Lath installation · Phoenix, AZ
Lath Installation
The layer nobody sees and every stucco job depends on. Weather barrier, foam, wire, and flashing, installed to code so the finish on top actually lasts.
The work
Most stucco failures are not a stucco problem. They start behind the wall, in a lath job that skipped the moisture barrier, used too few fasteners, or missed the flashing at a window.
We treat lath as the real foundation. A weather-resistant barrier goes on the sheathing, then one-inch foam, then galvanized wire mesh nailed off tight, with weep screeds and kickout flashing where water needs to escape.
Get this layer right and the wall sheds water, holds the stucco, and resists cracks for decades. Get it wrong and no finish coat can save it.
- Includes
- Barrier, foam, wire, screeds, flashing
- Code
- Arizona moisture-protection standards
- Best for
- New builds, re-stucco, additions
- Pairs with
- Traditional or synthetic stucco
What's included
What a proper lath layer includes
Weather-resistant barrier
A WRB layer goes over the sheathing first. It is the drainage plane that keeps wind-driven rain out of your framing.
One-inch foam insulation
Rigid foam adds an insulating layer and a flat, even base for the wire and stucco above it.
Galvanized wire mesh
Self-furred metal lath, nailed off to spec, gives the scratch coat something to key into so the stucco never sags or pulls away.
Weep screeds and flashing
Foundation weep screeds let trapped water drain out at the base. Kickout flashing routes roof runoff away from the wall instead of into it.
Corner beads and expansion joints
Metal beads sharpen the corners, and joints give the wall planned places to move, so it cracks where you want it to, not across the face.
Where water goes is the whole game
In the desert people forget about water until monsoon season, and then a bad lath job shows up as a stain, then mold, then rotted sheathing.
The fixes are simple and we never skip them. The barrier laps so water runs down and out. The weep screed gives that water a path to leave. The kickout flashing at every roof-to-wall joint throws runoff into the gutter instead of behind the stucco. None of it is visible once the finish is on, which is exactly why a cheap crew cuts it.
Questions
Good to know before you call
Got a question that isn't here? Call us and we'll give you a straight answer, no pressure.
Because almost every stucco failure starts there. The barrier, the flashing, and the wire are what keep water out and hold the finish on. A perfect finish coat over a bad lath job still fails.
Keep exploring
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Ready when you are
Let's finish your exterior right.
New custom build, a full re-stucco, or a repair that needs to disappear into the wall? Send your plans or your address and get a straight, no-pressure bid.
Family-owned · Licensed & insured · Arizona ROC #356836 · Serving all of Arizona