Cement stucco can be thought of as the finish coat of a three-coat cement plaster or the entire assembly as defined by the building codes. Three-coat cement plaster or “stucco” has been in the modern codes since its inception. Over the last century, the plastering industry has had many experts on lath, cement basecoats and the stucco or acrylic finish applied for final decoration. Names like Walt Pruter, Dick Gorman, John Bucholtz, Tom Geary, Clint Fladland, Bruce Pottle, Bob Drury and Jim Gulde are but a few of the famous names that helped shape the plaster industry for half a century. That is changing and the history they left is being re-written by others.
The current bureau experts regularly attend meetings on lath and cement plaster, and while the preferred method of installation can and should be discussed openly as projects, regions and practices can vary; it is the re-writing of lath and plaster history that should concern us the most. We sit and listen to others pontificate the history of lath and plaster on why certain practices became standard, codified or simply recognized. What is concerning is how the history is being re-written to fill agendas or provide a bumper sticker explanation. The Portland Cement Association puts out great information, and a paragraph I read while attending architecture school and working part time as a plaster patch man to pay school expenses had a profound impact on me and may be even more relevant than ever: