# Drywall before stucco?



## trishbk (Dec 22, 2014)

Has anyone ever heard of installing drywall before scratch coat to avoid cracking stucco? Or does it really matter?


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

Yes. Whether it matters with a well-framed, completely-sheathed modern home, I don't know. If you've passed framing, why not get the drywall up ASAP anyway?


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## Yianno (Dec 11, 2014)

I could be wrong on this as I am not a stucco contractor. However, I don't think it should matter. Your going to have some sort of substrate on the outside either glass roc or wood sheathing, which is going to help hold the wall in place. Common knowledge says the stucco would crack with movement along with temperature change, and from what it sounds like in regards to the drywall it's to help the wall from moving laterally. However the outside sheathing sheathing should be more then enough. 

Now from a business and productivity standpoint once your framing is inspected then associated trades including drywall should be going in with or without the stucco done, cause you can't sit around and have the inside empty waiting for the stucco contractor to do his thing.


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## Lugnut1968 (Dec 11, 2014)

I have seen contractors learn that lesson the hard way. Stucco on the exterior finished off, then drywall gets hung up inside and the stucco cracks from the bamming. Of course as CarpenterSFO kinda said... if you build a solid house it should not be a problem but why chance it either way?


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

This is not as bad as it used to be due to the fact that nails are not used as much anymore. But good rule of thumb is to drywall first then stucco.

Oh and NEVER hang drywall WHILE they are stuccoing.....they tend to get pissed when their stucco is sliding down the wall. :laughing:


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## trishbk (Dec 22, 2014)

*Update on the Question - Drywall vs. Stucco First*

To clarify on why I'm asking-- tile is weighting down roof, but not installed yet. Have water leaks found with recent heavy rains. Need stucco before tile roof. Have old hardwood floors with this 1946 reno. Do I just tarp it and move forward with insulation, drywall, tape, and paint? Should I do drywall then proceed with stucco? Tape and paint while scratch coat is going on? None of this would be a big deal if we didn't have the rain factor. Thanks.


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## Lugnut1968 (Dec 11, 2014)

Oh... now see imho that is a horse of a different color there...

It the roof ain't watertight... and stucco HAS to be done before the roof is made watertight then run the stucco first and hope it holds up. I am in an area where you very very seldom ever see a tile roof so nothing like that ever crossed my mind.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

The roof should have been dried in before the roof was stocked. Whatever underlayment that was put down should literally be the roof if it is tile. Being that tile is basically to keep the sun of the underlayment. The tile is not the barrier. 

Our schedule goes like this; frame, dry in, stock roof, drywall, then stucco.


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## darthdude (Dec 30, 2012)

trishbk said:


> To clarify on why I'm asking-- tile is weighting down roof, but not installed yet. Have water leaks found with recent heavy rains. Need stucco before tile roof. Have old hardwood floors with this 1946 reno. Do I just tarp it and move forward with insulation, drywall, tape, and paint? Should I do drywall then proceed with stucco? Tape and paint while scratch coat is going on? None of this would be a big deal if we didn't have the rain factor. Thanks.


That's a whole different game. I would not insulate or Sheetrock until I had a dried in structure, which it seems you do not have.:sad: it's probably gonna kill your schedule, but get the exterior sound before moving on. Definitely tarp as best you can to protect the existing floors too!


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

CrpntrFrk said:


> This is not as bad as it used to be due to the fact that nails are not used as much anymore. But good rule of thumb is to drywall first then stucco.
> 
> Oh and NEVER hang drywall WHILE they are stuccoing.....they tend to get pissed when their stucco is sliding down the wall. :laughing:





Around here (N.W. In.) even the tract homes have the drywall screwed to framing. All others are usually glued and screwed,so no banging on studs.


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