How to Stucco With Surewall and Lath

Clean the surface to which you plan to apply your Surewall. Sweep or dust to remove all dirt particles, and scrub with soap and water to eliminate caked-on dirt, grease or grime. Use more powerful cleaning agents only as needed. The surface must be completely smooth for the best results.

Cover the surface with grade-D building paper. This provides a thick moisture barrier. RES Architectural Sales, the manufacturer of Surewall, recommends covering your foundation with one layer of "60-minute" paper or two layers of "10-minute" paper. You can find these in home improvement stores, and in some cases they come with the metal lathing.

Cover the surface with a metal lath, available in home improvement stores. Metal lath is a wire mesh sheet that has an appearance similar to a chain-link fence, but serves to lay the foundation for your stucco. The manufacturer specifically recommends using a metal lath, so avoid wood lathing.

Attach the mesh lath to the surface that you wish to stucco. Hammer roofing nails along the corners using galvanized roofing nails. Place additional nails along the edges, spaced approximately 7 inches apart, and place two nails in the center. You may also use staples or specialized lath fasteners. Use tin snips to remove any lathe that hangs over the foundation.

Pour the full bag of Surewall into a mortar mixer along with 1.5 gallons of water and mix. You can rent a mortar mixer from some home improvement stores. First add about 90 percent of the water, then add the Surewall, and finally add the remaining water after the mixture evens out. Mix for about five minutes.

Moisten the surface that you plan to stucco, and then apply a 3/8-inch layer of Surewall over the entire surface, covering the metal lath. Smooth out the stucco using the back of your trowel. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for drying, then gently moisten it again and apply an additional layer of Surewall. Do not allow your stucco to exceed 5/8 inch in thickness.