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Stucco thickness over a cinder block wall

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Stucco thickness over a cinder block wall

Hello ambitious guys and gals, who are interested in Understanding your number one investment you’re home, now possibly you can.
How? Excellent question, glad you asked, watch this video it explains how.

With a tiny bit of attention, you can and will save wealth and get good health, it can be done plus it’s fun, create a sense of euphoria, and sleep well knowing, no problemo, I did this repair myself.
Let’s review, save cash, get a great workout, create a sense of accomplishment, what more in life does a righteous person desire?

With a bit of help from me ‘Kirk” your favorite plastering Professional, this video will be your guild to any and all questions about your most common home repair issues.

Hello my friends, I’m explaining the thickness of cement plastering block or bricks, how thick the stucco should be spread over cinder block walls.

FYI, Scatch coats are unnecessary for any cementitious walls, including brick, Old cinder blocks, CMU, Cement Blocks, Terra Cotta walls, or any cementitious substrates in Nature.

Keep in mind a stucco scratch Coat is 3/8 of an inch thick, where a Skimcoat is at least one-half inch or more; this measly 1/8 difference makes a big difference.

If going over Cement Blocks, you apply less than 1/2 inch, what happens?
Excellent question, glad you asked, nothing.

Except when it rains, you will possibly notice the grout lines.
FYI, You don’t need to attach any stucco netting or stucco 3.4 mesh netting to cement, CUM blocks bricks or concrete walls; however, you have to pressure wash them extremely well for the stucco to achieve a great mechanical bond that adheres forever.

HOW MUCH SAND WHEN MIXING?
How much sand for each coat of stucco?
Scratch coats are mixed at 1 part cement to 2-1/4 to 4 parts sand, brown coats are mixed at 1 part cement to 3 to 5 parts sand, and finish coats are 1 part cement to 1-1/2 to 3 parts sand.
Most times, we mix 3 parts of sand into one part cement plaster. The cement plaster I use is premium-based Portland cement. It has lime and is common in it.

Below are a few more videos of stucco being applied to block walls.
https://youtu.be/dw34VLYFC1Y/ Improve The Look of block walls with stucco.
https://youtu.be/LW9Dwxl2W4c/ stucco over concrete walls to remove form board lines.
https://youtu.be/dw34VLYFC1Y/ Improve the look of concrete block wall with stucco.
https://youtu.be/MbZHkJCJuZ8/ improve the look of your brick walls, Green-Core cement.
https://youtu.be/d3sHR8KD16c/ Stucco acrylic going old cementitious stucco finish.

https://www.GiordanoPlastering.com
https://www.StuccoPlastering.com

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Thanks for watching, and have a great day!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kirk, don't you like wearing knee pads? I couldn't do work without mine. You can buy trousers with pad pockets in the knees. I was speaking to a bricklayer that's giving up the game at 58 because his knees are shot.

    Reply

  2. Great work, thanks to your tips I was able to restor my corner.
    Gonna stay and watch your videos anyway. Keep it going and good luck!

    Reply

    • Morning Kane dude, thank you,
      I try to explain like me dear old grand ma ma is listening and trying to learn,
      Theres the old saying if you can't explain it to the average person, you don't understand it well enough yourself,
      Cheers,
      kirk giordano Rendering

      Reply

    • Bravo Rob Dude, nice to here from my fellow plasterers,
      however, I applied a bonding agent to the walls prior,
      sometimes if it's over a hundred degrees, I actually mist the walls also, then sometimes neither is necessary.
      Cheers,
      kirk giordano rendering

      Reply

    • Evening Spencer, a bonding agent was not needed for this cinderblock wall as the owner pressure washed it well,
      This allows our new porous cementitious finish to adhere to this existing Porous finished cinder block wall, " by suctions," mixed with a proper amount of skill to determine how much water water to use prior to application of new stucco.
      However I did apply a bonding agent as I like to make sure my work adheres to another man's work of pressure washing.
      FYI, if I had pressure washed this wall I would not have needed a bonding agent as I am very detailed with my tasks.
      Have a great day,
      Kirk giordano Plastering

