Eifs Siding Vs Stucco

To the untrained and sometimes trained eye exterior insulation and finish system eifs and stucco often appear as one and the same.

Eifs siding vs stucco. You most likely have eifs stucco on your home if you can spot foam board around light fixtures or door frames. Pros and cons of eifs siding. An eifs has a base layer of expanded polystyrene eps insulation board attached to. Stucco on average goes as high as 14 50 per sq.

First it includes a layer of insulation. Another feature to look for are control joints. It is also more flexible allowing ornate keystones cornerstones and other accents that traditional stucco previously could not hold. Hence if you observe cracks throughout the wall it is most likely stucco or again possibly pm eifs or hybrid stucco.

As popular building materials eifs and stucco seem aesthetically similar and many believe they have the same basic properties save one being an acrylic version of the other. Eifs is notably lighter than traditional stucco however. Eifs is much easier to damage than traditional stucco siding. Probably the greatest difference between an eifs and a stucco exterior is the way it is constructed.

Traditional stucco is not prone to the moisture problems discussed below. Stucco on the other hand can crack in the field of the wall in addition to at the corners of windows and doors if not properly detailed and installed. Traditional stucco is more prone to cracking and the cracks are usually much longer than the smaller cracks typically found in eifs typically around window openings. It is 80 percent less heavy than stucco but it has a higher r value coming in between 4 and 5 6 which is notably higher than the 0 20 r value of regular stucco.

Before you decide whether eifs is right for your home keep reading to learn about the primary differences between an eifs vs. When you combine an eifs with insulation in the wall cavity you can achieve r values of about 16 or more. Homes with eifs often sit on the market longer and sell for less than homes with traditional stucco siding. Secondly it offers even more finish options than stucco.

While modern eifs has addressed many of these issues the negative stigma remains. Being more budget friendly is a significant reason why vinyl is such a popular siding option. However eifs depending on the thickness of the insulation board can offer an r value between 4 and 5 6. The installation process for eifs stucco is much more complicated and time consuming than traditional stucco.

When considering synthetic stucco vs traditional stucco eifs siding has two advantages. Cons of eifs stucco. Stucco at roughly an inch thick offers an r value of about 20.