# Adhesive or screws for attaching house numbers to stucco?



## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

fganter said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have some brass house numbers I want to affix to exterior stucco by our front door. Each weighs less than 1 pound.
> 
> ...


_Depending on the type of Stucco Conventional or Synthetic ?
Conventional Stucco "If it is sand float finish it should be OK".
" If textured " ?
" If painted the bond will only be as strong as the paint"
Synthetic Stucco " Screws will not work unless they are into the substrate behind the Synthetic Stucco"
"Texture same as above"
' Synthetic Stucco finishes are Acrylic & the bond will be as strong as the finish"
If conventional Stucco i would go with screws.
If Synthetic Stucco & a sand finish i would use adhesive. _


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

You probably will never move the numbers, so install them securely the first time. Stucco is much easier to drill than concrete, so a cheap masonry bit will work. I would install with a lead or plastic anchor set in a blob of liquid nails, and the included brass screws. You don’t need a special drill motor for stucco.


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## fganter (Dec 28, 2020)

ClarenceBauer said:


> _Depending on the type of Stucco Conventional or Synthetic ?
> Conventional Stucco "If it is sand float finish it should be OK".
> " If textured " ?
> " If painted the bond will only be as strong as the paint"
> ...


Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Apologies for my ignorance, but I don't know if it's conventional or synthetic. Can you tell from this picture?









That's Sherwin Williams acrylic paint on top of it BTW.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

fganter said:


> Thanks for taking the time to reply.
> 
> Apologies for my ignorance, but I don't know if it's conventional or synthetic. Can you tell from this picture?
> View attachment 641186
> ...


Based on looking at a photo i would say it is Synthetic Stucco.
Tap on it with your fist if it sounds a little hollow it is Synthetic also if synthetic push on it & it will move inward a little.
If the blue trim is part of the stucco it is Synthetic.


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## u2slow (Feb 9, 2012)

Acrylic (synthetic?) Stucco can be applied over a cementitious base coat too.

My preferred method it to hammerdrill through the stucco only, and use woodscrews into the sheathing.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

u2slow said:


> Acrylic (synthetic?) Stucco can be applied over a cementitious base coat too.
> 
> My preferred method it to hammerdrill through the stucco only, and use woodscrews into the sheathing.


Synthetic Stucco Finish can be applied over a conventional Stucco.


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## fganter (Dec 28, 2020)

ClarenceBauer said:


> Based on looking at a photo i would say it is Synthetic Stucco.
> Tap on it with your fist if it sounds a little hollow it is Synthetic also if synthetic push on it & it will move inward a little.
> If the blue trim is part of the stucco it is Synthetic.


Sounds pretty solid to me, and it doesn't seem to give way.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

fganter said:


> Sounds pretty solid to me, and it doesn't seem to give way.


That would indicate that it is a Conventional Stucco & you can drill & install screws.


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## fganter (Dec 28, 2020)

u2slow said:


> Acrylic (synthetic?) Stucco can be applied over a cementitious base coat too.
> 
> My preferred method it to hammerdrill through the stucco only, and use woodscrews into the sheathing.


From what I recall, the material they first placed over the brick façade was some sort of cement. The screws I have are only 1 inch, unless someone suggests that's a bad idea. 

These numbers weigh less than 1 pound, which is one of the reasons I'm asking if I'm just better off with an adhesive.


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## ClarenceBauer (Mar 4, 2005)

fganter said:


> From what I recall, the material they first placed over the brick façade was some sort of cement. The screws I have are only 1 inch, unless someone suggests that's a bad idea.
> 
> These numbers weigh less than 1 pound, which is one of the reasons I'm asking if I'm just better off with an adhesive.


Stucco over a solid substrate drill a hole say 1/4" dia. about 1" deep into the stucco & brick drive in a 1/4 " dowel in than screw the numbers up.


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## fganter (Dec 28, 2020)

ClarenceBauer said:


> That would indicate that it is a Conventional Stucco & you can drill & install screws.


OK, but since the numbers weigh less than 1 pound, wouldn't it be less hassle to use adhesive (e.g. clear silicone) instead of screws? Am I missing something (e.g. adhesive won't last)?

If I use screws, do I need anchors?

BTW - Here are the screws the guy at Lowe's suggested. They fit properly in the screw holes in the numbers.









Multiple reviews for the numbers I bought said the supplied brass screws are trash.


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## CodeMatters (Aug 16, 2017)

What's the best way to hold the numbers in place while the adhesive sets? 
I'm thinking a couple screws would do it. 
See where I'm going here? 
: )


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

You can apply a dab of adhesive behind the letters if that’s what it takes to make you happy. You have several responses suggesting screws for true stucco, and only onevote for adhesive on eifs. Whatever. 

Tell the guy at Lowes to go back to flipping burgers. The brass letters came with brass screws. The color is going to match. Why would you want to introduce shiny silver screws to brass letters? If you were going to screw all the way through the stucco into the framing, then you might consider the SS screws, but they would have to be 2” long. The letters are probably 1/4” and the stucco is 7/8” ... call it 1”. So you need 1-1/4” just to get past the stucco. 
A plastic or lead expansion shield is going to hold the letters just fine.


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## Randy Bush (Dec 9, 2020)

Half-fast eddie said:


> You can apply a dab of adhesive behind the letters if that’s what it takes to make you happy. You have several responses suggesting screws for true stucco, and only onevote for adhesive on eifs. Whatever.
> 
> Tell the guy at Lowes to go back to flipping burgers. The brass letters came with brass screws. The color is going to match. Why would you want to introduce shiny silver screws to brass letters? If you were going to screw all the way through the stucco into the framing, then you might consider the SS screws, but they would have to be 2” long. The letters are probably 1/4” and the stucco is 7/8” ... call it 1”. So you need 1-1/4” just to get past the stucco.
> A plastic or lead expansion shield is going to hold the letters just fine.


Most EIFIS here is 1 1/2 foam base. I normally use 2 1/2 screws when installing soffit J to it.


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## Half-fast eddie (Sep 19, 2020)

Right Randy. I just went back and reread ... he mentioned a cement product applied over the brick facade. So it sounds like a cementitious skim coat over brick, so h3 would need really long screws to reach the framing.


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