      Reply

    • Evening a concrete, brick or cinderblock wall does not need an expansion joint, it a metal piece or channel that allows a wooden wall to expand and contract while allowing a bit of movement thus helping prevent hairline cracking.
      It does not stop hairlineing but it helps big time.
      Have a great day,
      Kirk giordano Plastering

      Reply

    • O,oooooo, I see said the blind man, what I'm referring too is a natural expansion joint, this cinderblock did not touch the original stucco wall, so to fill that gap with stucco would have stopped both the home and the fense from natural movement when the rains start and with 30 days let alone more rain both the house and the wall will lift and shift, you can't see this action nor measure it with any man made devices, however both need only lift less than 1/8 of and inch within 30 or more days of solid rain and voila a hairline crack at the weak link.
      (not on my watch)
      therefore the natural gap that was well thought out when this cinderblock wall was built remains in place as old Kirk is not fool enough to fill the gaps just because it would save some time.
      I took my trowel on edge and recreated the natural expansion.
      Good question and sharp eye.
      Have a great day,
      Kirk giordano Plastering

      Reply

    • Evening Spencer, this is because your a professional with a ton of time in.
      I'm getting kind of bored with a hawk and trowel, I think I'll do a video using my shoe as a trowel just because I can, possible with hand throwing the mud on the wall or using a shovel.
      We actually did do a huge mountain retaining wall and used possibly thousand of shovels of mud to be trough on the mud which I then troweled down into the design i wished.
      The amount we used that day was 10 tons of sand with about 65 bags on common cement plaster, It does not spread well for walls but it's incredibly strong and cost less than the cement plasters I normally use on homes.
      Have a great day,
      Kirk giordano Plastering

      Reply

  16. Para todos los interesados en aprender a enjarrar y aplicar stucco este senhor es un experto que explica haciendolo y aunque parece facil le ha tomado mas de 3o anhos para dominar el oficio, hace especial enfasis en la preparacion de la superficie y los materiales a utilizar y luego pone manos a la obra, en paises como en Mexico el stucco como se conoce en USA no tiene mucha aplicacion ya que el enjarrado se hace sobre ladrillo, y aunque existen maquinas aplicadoras de enjarre, este senhor en minutos termina los trabajos y todos pueden verlos, ….

    Reply

    • Evening Mr. Bond, thanks brother we do try to please,
      Best wishes,
      FYI, all of us here at the giordano plastering channel wish to thank all our subscriber and those of you how accidentally stumble on our channel a happy and prosperous new year
      kirk giordano plastering

      Reply

  21. Kirk, love your videos YOU sir are a true master at your craft! I am about to attempt to cover a cinder block wall like the one in this video. The wall is around 9ft tall (11 rows high) and 100 feet long. I plan on using 100 LB bags (50 kilo) from Home Depot. It looks like you have 100 LBS or so on your board at the start of this video. About how much material would I need to cover the wall at 1/2"? I live down here in Old Mexico, and every house and building down here seems to be brick or cinder block covered in plaster!

    Reply

    • Good Evening Steven dude, me wife is also form Mancher, just across the pond, she loves everything about Manchester especially the pubs, but not to keen on the weather, her mum still lives there in a home that's over 400 years old.
      Live long and plaster
      Kirk and Jason Giordano

      Reply

  29. جميل جدا والله الرجل يعمل في البناء و نضيف ليس لشكل الذين يشغلون في البناء في بلداننا المسلمة والله حشومة علينا

    Reply

  30. Hi, From over here in the Philippines. I am building a 4 story building over here, and they will be plastering the hollow block walls with 3cm thickness. This is how they do it here with a 1 to 5 ratio. However like to ask, i told them to add hex mesh to the exterior walls, so not to have cracks in the future. Do you think that will be ok, will it work. Also your thoughts on 1 to 5 mix on sifted river sand.

