Does Installing or Restoring Stucco in a Home Affect Air Quaity?

The question in the title of this article is complicated. In order to answer it, one needs more information. Are we talking about working on stucco inside the house or outside the house?

Stucco is made with cement. As with anything made with cement, stucco has to cure. It doesn't "dry"; it cures.

As the stucco cures, it rarely gives off any volatile organic compounds or VOC's. If it does give off any VOC's, then they are rapidly dissipated in the first few days.

If stucco is being applied or repaired outside the house, then the stucco isn't going to do anything to the indoor air quality, except possible improve it over time. Stucco creates an excellent air and water barrier between the outside and the inside.

If stucco is being applied or repaired inside the house, then you may not want to be around for the first few days of curing, but not because of poor air quality.

As stucco cures, like cement, it gives off heat. And it takes at least a week and sometimes more until it is mostly cured. So, you probably wouldn't want to be around it inside the house for the first few days while it's curing.

You also wouldn't want to damage the stucco before it's completely cured and rock hard.

When stucco is being prepared for use, several dry materials are mixed before water is added. You wouldn't want to breathe in those materials. But this obviously is not a problem if the stucco is being prepared outside.

The only way that stucco could hurt air quality inside the house is if the stucco was water damaged and there was mold. But that would be the same problem with any material (like drywall or wood) that had water damage and mold.

Choice Stucco Ltd. provides quality stucco application and repair to residential, strata, and commercial properties throughout the greater-Vancouver area.

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about stucco, please call us at (604) 614-7552.

Links

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/stucco  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stucco