# Ugly stucco wall surrounding the back of the home...need ideas.



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Announce to the local Graffiti artists that you are having a competition to see who can do the best paint scheme. 

Divide it into 21- 10 foot sections, and get it painted free, and then invite them and the media for a weekend. :wink:

Might cost you for a "tailgate" party, but way cheaper than a wood fence. 

Actually a wooden screening fence is a great idea. 


ED


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

Would you go vertical or horizontal boards? Seems like the vertical would be more fence like.

I just priced out the hardiplank, it was astronomical, $3k+. This idea may not come to fruition...cost is a concern. I will need to research just who makes cement boards and see if I can bring this idea to fit his budget of $2500.

An awesome cammo paint job would hide the hideous stucco, but he shot that idea down already lol. 

Re-stuccoing it is an option, but he would have to get a contractor in to do that, the faux wall I can handle with his help... just costs him materials. Not really sure which way to go though...concerned about wasting the money on the stucco only to have it crack and look ugly in 5 yrs. I will take a pick of the wall Monday and post it so you folks can see the condition of the stucco. I am a roofer not a mason so I couldn't even guess what it would cost for new stucco on something like this. But I am thinking more than it would cost us to put up the faux wall.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Andy: You being a metal roofing specialist, you have the knowledge to apply metal roofing to the wall, that is virtually maintenance free. 

just put up the 2x nailers, cut and run the roofing vertical. 

I am not talking corrugated barn roofing here, the colored panels that are used on homes is nice . and would be unique enough to get a 

" I never thought of that" from most people. 




ED


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

That's a lot of metal roofing and I am not sure it would look as nice as the faux fence. Metal roofing is not cheap either, probably cost more than the hardiplank. I'd be concerned about someone scratching the paint in this application and not to mention the dogs will surely pee on it.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

AndyWRS said:


> That's a lot of metal roofing and I am not sure it would look as nice as the faux fence. Metal roofing is not cheap either, probably cost more than the hardiplank. I'd be concerned about someone scratching the paint in this application and not to mention the dogs will surely pee on it.


I agree completely. 

the more I envision it a wall mural sounds like a great idea, just getting the artist to paint it though will be costly. 

You do know that with weathered and cracking stucco, most of the existing will need to be removed, before any new is attached. 


ED


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

I didn't know that.

They just applied stucco directly to the cinder block wall, I would assume to get a good bond they should have attached some kind of wire lath first. 

The city build the walls about 3' tall, then later on the raised them. The stucco on the lower section doesn't match the upper and there is a clearly visible horizontal line separating the two sections. 

He doesn't want wood, but I think his budget wont allow for the hardiplank. I an seeing him Monday to discuss it more. We priced it using lap siding, which is apparently much cheaper than the cement board he wanted.

Wouldn't siding it look really odd for a wall? The hardiplank is perfect imo, but it just costs way more than I think he wants to spend. We are doing his flat roof next year so I know he is tight on funds. Just did his two patio covers a few months ago also. He is a school teacher so funds for all these improvements are a huge hit to his wallet.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Hmm: A school teacher? Any chance that he has any influence on an ART class? There is the artists needed for a wall mural. 

Tear off the old stucco, then cover the wall with Gesso, and send in the class to paint a panorama view of something the entire class has voted on. 


ED


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I had another thought on a wooden fence façade. 

If the upper horizontal nailers do not seal the top , it will give a space for birds to nest in, or catch detritus, blowing around, or any thing to get in there and cause staining and possibly smells after a rain. 

ED


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

I will have to fill in the top gap, there are some large pine trees on one side of the property. 

He got sticker shock after I priced hardiplank...I think he is getting some stucco bids to see what that would cost.

imo the stucco is not the way to go, this fence idea is far more pleasing to the eye. It took him 4 years to pull the trigger on doing the patio cover, which he had free labor for. I may end up doing this in 2018 lol.

I was just there patching his ceiling and wall Sunday after the bee folks removed a hive. He has sooo much to do that I could move in and work there full time for a year.


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## John Rollins (Oct 13, 2014)

Hey,
I think the best solution, if you can afford it, is to have the stucco re-done properly, as long as the wall is stable. That is simply what the wall is meant to be.

You could, however, apply studs every 4 - 6 feet and put up a lattice, which you could then plant ivy on. (this will be extremely cheap) You'd have to water the ivy for a year. And control the dogs a little. Set the plants just behind the lattice for protection. It would break up the deadly single texture and the green would make the yard feel cool in the hot weather. 

To further soften the transition of the straight line of the top of the wall, let the studs be 18 inches taller than the wall, and run thick wire, two 2x2's or more lattice. Mix the ivy with flowering vines, such as clematis, akebia or native honeysuckle. They will eventually grow up above the wall a bit.

Best of all, build a trellis along the whole southern wall, or at least the first 32 feet. (use local rough-sawn lumber) You can sit in the shade or stroll up and down with a friend and watch the grapes ripen.
-John


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

John - those are good ideas but my buddy has some requirements:

1. No wood, he wants virtually maintenance free hence the HardiPlank.
2. No plants. 

While your idea works for most normal folks, my buddy lives in his own world. He is now getting bids to redo the stucco.



> as long as the wall is stable


 Most of it is, but one section is being pushed out ( about 3 ") due to the very large pine trees on the other side of the wall...the cities park. He has about 1000 jobs to do around the home and no funds to do them in a timely manner. I do not think stucco is the best solution, it is still after all a massive stucco wall when done. The fake fence look is his best option imo.


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## FrankL (Jun 9, 2010)

I have a 70 foot x 4 foot high wall that I have to have skim coated with cement. It is cured and I have to paint it now. I had the one side done and a railing plus about 6 square 2x2x2 blocks. I went to homeadvisor.com to find a stucco guy. It is free and they have review. He did one job for me on an interior/exterior knee wall. A real lifesaver on that one. I called him back for this outside wall job. He has great reviews and a good guy. He charged me $600. 

Please note that I am not pushing that web site. There are others like Angies but I have been pleased with homeadvisor. They follow up and they are free. 

The paint part is a lot of work and I will use elstomeric probably 5 gallons for $130 and a lot of work.


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## crf731 (May 25, 2013)

If your friend doesn't want plants or wood, it doesn't leave a lot of other options other than tearing it down and redoing it or resurfacing what is there now.

Personally I like the lattice, Ivy and other vines suggestion mentioned above but I kind of prefer the nature look.


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