Odd pattern in stucco

[Leighton Jantz]

A friend of my wife's has put an offer on a home. I haven't done the inspection yet though I'll probably get the call. I looked at the home on MLS and noticed odd lines in the stucco on the garage.(I come from a framing, woodworking, drywall background) Can anyone tell from this picture what causes these lines? Possibly incomplete screen?

Edited May 23, 2017 by Leighton Jantz

[Nolan Kienitz]

I'm not a 'stucco specialist', but I would suggest "ghosting" or "thermal bridging" of product under the stucco.

Edited May 24, 2017 by Nolan Kienitz

[mjr6550]

It looks like shrinkage cracking, but I don't why some of the cracks are in a square pattern.

[Leighton Jantz]

"Thermal bridging"? The heat transfer though wall studs? Or of another product?  I see several different sizes of squares, I thought they had scraps of mesh left over from another job and patched it as well as they could. Hopefully someone has a confident answer?

Edited May 23, 2017 by Leighton Jantz

[Chad Fabry]

It's a guess but I think the scratch coat cured too quickly causing shrinkage cracks. The subsequent coats covered the cracks but they telegraph through. Let us know if it's only on the southern exposure.

[Leighton Jantz]

Nolan, you may be right. New info today there is a infra-red "curtain" heater at the overhead door that is not staying with the property. I'll have to check where shelves, tool racks etc line up from interior.

[Jim Katen]

I see that with one coat stucco all the time. 

There's a reason why traditional stucco was applied in three coats. . .