How to cut stucco walls

[rickyboy]

Any help on the best way to cut an existing stucco wall would be of help.

I want to expand my garage and incorporate a carport and what I call a quonset. I know I will be closing the carport in to a point first and then opening up the wall between the garage as it is now, and the carport. But the wall of the garage is or has a stucco outer wall. My question is, ....what is the best way to cut the stucco or open that wall up with a minimum of damage to the stucco so it can be re-finished nicely after cutting?
I've got an unsettling vision of a stucco wall edge that's all jagged, and broken and not a nice clean edge to maybe put some moulding/edging around to make it look nice.

I thought that maybe a skill saw with a concrete cutting blade. But I haven't found a blade like that, that will fit a std. 71/4" skill saw.
here's a couple of photos of the garage, the carport beside the garage and the quonset to help in my explanation of the buildings.

I'd like to enclose the quonset in separately one day too.

 

[Amitygravel]

Get a diamond wheel for your angle grinder.
Even if you can't cut the full thickness of the stucco you have created a clean line on the surface that will be all that's visible to the eye.
Diamond wheels can be as expensive or economical as you want. Just shop around.
They will cut just about everything used in construction just short of metal and wood.

 

[metal1313]

how big of an opening?
http://www.toolup.com/dewalt_dw3521...scplp1057530&gclid=CKOq1Jew5rQCFdKd4AodcFUAVw

it'll make a mess but cut the concrete stucco and wire mesh just fine, and you may need more than one blade to get the job done.

 

[Zeke]

Diamond masonry blade. Part of the door and window work I did for 25 years was cutting stucco. I bet I haven't bought more than a dozen blades in those years. They last a long time if you go at a nice even rate and don't get them too hot.

By nice even rate I would cut my vertical cuts from top down. I held the saw steady and let the weight of the saw determine how fast to go. I used a Skill worm drive most of the time. In fact, I sacrificed one Model 77 for just stucco.

I have cut until the blade warped from heat. I just stopped for a few minutes. Most tract house stucco is pretty soft. You may run into some that is hard as concrete. Might want to use some water if that's the case. But, you have to choose wet or dry blades before cutting. I prefer dry.

 

[rickyboy]

how big of an opening?
http://www.toolup.com/dewalt_dw3521...scplp1057530&gclid=CKOq1Jew5rQCFdKd4AodcFUAVw

it'll make a mess but cut the concrete stucco and wire mesh just fine, and you may need more than one blade to get the job done.

I haven't decided how large an opening I'll make yet, but think I'll make it as lrg. as I can, working with the existing framing. I mean I'll without a doubt need to do a "header" etc. for the addition.

I'm not sure my two angle grinders are big enough for a 7" cutting wheel. i guess they come on a smaller scale. Thanks for the suggestions.

Zeke,... are you calling the cutting disc a blade? is what you're suggesting, the same thing?

thanks guys

 

[kmoon]

there are 4" and 4 1/2" Diamond masonry blade. Home depot has them.

Have fun it's messy and wear some type of respirator as breathing in that dust will harm your lungs.

 

[Leakie]

They (Bosch, Vermont American, etc.) make a 7 and 1/4 masonry blade for circular saws, did you try your home supply stores?

 

[rickyboy]

Thanks a lot guys! Sometimes what you should do is "right in frt. of your face"
For some reason I didn't even think about a side/angle grinder. Of which I have two.
It's embarrassing,..... but I'll confess that I drilled out a lrg. nut instead of just getting the grinder out with a"zip cut" blade and cutting the ****** off.

 

[Kevin54]

Or you could rent a masonry saw from your local rental place, or catch some concrete guys at the gas station some morning when they're grabbing the cup'o'joe and ask them if they could cut it for you for a few bucks.

 

[SD_R/T]

Keep us posted on how it goes! Cutting out a doorway in my stucco garage is on my radar, so I am interested in others' experience.

Alas my stucco is old (1920's) and it is hard as a rock, so I'm not looking forward to it.

I've got a couple masonry wheels (home depot) for the angle grinder as well as a 7-1/4 masonry blade (dewalt from amazon) for the circular saw ready to go - just in case I need options.

 

[rickyboy]

I will keep you posted but warn you it'll be this summer at te earliest before I do this. Right now it's about -20C and i have about a foot and a half of snow in the yard.

 

[SD_R/T]

Rickyboy,
Update:

Success! Used the Dewalt masonry blade on my 'backup' circular saw (Skil 10amp) and the Dewalt blade made short work of the old, hard stucco. I'm hesitant to say it went through 'like butter', but it had a much easier time of it than I had expected.

I had to use the angle grinder in a few spots that I couldn't fit the circular saw into.

Good luck.