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If your Northeast Florida home was built between the early 1990s and the mid-2010s, there is a reasonable chance your exterior is not traditional stucco — it's EIFS. And if you've been treating it like traditional stucco, or hired a contractor who doesn't know the difference, the repairs may be doing more harm than good.
EIFS — Exterior Insulation and Finish System — looks like stucco. It can be textured to look nearly identical to hard-coat stucco. But the materials, the system design, and the repair process are entirely different. In Florida's climate, the distinction matters enormously because EIFS, when improperly repaired, is particularly prone to moisture intrusion that stays hidden until serious damage has occurred.
What Is EIFS?
EIFS is a multi-layer exterior cladding system. Instead of a traditional three-coat hard stucco applied over metal lath, EIFS consists of:
1. A substrate (typically OSB sheathing or exterior drywall) 2. A moisture barrier or drainage plane (in properly installed barrier EIFS systems, or a defined drainage layer in drainage EIFS systems) 3. Adhesive or mechanical attachment bonding the next layer to the substrate 4. Rigid foam insulation board — typically expanded polystyrene (EPS), one to four inches thick 5. A fiberglass mesh reinforcement layer embedded in a base coat 6. A finish coat — the visible exterior surface, available in many textures and colors
The foam layer is what gives EIFS its distinctive characteristics: it is lightweight, provides R-value (insulation), and is slightly flexible compared to hard stucco. That slight flexibility is also what makes EIFS susceptible to damage from impacts that would barely mark traditional stucco.
EIFS became widely popular in the 1990s through the 2000s in residential construction throughout the Southeast because it was cost-effective to install, offered good energy performance, and could be shaped and detailed easily. Communities like Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, and the master-planned developments around Jacksonville from that era have a high concentration of EIFS homes.
How to Tell If You Have EIFS or Traditional Stucco
You do not need to be a contractor to tell the difference. These tests work reliably:
The knock test. Knock firmly on your exterior wall. Traditional three-coat hard stucco over concrete block will sound dense, almost like knocking on stone. EIFS over a wood frame will sound hollow and slightly flexible. You may even feel a slight give if you press firmly.
Thickness and depth. Traditional stucco systems (three-coat over lath on wood frame) are typically 7/8 inch thick. EIFS is much thicker overall because of the foam board — usually 1.5 to 4 inches from the sheathing to the outer surface.
The window and door reveal. Look at how windows are set relative to the exterior wall plane. EIFS homes often have noticeably thick exterior walls visible at windows and doors because of the added insulation layer. Traditional stucco walls are thinner.
Building records. If you have original construction documents or can access permit records through your county, the exterior cladding type is often specified. Homes built by major national or regional builders in Northeast Florida during the 1990s–2010s frequently used EIFS as a standard specification.
When in doubt, a professional inspection will identify the system definitively.
Why EIFS Needs Specialist Repair
This is the central point that homeowners need to understand: a contractor experienced with traditional stucco is not automatically qualified to repair EIFS.
The differences in repair technique are fundamental, not cosmetic.
The foam substrate. Traditional stucco repairs involve removing damaged stucco and applying new material over lath. EIFS repairs require cutting out and replacing foam board, then recoating with the appropriate base coat and finish — in the correct thickness and with the appropriate mesh reinforcement. Using hard stucco patch mix on EIFS creates a rigid zone surrounded by flexible material. It will crack again quickly.
Mesh reinforcement. EIFS base coat requires fiberglass mesh embedded within it to provide tensile strength. The mesh must overlap existing mesh at the repair edges and must be fully embedded — not sitting on the surface of the base coat. Improper mesh installation is one of the most common failure points in EIFS repairs done by non-specialist contractors.
The drainage plane. Modern drainage EIFS systems (and properly retrofitted older barrier systems) include a defined path for any water that infiltrates the finish coat to drain out at the base. If a repair blocks or bypasses this drainage plane, water accumulates behind the system with no exit path. The result is exactly the kind of hidden, slow-developing moisture damage that gave EIFS a troubled reputation in the 1990s.
