Parging is an efficient and aesthetic way of protecting your foundation against external hazards such as weather conditions (snow, ice, rain, wind), dirt and insects. It can be applied in many different textures and shapes depending on the owner’s wishes and requirements. However, some people want to go with a different system that can be alternative to parging in Edmonton area so let us explore what options there are and what kind of advantages and disadvantages they provide.
California Styled Parging Sample
Acrylic Stucco Finishes
Acrylic stucco can be a viable option for many concrete foundation walls, but not all. This type of system on a parging consists the last three layers of EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems); basecoat (embedded in fiberglass mesh), skim coat and finally the finish coat.
Compared to the regular parging with a california styled texture (sample above), acrylic stucco finish pargings cost at least 2 times more. Since it involves a different cement mixture which is more suitable as a thin layer on top of leveled and rasped foam boards and expensive acrylic finish coats, the material costs and labor time that is required rises dramatically.
Additionally, due to the materials’ usage, mainly the basecoat cement mixed with its adhesive and water works best as a thin layer, this type of parging is not suitable for parging repairs. Parging repairs usually requires a thick layer of cement mud to fill the holes and cracks and do not provide an exactly leveled surface. With acrylic finish coats, unless the surface is leveled to the point of perfection, the plastic float will provide an ugly texture that looks bumpy and wave-like.
However, for people who are willing to spend the extra bucks on a smooth finish texture with over 100+ colors, acrylic finish offers lovely aesthetic appeal on new concrete foundation walls. Especially on ICF foundations which already have foam based insulation and can be leveled with rasping, this parging type provides excellent results.
Stone Veneer Parging
Stonework is durable, beautiful and expensive. Unless you choose to go with plastic “stone” systems, you are expected to pay good amount of money for a simple parging coverage.
If you choose to go with stone veneer, there are few things to consider. There are 2 different stone types in the market, man-made and natural. There are also plastic “stones” but, unless you like problems, we strongly suggest to stay away from those. Like the name suggested, man-made stones are manufactured and not as strong nor durable as the natural stones. However, they do the trick and provide as good as performance in terms of insulation and aesthetics.
The only disadvantage of a stone veneer is the cost. You can expect to pay many times of a regular parging or even the acrylic stucco finish.
In conclusion, there are parging alternatives that can be as decorative and beneficial as regular parge, but at a higher cost. We do provide both stonework and acrylic stucco finishes as parging alternatives to our clients. Contact us to get your free estimate.
