Stucco Crack Repair in Little Rock, AR
A crack in stucco is a small opening that lets rain into the wall. We repair stucco cracks on homes and commercial buildings in Little Rock, AR, from hairlines to wide breaks, by first finding out why the crack formed so the repair stays closed instead of reopening next summer.
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What does stucco crack repair involve?
Crack repair means opening the crack slightly, cleaning it, filling it with a flexible or cement-based material suited to the movement, and refinishing the surface so the line blends into the texture around it. For a hairline crack that is all it takes. For a wider crack we may cut out a strip of stucco, add mesh, and rebuild the section in layers.
Smearing caulk over a crack is not a repair. It changes color, collects dirt, and draws attention to the exact spot you wanted hidden.
Which cracks need attention and which can wait?
- Fine hairline cracks thinner than a credit card are usually surface shrinkage. They should be sealed during the next repair or resurfacing, but are rarely urgent.
- Cracks wider than about an eighth of an inch let in real water and should be fixed soon.
- Diagonal cracks off window and door corners show where the wall is under stress. They tend to grow.
- Stair-step or horizontal cracks, or cracks with one side sticking out further than the other, may point to settlement and are worth having looked at promptly.
- Cracks with stains below them are already letting water in.
Why does stucco crack in this area?
Stucco is strong but stiff. It cannot stretch, so anything that moves the wall behind it shows up as a crack.
Here the biggest mover is the ground. Clay soil in many neighborhoods swells after a wet spring and shrinks in late summer, and houses ride up and down with it. Window and door openings are the weak points, so the cracks start at the corners.
Other causes include missing or badly spaced control joints on long walls, framing that shrank as the house aged, impact from ladders or yard equipment, and the occasional hard freeze that expands water in an existing crack. On older Hillcrest and Heights homes, settling of the original foundations is common.
What happens if a crack is left alone?
Water gets in every time it rains. Behind the stucco, that water can rust the metal lath, soften wood sheathing, and feed mold in the wall cavity. The crack itself also tends to grow as the edges break down. A ten-minute repair can turn into rebuilding a water-damaged section if it is ignored for a few years.
What affects the cost of crack repair?
- How many cracks and how long they are.
- Width and depth. A hairline is quick. A wide crack that goes through all three coats needs a full rebuild of that strip.
- Height. Cracks at the second floor or above may need ladders or scaffolding.
- Texture matching on unusual or hand-applied finishes.
- Underlying cause. If a missing control joint is the problem, adding one may be part of the scope.
We will not sell you on structural repair unless we see real signs of it. When a crack points to a foundation issue, we will say so and suggest you have it checked by the right professional before we close it up.
Repair the crack or resurface the wall?
One to a handful of cracks on an otherwise good wall? Repair them individually. A wall covered in a network of cracks, or one with many old crack repairs already showing, is often better served by repairing the worst and then putting a fresh coat over the whole wall, so no outlines remain.
Questions people ask us
Will the repaired crack be invisible?
On many walls it blends very well. On faded or painted older stucco a slight difference can show, and we will tell you before we start.
Why did my crack come back after it was patched?
Usually because the patch was rigid and the wall still moves, or because the cause was never fixed. We match the repair method to the movement so it holds.
Is a stucco crack a sign of foundation problems?
Most are not. Wide, stair-step or offset cracks can be. We will point it out if we see those signs.
Can I just paint over the crack?
Paint will bridge a hairline for a little while, but it splits again and lets water in. Fill it properly first.
Get your cracks looked at before the next storm
Call us or send a photo with the form. We will come out, find out why the wall cracked, and give you a free, flat-price estimate.
Call (501) 235-6768