# Stucco wall in yard



## Colorado Steve (Apr 28, 2008)

I'm landscaping the front yard and I want to build a 3' stucco wall to create a courtyard near the front door.

I'm going to use 4x4 posts, 2x4 framing, and 1/2" or 5/8" (3/4"??) OSB to frame. I'm gonna have someone come out and apply stucco when it's done. The wall's going to be about 40' long with one right angle corner.

Has anyone built one of these before? I'm not sure how to space the 4x4's or what thickness OSB to use. Someone in a nearby neighborhood is having one built and I've taken some long looks as I drive by. The 4x4 posts seem to be spaced at about 8 feet, which seems like an awfully long span to me. I was thinking more like every 3 feet. Opinions?

I was also wondering what folks do to seal up the bottom of this type of wall. I don't want critters and water to get up inside the wall, but haven't figured exactly how I'm going to seal it up. 

Thanks for any input.

Steve


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## Wanttodoitright (Mar 17, 2008)

Sounds like your neighbor is building as I would - like a fence. My first thought was 8 feet apart.


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## Wanttodoitright (Mar 17, 2008)

By the way..........it sounds like a great project.

Now I want one.


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Be sure a seal the top very well or your wall won't last very long.


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## Colorado Steve (Apr 28, 2008)

Tscarborough said:


> Be sure a seal the top very well or your wall won't last very long.


Not sure what you mean by seal the top. I'm going to place OSB to fit on the top after it's framed, then roofers paper/chicken wire, then stucco the whole deal. 

I have been going back and forth, however, on whether to use pressure treated 2x4's or not. As long as they are not coming into contact with the ground or elements, I don't think I need to.


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## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Any water that gets into a stucco'ed wood wall will destoy it in short order. The top needs some type of cap to ensure this deos not happen. It can be a metal cap, a concrete one, or a flashed segmental one, but you must ensure that no water enters the wall, or it will last a couple of years only.


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