Sto Powerwall ® Stucco

Stucco is a low-cost, aesthetically pleasing, durable and impact resistant cladding. Through technical innovation, Sto is advancing stucco into the future. Sto Corp. combines the best of an engineered fiber-modified cement stucco with technologically advanced elastomeric finishes to create a stucco-type system that provides a superior cladding over traditional, field-mixed sand, lime and cement. Superior products in a superior system create a more durable, impact resistant, colorfast exterior wall cladding:

FEATURE	HOW/WHY	BENEFIT
Higher compressive	A more controlled mix Fibers added	Greater impact resistance Greater customer satisfaction
Higher tensile strength	A more controlled mix Fibers added	Less cracking
Lower weight per square foot	Only need to build up to 3/8" - 1/2"	Lower and less expensive structural elements required
Superior weather resistance	Sto elastomeric coatings/finishes bridge hairline cracks	Does not allow excess moisture to get through the stucco Helps maintain appearance
Faster installation	Less field mixing = less time and better consistency Can be applied in one application	Lower installation costs

All Sto Corp. finish products are water-based and VOC compliant.

Sto Powerwall ® System
Coatings and Finishes
Quality
Achieving Lasting Performance and Durability in Stucco Systems

Sto Powerwall ® System

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Sto Corp. offers a proven, quality-driven line of true silicone-enhanced coatings and finishes that will protect your project from environmental hazards while giving a beautiful look and durable finish. Sto Powerflex Silco, Sto’s technologically advanced silicone-enhanced elastomeric finishes, are engineered to the highest standards and protect buildings like no other coatings. Water beads up and rolls off Sto Powerflex Silco, taking loose dirt particles with it. It stays both cleaner and drier, reducing surface degradation and the need for constant maintenance. Sto Powerflex Silco products allow for a better-looking, better-protected building with less need for recoating and maintenance.

Sto Powerwall ® Stucco – a factory blended, fiber-reinforced Portland cement stucco base coat, formulated for assured strength and durability. Sto Powerwall Stucco complies with ICBO and SBCCI code requirements.
Sto Flexyl - a unique acrylic-based, fiber-reinforced, flexible waterproofing membrane. When combined with Portland cement, it provides waterproofing for foundations, stem walls, sloped sills, wall caps and parapets.
Sto Primer – an acrylic-based substrate primer used to provide uniform sub-strate absorption and to improve finish coat adhesion, coverage and water resistance.
Sto Plex W – a water-based surface conditioner used to restore absorptive or chalking surfaces to sound condition prior to application of the finish coat.

Coatings and Finishes

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Sto Powerflex – a ready-mixed, acrylic-based textured elastomeric wall fin-ish that is weather resistant and bridges hairline cracks. Available in a variety of textures, including freeform for a custom design.
Sto Powerflex Silco – a ready-mixed, silicone-enhanced elastomeric tex-tured finish that provides superior flexibility, UV resistance, water resistance and vapor permeability. The ultimate in protection for residential or commer-cial property. Available in a variety of textures.
Stolastic – a ready-mixed, acrylic-based smooth elastomeric wall coating that is weather resistant and bridges hairline cracks. Available in a wide variety of colors including custom tinting.
StoSilco Lastic -- a ready-mixed, silicone-enhanced smooth elastomeric wall coating that is weather resistant, mildew resistant, and bridges hairline cracks. Available in a wide variety of colors including custom tinting. All Sto Finishes and Coatings are available in a wide range of standard and custom colors.

Quality

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Sto provides a single source for the best combination of both local and national products - combining stucco and elastomeric finishes - and consistent color, pail to pail, and batch to batch for complete system quality control and cost effectiveness.

Sto Powerwall Stucco is produced regionally with local raw materials to economically deliver the best recipe for your building.
Sto coatings and finishes are produced in Sto’s ISO certified manufacturing facilities with extremely strict quality control requirements and the best raw materials from across North America. Another Sto advantage is Powerwall’s premixed and pre-measured cement, lime, fiber, and additives formula. This feature allows more consistent quality control than on the job, field mixed stucco. Also we use higher quality elastomeric finishes utilizing a high polymer content and marble aggregate (not quartz) for brighter colors. We design our products for maximum effective crack bridging and to minimize pinholing.

Sto is also superior when it comes to color. We produce elastomeric finishes using color expertise competitors can’t touch:

Batch to batch consistency, so if just a few pails are needed, the color can easily be matched
Over 100,000 tint formulas readily available to distributors on the Internet
Utilization of highly concentrated pigments so a smaller amount is used to resist chalking.

Achieving Lasting Performance and Durability in Stucco Systems

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Understanding appropriate construction practices and some of the common causes of problems in exterior stucco can help prevent future problems. Building construction should comply with National, State and Local Building Codes. Less than complete code compliance seriously jeopardizes an owner’s or builder’s investment. Construction details, particularly flashing at window sills, roof/wall intersections, decks and other transition areas of construction should be designed or built to divert water to the exterior, not into the walls. Cracking to some degree is normal in stucco. Understanding the numerous factors that contribute to cracking, including the following conditions, can encourage construction and maintenance practice that minimize cracking:

settling of building site
structural movement
wood shrinkage
roof leakage - window leakage
absence of caulking at windows and doors
poor lath installation
absence or improper location of expansion or control joints
improper mixing - inadequate curing
improper sequence of work (i.e., roof and/or interior drywall work after installation of stucco)

Stucco at and below grade can cause problems with durability that require continual maintenance. Sound grading and landscaping practices should be used to provide effective drainage of water away from the walls of the structure at grade, and the stucco should be kept well above finished grade. Wood framing or sheathing should never go below grade.
Sprinklers should not use walls as a means of diverting water to gardens or lawns. Drip irrigation should not keep soil continually wet near base of wall.
Horizontal and low-slope surfaces are not intended for stucco applications. Extra surface preparation is required and periodic maintenance and reduced durability should be expected for any weather-exposed sloped surfaces.
Retaining walls and planters should be thoroughly waterproofed from the inside (where the soil makes contact) before putting any stucco on the outside.
Caulking should be installed at all terminations of the stucco and all open-ings through the stucco (windows, doors, pipes, vents, etc.).
Scuppers or canales should not use the walls to drain water from the roof into or onto walls.
Choice of color can be a determining factor in the longevity of the stucco’s like new appearance. Dark colors will generally fade faster than lighter colors and require more frequent maintenance, including recoating.