Stucco vs plaster vs code#

Different mounting systems include direct to substrate, suspended, or direct to framing. There are various acoustical plastering systems on the market with different mounting systems that may also impact the acoustical performance. Acoustical plaster absorbs sounds, resulting in a reduction of the reverberation time, and allowing conversations or music, for example, to become clearer, even in the harshest of environments. Creating a pleasant acoustical experience has positive impacts on health, safety, learning, quality of life, and an occupant’s overall experience in a space. Large spaces with hard surfaces tend to reverberate sound, making intelligibility of voice, music, and other sounds challenging. Sound AbsorptionĪcoustical plaster has microscopic pores that allow sound to travel through the plaster into an underlying acoustical board that’s part of the assembly and absorbs most of the sound. Although white finishes are popular, color selection is unlimited, and additional textures, including the simulation of natural materials like stone, offer additional design options. It’s also available in a wide array of finishes. Its design possibilities are flexible, since it can conform to an array of surfaces, from flat, to curved, vaulted, and in between.

Sometimes called synthetic stucco, EIFS has very different components and installation requirements than conventional stucco.Īcoustical plaster helps create a comfortable interior environment for building occupants, thanks to its sound absorbing properties. These products are available in an array of textures and colors and can have a wide range of appearances based on different application techniques. And in each of these iterations, stucco has evolved to meet the challenges and needs of a more efficient enclosure.Įxterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) is an exterior wall cladding consisting of an assemblage of various components, including a rigid insulation board and a synthetic plaster finish.

Stucco vs plaster vs code#

With each evolution, material properties and the substrate to which it has been applied have changed based on advancements in building science principles and building code requirements. Stucco has been used for thousands of years as a protective and aesthetic assembly and its composition has evolved with time from traditional to more contemporary materials.

Įxterior stucco, also referred to as a render, is a common material assembly applied to the exterior of buildings as cladding.

Plus, modern design options provide a wide range of colors, finishes, textured surfaces, and can even simulate natural materials like stone. Plaster offers design flexibility with its sound absorbing properties, lightweight characteristics, and seamless, monolithic appearance. Plaster, stucco, and EIFS may differ in their intended aesthetic, performance, and location within the building, but they’re tied together by similar design considerations for proper detailing and are often installed by the same set of skilled craftworkers.Ĭontemporary interior plaster systems, while based on a rich tradition of durability, have improved thanks in part to material performance advancements.