Back in the early ’80s, I was cutting my teeth in the stucco industry. It was in Tucson, Ariz., where stucco was king; EIFS, the relative newcomer, a close second. Back then, it was the cladding du jour, the go-to for all the buildings. A building could be made “distinct” by adding pop-outs, lots of pop-outs. It was no “walk in the park” working the walls, but in retrospect it was a very profitable and rewarding career. It was because of my choice to be a plasterer that I am where I am today.
In my storied career, I have seen building cladding fads come and go: glass, metal, wood, brick, all gaining momentum but eventually, the tide turned back to stucco and EIFS. Today, we are seeing an increase in the selection of engineered metal and glass facades and a more aggressive decline in the selection of stucco. I still believe stucco remains one of the most affordable and versatile claddings for all types of construction. After all, with its versatility and affordable cost (compared to other engineered claddings) and our current construction uptick, one would think the plastering trade would be prospering, growing and attracting the multitudes. It is my opinion that this is not the case and in reality, stucco is just maintaining a status quo. So, it begs the question why?