The Controversy Over Stucco Explained

Ventilation Water Management

Course Description

The building codes (IRC and IBC) have long required a water-resistive barrier (WRB) membrane in drained walls, but code provisions related to drainage and ventilation (drying) continue to evolve in response to the complexity of modern materials and the combinations in which we use them. This is particularly true of stucco and adhered stone clad walls, where code provisions have proved inadequate to protect our buildings from pervasive (and extremely costly) water-related failures. This presentation discusses the physics behind the failures, the recent improvements to the code provisions related to drainage and drying behind these claddings, and explains how (and why) the codes still fall short.

Course Instructor Christine Williamson

Course Length 19:50

Published 18 Aug 2022

BROWSE 1,012 BARRIERS

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Keywords: Stucco, drainage, ventilation, drying, rot, WRB, water-resistive barrier, adhered stone, building code, water management, building science

About Building Science Fight Club

Christine Williamson - Assoc. AIA

Building Scientist | Instructor

Christine Williamson has spent her career in building science forensics, discovering why buildings fail and working with owners, architects, and builders to remedy the problems. She is the founder of the Instagram account @BuildingScienceFightClub, an educational project that teaches architects about building science and construction.