How to Apply Wood Siding to a Stucco House

There are many reasons why a homeowner might want to apply wood siding to a stucco house. It could be for aesthetic reasons or it could be because the stucco has become damaged and needs to be repaired or replaced. Whatever the reason, the fact is that since wood siding is best applied when nailed directly to wall studs, the first order of business will be to remove the existing stucco in all places where you wish to remodel with wood siding.Removing stucco is not terribly skilled work, but it is difficult and time-consuming. Keep in mind that not only will the stucco itself need to be broken off, but the underlying wire mesh that the stucco is attached to must also be removed.

Things You'll Need

• Hammers (including a small sledge hammer)
• Wire Cutters
• Work Gloves
• Eye Protection
• Crowbar
• Chisel
• Skill Saw with Masonry Blade

Instructions

How to

1. Mark the area of stucco that you wish to replace with wood siding. If you wish to replace all of the stucco with wood siding then this step can be ignored, but if, for example, only the lower half of a stucco wall is to be replaced with wood siding and the upper half is to remain stucco, then a chalk line should be drawn to indicate the demarcation.If such a line needs to be made then use a skill saw with a masonry blade to cut a line in the stucco along your chalk line.

2. Break the stucco with a small sledge hammer in the area where you want to replace your stucco with wood. If an entire wall is to be broken off, start at the top of the wall. Do not strike the wall too hard. You want to break the stucco but not damage the wall studs or any sheeting behind the stucco. Pull as much lose stucco as possible off of the underlying wire mesh.

3. Use your crowbar and/or claw hammer to pull the nails holding the wire mesh to the studs. As you losen the wire mesh it should "peel down" from the top of the wall down towards the ground. Continue pulling all of the nails holding the mesh in place until all of the mesh and all of the stucco are removed from the portion of the wall that you wish to remodel.

4. Clean the studs and/or sheeting of any remaining nails or debris. Replace any broken or damaged studs.

5. Install wood siding as per the manufacturer's instructions. Begin with the bottom row. Make certain that the first row is absolutely level. Take you time in making certain that it is level as each new level will be based on this first level. Make certain your overlaps from each level are precisely the same. A one-inch overlap is probably sufficient, but follow any instructions provided by the siding manufacturer. Stain or finish wood siding as per the manufacturer's instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• Removing stucco will create a huge mess. Make certain that you have proper disposal facilities prepared. Consult with your city as to proper disposal of old stucco and wire mesh.