Historic stucco restoration Elk Hill Farm Goochland, Virginia.

Years of roof leaks took its toll on this nice old building, now the Administration building for Elk Hill Farm. Picture shows deteriorated brick. Brick work was patched prior to stucco application using plenty of flex-con in the mortar for strength and adhesion.	Window returns, or edges of the stucco next to the window were formed by nailing up two by four forms to the windows and filling in the wall. The 2 by's matched the thickness of the old basecoat exactly.
Here a straight wood strip is used to form the outside corner, or arris. After one side is filled and sets up, the strip is moved to the other side. What is the secret of getting mortar to bond to old brick ? We used flex-con, a bonding admixture half and half with water to mix the mortar for the scratch coat. This method isn't cheap, but it is insurance this stucco will never come off.	Brown coat applied and wall is straightened to corner strips and two by four's around the window. We covered the windows with masonite to protect them from falling debris. The wall must be dead straight the scoring to look right.
1/4" masonite strips are nailed on the two by's. This allows a quarter inch thickness for the finish coat, and a place for guide nails for scoring. Nails are placed 3 1/2 inches ( the width of a one by four)  below the finished joint line. Here the finished joint is even with the bottom of the granite lintel, creating the appearance the blocks are supporting the stone.	Here the walls are laid out to the height of the block and nails put on to hold the one by four  we are going to score with. All this preparation allows us to score the wall quickly and precisely. Quick is important because white portland sets fast, and there is no time to dilly-dally, particularly in this hot weather.
Corner strips used to straighten the brown coat are moved out 1/4 " to allow for the thickness of the finish coat. Block joints are marked off and nails placed to support the board used for scoring.	Horizontal joints are scored by placing a straight  one by four on the nails and scoring the white portland and sand finish.  The board is then moved  to the next nails down and scored, the next nails down and scored, and so on. This nail method is fast and accurate. You may have seen a similar project we did before. If not, similar project we did before
A speed square proved to be a perfect tool for the scoring.	Vertical joints are marked and scored using a level and a speed square.
Warm, inviting, natural sand colored stucco and a solid entrance porch seem to beckon visitors to the front door.	Large old windows and a cut granite sill at the water table add a stately look. Thomas Jefferson's plantation in Goochland was beyond the first line of trees on the right. More about this project next update. Please check  back. I hope you will find it interesting.