Stucco doesn’t crack; breaking is a common misconception about a well-used coating.
Stucco is an attractive, durable and low maintenance exterior wall finish. Popular in residential and commercial construction, stucco provides a fire-resistive finish suitable for a variety of climates. Wood-based sheathing is often specified under stucco and when the proper material and installation procedures are followed, the results have been very satisfactory. Wood sheathing will generally be either plywood or oriented strand board. If installed incorrectly or exposed to high levels of moisture, wood sheathing will result in cracking to the stucco cladding.
When we speak of acceptable levels of moisture content for wood products, the industry generally references a moisture content of 19 percent for Kiln-Dried KD or S-Dry for Surface-Dry at time of manufacture. Before the installation of gypsum wallboard, the NWCB and others recommend that the moisture content of lumber be no greater than 19 percent.