STUCCO NEWS.NET

I just visited your website and read what you wrote about caulking around windows. I had Marvin Essential windows installed to replace very old Andersen windows (just the south side so far). The windows were installed without the brickmould that I later discovered was an option. My intention was to stucco to the windows, and the window dealer knew that. But, when it came time to stucco, the stucco person told me that he didn't want to do it because the windows were installed almost flush to the stucco. I went ahead and had wood trim put back only to discover that brickmould was available for the windows. So now I'm trying to back up, get the wood removed, put the brickmould in, and then stucco to the windows. The brickmould will be fiberglass like the windows. Marvin corporate tells me it isn't advised to stucco to the brickmould. So I was thinking I have to have the case bead run around the windows and caulk to that filling in the gap with flexible caulk. But if I understand correctly what you wrote, that's a bad practice. The first picture attached is how I want things to be. The second picture is how they are right now. I'm so confused as to how to proceed. I can get the brickmould from Marvin and have it installed no problem (it basically clicks into place). But then what? Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated as no one I've talked to really seems to know. The stucco on my home is cement not synthetic if that makes a difference. About a third of the house is brick.

Existing window

Brick mould available for this window.

First of all I have to say that the practice of putting casing bead around a window with caulking is terrible and needs to stop. This has been a large source of our repair work over the years, that is work done like this. Not only is this ugly, the casing bead is metal and traps water against the wall. Usually, there is black mildew behind the caulking. I hear of the method a lot and from my experience it is the road to failure. We just butt the mortar to the side of the trim or moulding Califonia style. It works for me. But also, we seal the backside of the trim to the sheathing.

You are better off probably to leave the existing trim around the window. Bear is mind, if you patch the stucco around the window it will show. However you will need to put flashing on over the top of the trim, requiring a patch on that beautiful lace texture.

I have criticism about the bottom picture frame trim at the bottom, but you may be able to get by. This is another foolish fad that needs to stop. The trim is level diverting water into the wall. At least the brick mould has a sill at the bottom to divert water away from the wall.

Stucco is cut back to the substrate and flashing applied. That way any water that penetrates the stucco and trickles down will hit the flashing and exit out the front.

Of course, the top of the flashing is sealed with tape, or simply by overlapping with tar paper.

We have patched a lot of leaky windows lately, this one is in Front Royal, Virginia.

Another leaky window problem solved, here, on an old farmhouse in Marshall, Virginia. Another know it all insisted the windows needed caulking and gobbed caulking all over.

Here we put flashing over a new window on an addition we are working on. The top of the window actually angled back into the wall. I have something important to say here. The window manufacturer sent this flashing, already bent to size and the same color. Most windows today are made for wood trim, which is why the top is level or maybe slightly angled into the wall. These windows are installed frequently with no trim, so without flashing water runs down the sides and rots the bottom corner of the windows. These flashings can be requested from the manufacturer or pre made window cap can be put on. I see windows put in without flashing all the time so I need to holler at the blind man, not the manufacturer.

It is important to fold the ends of the flashing to cap the edge.