How to Install Styrofoam for Stucco Walls

Applying Styrofoam insulation boards over your home's exterior ensures that your stucco is applied to a smooth surface. It also adds insulation to your home, making it more energy-efficient. Installing Styrofoam and then stucco is time-consuming but can be completed with basic construction tools.

Pressure washer or garden hose
Scrub brush
Dish soap
Construction adhesive
Caulk gun
Masonry nails
Hammer
Utility knife
Rasp

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the exterior of the walls you plan to stucco by spraying them with a garden hose or pressure washer. Use a scrub brush dipped in soapy water to wash away any greasy spots or other debris. Rinse well and allow to dry.
- 2
  Apply construction or Styrofoam adhesive to the back of each Styrofoam board with a caulk gun. Bead the adhesive on the foam, laying it out in a grid pattern with the beads about 1 inch apart.
- 3
  Place each panel up on the wall and secure them with masonry nails or screws. Each panel needs at least one nail at each corner to secure it.
- 4
  Trim the panels as necessary, such as around windows or outdoor outlets, with a utility knife.
- 5
  Score the Styrofoam panels with a rasp before applying your stucco mixture, if you will not be using wire mesh.

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