Install Stucco weep or drip screeds below grade
How to Install Stucco Weep or Drip screeds, metal weep screeds, and their real purpose.
Does anyone realize the importance of why these screeds are placed at least one inch below the mud-sill? If you have wood siding, it’s the same principle.
Why? Excellent question, glad you asked.
Let’s say most rain falls vertically. Now the higher the elevations come with it, as a rule, more wind.
We have rainfall with wind throughout the world.
Thus if the metal screed or wood is not at least one inch below the mud-sill, the rain can and will be blown upwards, causing the mud-sill or wood substrate to get wet.
When wood gets wet, it expands, and of course, can eventually rot. With stucco walls, the wood expands, causing cracking in stucco.
The substate also gets wet with wood and can rot, attracting termites and mold fungus. Mold is no joke.
Weep or drip screed rusting?🤷♂️
Okay, All weep screeds like nails are metal then galvanized. This means you take the metal and dip it into a vat of acid that galvanizes metals. This is to preserve the metal so it does not rust.
For example, let’s use a sixteen-penny nail holding a red clay tile roof in place on a roof.
The rain hits these nails and causes discolorations on sometimes white stucco walls, which, BTW, look odd as they are straight lines downward with an odd appearance.
With a nail, the hammer hits the head, thus sometimes removing the galvanization, now with rainwater, it’s no longer protected, thus bleed, the metal, Usually a brownish color.
With a weep screed, the trowel can scrape it when we go horizontal across the bottom, as the weep screed also serves as a guild to fill out the stucco. The sand acts as sandpaper the trowel, then if scrapped enough time with the sand removes the galvanized protection.
Now take all areas in the world near oceans, as the saltwater evaporates into the atmosphere, it gathers in the clouds, so when it rains, it’s always kinda salty, the salt hits the exposed metal, causing it to rust.
This is a key reason why the Goldengate bridge in San Francisco seems to always be in the phase of being painted.
Salt rust metal very quickly.
https://youtu.be/szNDr1WZHfM/Stucco weep screeds code requirement for protecting mud-sills for code and cosmetic
https://youtu.be/CB_cK38i-18/How to Install Stucco Weep or Drip screeds, exterior plastering metal drip screeds
https://youtu.be/TKNElO-PTPc/Stucco drip and or weep screeds Flashing countering Z flashings
https://youtu.be/wHc03uhWGNQ/Counter flashing drip or weep stucco screed over a Z flashing
https://youtu.be/OXGgnp5DyOQ/Install Galvanized Stucco weep or drip screed over copper
https://youtu.be/BtatxjNVjNo/Install Stucco weep or drip screeds below-grade
https://www.StuccoPlastering.com/ My website and contact information
https://www.GiordanoPlastering.com/ Jason’s Website
Feel free to check out our recommended tools on our website below.
Kirk Giordano Plastering Inc.
Kirk & Jason Giordano’s how-to show and tell videos.
Thank you Mr. kirk and jason that was tip and again thanks for taking the time to make all the great video
Hey Gil, always nice to hear from you,
Thanks for the bone, I hope you had a good Christmas and a happy New Year. Remember don’t drink too much, leave that part to us experts.
Have a groovy Holiday!
Kirk Giordano plastering
Hi Kirk, great videos. I had a question if you have a moment. I have a similar problem to this video around my garage, but I have no plywood backing to staple the flashing to. The wall is only made up of paper, wire, and plaster. How do I fix something like this?
Thanks,
Mike
Howdy Mike,
You have to break out the stucco at least 6 to 8 inches up the wall.
Lift the paper and wire and install the weep screed.
Install new screed on the mud sill on the framed wall.
It’s a drag to break out but that’s the proper way. Then re-stucco.
Best wishes and have a good evening!
Kirk Giordano plastering
Thanks for the reply, you guys rock. One thing I forgot to mention… the garage foundation is hardly 2in above grade. Does this change how you would do this?
Howdy funsizeco, thank you.
Current codes usually don’t apply to existing garages or homes.
For example, new codes call for 6 inches above grade. However if your foundation is above grade 2 inches, simply install your weep screed a half inch or so below the wood mud sill. You will only have about I inch above grade but that o.k. in most states.
Best wishes with your project and have a great rest of your day!
Kirk Giordano Plastering
Sorry, but,when that fails will you volunteer to make the repairs termite activity will require? The 6" window of inspection required by the code, allows visual access to the entry points.
What i see is a built in permanent hidden termite funnel……what are some of the other ways you've corrected this problem.
Evening dblhlr, cute, I'm a 30 plus year applicator that has been warranting any and all applications from the start of my career and as transparent a plastering outfit that is licensed in the state of california, the proof is in this transparent video.
Are you a college graduate that has a large book that you frequently reference from on a regularly basic for code requirements? If so, no shame in this.
Or perhaps you are an architect or GC, If so again no worries.
Relax you can state more than your name, rank and number, don't feel like a prisoner of war, just because you object to my methods, after more than 9,000,000 views with the 700 videos we have uploaded, I'm sure many other disagree with my learned methods also, that's no disgrace for me.
However, if you are going to object to anyone's ideas at least post your real name and or at a least a picture, for your own peace of mind or dignity,
Best wishes,.
kirk giordano plastering
What ever?
Maybe in Montana! What is the life span of your polyurethane caulk installed at or below grade? Not to mention, water will follow your staples thru the entire system. You said "usually what we want is a 1/2 inch above the concrete" imaginative! Unfortunately (IMO) this would not last in any moist climate.
thanks for the tip.
Hello Sir. I have a specific question that maybe one of your videos has already answered.
Quickly:
There is a gap between the Stucco and the Foundation Wall that my client wants to improve visually, but I don't want to compromise the weep screed. Do you have any product recommendations or techniques that you could share with me please? The overall goal is for me to maintain the drainage but improve the poorly installed systems aesthetics without blocking the weep screed drainage.
Many thanks!
Good Evening Spiny, without a visual I can't recommend, sorry
Live long and plaster
Kirk and Jason Giordano