    Reply

    • Howdy David, How much sand for each coat of stucco?
      Scratch coats are mixed at 1 part Portland cement plaster to 2-1/4 to 4 parts sand, brown coats are mixed at 1 part Portland cement plaster to 3 to 5 parts sand, and finish coats are 1 part cement to 1-1/2 to 3 parts sand.
      Live long and plaster
      Answers to life’s stucco and plastering questions

      Reply

  32. Love your videos…good stuff sir. Careful thou….if someone turns your videos into a drinking game…"Every time he sez 'guys'!! DRINK!!" it'll be different kind of plastered! lol

    Reply

    • Good afternoon Truck Dude, I can change the guys into dudes but some gals might call and say how come you only address, "folks as dudes?"
      the game can still go on and drink with each time dude is mentioned.
      When we used to play that game we'd have to reply after each drink, "thank you, sir, may I have another" forget this goofy saying and someone catches it and says, you forgot to say thank you, one would have to drink another.
      Live long and Plaster
      Teaching the world how to plaster one Video at a time.

      Reply

    • Close enough brother, I will be playing that game soon enough in perhaps another in few hours, only not needing to have someone say, "drink" hell, I can do that on my own as I'm all grown up now.
      Live long and Plaster
      Kirk Giordano’s plastering and stucco wisdom videos

      Reply

  34. Hi, what do you recommend using on a old 90 year brick wall that has mortar off? Also, this wall being in rough Chicago weather (cold winters and hot summers)…..?

    Reply

    • Greetings Marvin, I would also suggest you log onto the BBB or any other referral service and type in your city to find qualified plastering contractors in your area.
      Their website is http://www.bbb.com
      The Better Business Bureau, for example, checks all of us contractor to make sure all of our insurances are up to date to protect you the consumer. Usually, fellas, who are on the ball with the paperwork, as a rule, do excellent work.
      (Workman’s comp, liability and state licenses)
      Best wishes
      Sound Plastering tips from your favorite stucco geeks

      Reply

  36. Hi, great vid and very informative. I have a question, can I use plastering sand and cement to use as a mortar to build a block wall or must I use builders sand instead ? The reason I ask is that I have bags of plastering sand and would rather use it out if I can. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Elizabeth, as a rule, I buy Hansons Premium Lehigh cement plaster it's sold at the plaster yards. How much sand for each coat of stucco?
        Scratch coats are mixed at 1 part cement to 2-1/4 to 4 parts sand, brown coats are mixed at 1 part cement to 3 to 5 parts sand, and finish coats are 1 part cement to 1-1/2 to 3 parts sand. 
       Most times we mix 3 parts sand to one part cement plaster.
      We add water by eyesight when it looks right we stop adding water.
      If it looks too soupy we add more sand or cement.
      best wishes.
      kirk

      Reply

    • Good afternoon Trevor, it's a word to describe the second coat.
      There was a time when the second coats were indeed brown, with the acceptance of Portland cement over 100 years ago. The second coats should now be called the Gray coat instead of the brown coat.
      Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

      Introducing peace, love, and harmony back to the plastering world.        
      Sound Plastering tips for the DIY beginner or the Professional Plastering experts

      Reply

  44. Here in Mexico ALL the people do that by throwing the mortar to the wall, NOT by putting the mortar with that trowel (which is easier and quicker), as a civil engineer I don't know why they keep doing it like that (by throwing the mortar to the wall instead of putting it with that trowel), but I think your method is WAY better

    Reply

  47. I was looking for this distressed-painted cinderblock look just like in the beginning of the video. Was this done by design, or was it just exposure to weather and time?

    Reply

    • @Kirk Giordano plastering Inc. thanks! I'm thinking to do this indoors, so need to figure out how to create this pattern (and have it actually look good)

      Reply

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