Stucco
is simple: sand, cement and lime. How can something so simple have so
much controversy? The first fact is that stucco is used all over the
world, but the confusion about stucco seems to be only in North America.
This reason is simple. Cement stucco on framing is popular only in
North America. It is not new to this continent, but is being re-invented
because, who makes money on basic sand and cement?
The
U.S. Census Bureau puts out data on new homes every year. Currently,
stucco is the number one cladding on all new homes, with 28 percent
market share. Being the king of the mountain makes you the prime target.
Being that stucco is essentially generic or a commodity makes it even
riper to pick on. Who will defend stucco? The manufacturers of sand and
cement will tell you that stucco is a small market to them. Most say
about 2 to 3 percent of their sales are stucco-related. Consider that
roads, bridges and foundations alone use significantly more sand and
cement than stucco. Basically, we’re told stucco is not worth putting
resources into promotion. So, why then is stucco number one? This is the
double-edged sword; stucco is a commodity and in some areas the cost is
hard—if not impossible—to beat. This is mainly in the southwestern
U.S., where stucco is far higher than 28 percent market share.