water proof stucco mix? I'm going to add color to the finish coat. Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. COOl, I have rapid set with fiber, I was going to do the first coat with that and then maybe white or gray finish coat with color. Thank You!

      Reply

  56. in Far Eastern Traditional timber frame buildings, the wall was made of bamboo canes tied with straws and secured to the wooden frame, forming sort of screen, then clay was applied to this on both side wall in layers, until flat surface is achieved.

    Reply

  58. Kirk I love the family part of your business It's the best! Doesn't get any better. The brown coat history lesson brought back memories of weekends with my Dad taking me along as a kid to help his friend do stucco. I got to hammer in the nails with the round carboard spacers on them. I took what little skills I learned later in my own family business building, setting tile and finishing drywall for 35 years. I also used gallons and gallons of bonding agents doing concrete and tile repairs. That's some of the best advice you give !!!! I have to compliment you guys on the quality of your work ! You guys ROCK ! I'm retired and getting ready to demo a little stucco and add an exterior back door. Watching your videos I picked up a lot of info , remembered a thing or two and learned a LOT ! Thanks Your son does great video too

    Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. My black and blue thumbs are a happy memory ! Your videos really are an encyclopedia for those that want to learn from Real Master Craftsmen and they are fun to watch !!

      Reply

  61. Kirk, SERIOUSLY, you should be going to local High School's and taking the kids who aren't "college material" to work with you… We need more skilled Tradesmen like yourself VS pin-headed computer GEEKS!

    Reply

  62. Kirk, you sound like a party animal. Thank you for all the free advice. Been stripping my 80 year old plaster walls back to the plaster from layers of cheap acrylic paint, oil and wallpaper. In preparation of putting up a new coat of lime plaster.

    Reply

  69. Kirk, I see how well you cover the windows on your jobs. I make windows in Southeast Florida, custom high end wooden windows. We just had 2 jobs in a row (hundreds of custom wood windows) with finish problems but only on the horizontal surfaces- the muntin bars. We checked out the jobsite and the builders and stucco contractors hadn't covered the windows well at all and only covered them while they were applying coats. I saw what you said about wetting down the scratch coat. Do you think when wetting down stucco the water would be excessively alkaline? Im not putting blame on the other contractors- and we are going to fix it. Just curious if you have ever seen wood finished damaged by stucco. Cheers!

    Reply

  72. Hi Kirk, I know this might be a little off the subject but my plaster ceiling was completely damaged in my dinning room due to roofer mistake, did not notice it until ceiling fell in years later. Got ceiling replaced with drywall and 3 weeks in I noticed a line going down the middle, I thought it was drywall tape and decided not to call drywaller back but instead just paint over taple when I get the painting done. Well 2 months later I still have not painted but noticed that the line had gotten longer.
    I called my son to take a look. He tells me thats a crack in your drywall. Im in shock, can you tell me what would cause that?

    Reply

  73. I've only seen ONE video (so far?) where an older gent was repairing his sidewalk and mixed in some of his yard dirt for the mix. So this was actually my guess! Really cool man. Loved hearing about ol man whitey!

    Reply

  74. Hello Kirk, Which is better to use in a stucco plaster mix, OPC grade 43 or 53? Also, is Plastic cement a different product and preferable than either OPC 43 or 53? I’m a new subscriber to your channel and have been watching your videos for the last couple of weeks. My wife and I are 67 years old and inherited her parents house that was built in 1930 or late 1920s Miami, Florida in a neighborhood called Silver Bluff. Thanks to your videos I have learned quite a bit in a short time. Thank you very much! You have the best videos on the subject.
    Regards, Miguel

    Reply

  76. Good evening Kirk, thank you for explaining why I'm experiencing the line. I goggled it and now understand. I hope this repair can be done without taking the ceiling down.

    Reply

  78. Man you guys are rockin it! I've been watching off and on for a few years I wanna thank you guys. I went from not knowing a damn thing two years ago, and now I'm doing my own jobs on the weekends, not big stuff but it pays. All I did was watch your videos when I got in trouble and just followed your instructions. I'm doing a 150 ft dash on wall this weekend so I'm here to refresh the old memory. Thanks Guys.

    Reply

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