The exterior of a house is not only about appearance but also about protection. Does your home need serious thermal insulation, or do the climate conditions prevent you from focusing on it? Do the walls need serious moisture protection? Is it important for you to have various color and decoration options? By answering all these questions, you can decide what type of plaster to choose for your home.

Sentry Stucco Wall Systems by SIKA is very popular. It is durable, has a high insulation rate, and is lighter. At the same time, full traditional stucco, including cement and sand, has advantages and is the choice of many homeowners. Further, we will consider the main differences in these options for externally finishing the house to make it easier for you to decide.

Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) is a modern solution for finishing buildings. It is a synthetic compound that is applied in several stages. EIFS has several layers, including insulation, reinforcing mesh, and decorative coating. This cladding can give a building an aesthetic, modern look while providing reliable protection for the exterior walls.

The Exterior Insulation and Finish System is relatively lightweight. This reduces the load on load-bearing structures. It has excellent thermal and acoustic insulation and provides various aesthetic decoration options. This is achieved because it is possible to create various forms of finishing with the help of this coating.

1. Base Coat - This layer adheres directly to the building wall. It contains adhesive materials and insulation.

2. Reinforcement Mesh - Fiberglass mesh is applied over the base coat to give the structure greater strength and durability

3. Finish Coat - Depending on the design, this layer can come in various looks, including textures, colors, and styles.

On average, EIFS is 80% lighter than traditional stucco and 25 times better at resisting heat flow than conventional stucco. However, EIFS is challenging to install. Professionals should only install it because of the risk of moisture penetration under the plaster in case of poor stucco installation.

Traditional stucco is an older way of finishing walls. The mixture is based on cement, sand, lime, and water. Like the more modern EIFS system, traditional plaster is applied in three layers. However, it provides a much less strong thermal protection system and sound insulation. This is because the mixture has a porous structure. It allows heat and moisture to pass through better. Traditional plaster is durable, but its natural composition makes it more susceptible to temperature fluctuations. Therefore, it can crack or even crumble in climate change. It needs regular maintenance.

One of the main advantages of traditional stucco is its price and installation process. With the proper level of preparation, the cladding of the building can be done independently. It will cost less than EIFS plastering.

Let's look at the basic stats for the two main options for home finishes.

●     A complete traditional stucco installation will cost an average of $8 per square foot.

●     Stucco installation can be done yourself with the right level of training.

●     Fairly rough texture and a few design and color options for finishes.

●     Environmentally damaging manufacturing ingredients make traditional stucco less green.

●     It is less susceptible to mold and leaks due to its porous structure that allows moisture to pass through.

●     A full installation will cost an average of $11 per square foot.

●     Installation should only be done by professionals.

●     Resistant to cracking, requiring only regular cleaning.

●     Many design and color options. Softer texture.

●     Consists of non-renewable petroleum-based materials.

Each type of stucco has its pros and cons. It all depends on your home. If insulating your home is very important, Channeled Adhesive CI Design with MaxGrip Veneer Mortar system will be the right solution. Suppose you want to have many design options for plastering and wall finishing. In that case, Sentry Stucco Wall Systems by SIKA will be a good option for you. If you want to save a little on finishing and extreme heat and sound insulation are not so important, the optimal choice may be traditional stucco.

In any case, we advise you to consult with experts who will help you to understand your needs more clearly and help you to choose the right and effective cladding for your home.