Sealant compatibility. The sealant used to transition between EIFS and adjacent materials — windows, doors, trim, penetrations — must be compatible with both the EIFS finish coat and the adjacent material, and must be flexible enough to accommodate EIFS's movement characteristics. Using the wrong sealant creates a joint that fails in one to three years in Florida's UV environment.
Common EIFS Problems in Northeast Florida
Florida's climate creates a specific set of recurring problems in EIFS systems.
Impact damage. The foam board in EIFS compresses and cracks from impacts that traditional stucco would deflect — flying debris during storms, pressure washing damage, lawn equipment, even children playing near exterior walls. Once the finish coat and base coat are cracked through, water has direct access to the foam and sheathing beneath.
Water behind the system. The most serious EIFS problem. When flashing fails, sealant deteriorates at windows and doors, or cracks go unrepaired, water enters the system and saturates the foam and sheathing. Because EIFS is not breathable in the way traditional stucco is, trapped moisture dries slowly. This creates conditions for mold growth and wood rot that can develop for years before any surface sign appears.
Sealant failure at transitions. In Northeast Florida's sun and heat, sealant at EIFS joints typically has a service life of five to eight years before it needs replacement. Most homeowners do not know this, so sealant failures are extremely common in EIFS homes from the 1990s and 2000s that have not been regularly maintained.
Finish coat crazing. Over time, EIFS finish coats develop fine surface cracking (crazing) from UV exposure and thermal cycling. While typically not a water intrusion risk on its own, crazing allows moisture to penetrate the finish coat and reach the base coat. When combined with any other system compromise, it accelerates damage.
The EIFS Repair Process
Proper EIFS repair follows a sequence designed to fully address the damage and restore the system's integrity.
Inspection and moisture assessment. Before cutting anything, the extent of moisture damage behind the system must be determined. We use moisture meters and probing to map the full affected area, which is often larger than visible damage suggests.
Remove damaged sections. Damaged EIFS is cut back to sound material, with cuts made cleanly to allow proper lapping at the repair edges.
Assess and repair the substrate. Any damaged sheathing, framing, or moisture barrier is repaired or replaced before new EIFS components are installed.
Install new foam board. Replacement EPS foam is cut to fit and adhered correctly. Thickness must match the existing system.
Apply base coat and mesh. New fiberglass mesh is embedded in base coat, lapping over the existing mesh at edges. Mesh must be fully embedded — this is non-negotiable for long-term performance.
Apply finish coat with texture and color matching. The finish coat is applied and textured to match the surrounding surface. Color matching is performed to blend the repair seamlessly.
Seal all transitions. New sealant is installed at all adjacent penetrations and material transitions using EIFS-compatible products.
Why Not All Stucco Contractors Can Do This Correctly
EIFS installation and repair requires manufacturer-specific training and knowledge of the system's engineering. Major EIFS manufacturers — Dryvit, Parex, Sto, STO — have specific product systems with specific material requirements. Substituting components from different systems, or using traditional stucco materials where EIFS materials are required, produces repairs that look correct but fail structurally.
Contractors who work primarily in traditional stucco often do not have this training and may not recognize the warning signs of EIFS system compromise that an experienced EIFS specialist identifies immediately.
Schedule a Free EIFS Inspection
If your Northeast Florida home may have EIFS and you are not certain of its current condition — or if you have seen cracks, staining, soft spots, or any other signs of potential damage — contact us to schedule a free inspection. We will identify your system type, assess its condition, and give you an honest evaluation of what repair, if any, is needed.
With 20 years of experience in Florida stucco and EIFS systems and a written warranty on our work, we repair EIFS correctly the first time. Contact us for a free inspection.
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Frequently Asked Questions: EIFS Repair in Northeast Florida
Q: How do I know if my home has EIFS or traditional stucco? A: The knock test is the fastest way: knock firmly on your exterior wall. Traditional hard-coat stucco over concrete block sounds dense, like knocking on stone. EIFS over wood frame sounds hollow and may flex slightly under pressure. EIFS homes also show noticeably thick wall reveals at windows and doors due to the foam insulation layer. Homes in Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, and Jacksonville-area communities built between the 1990s and mid-2010s have a high concentration of EIFS — when in doubt, schedule a free professional inspection to confirm.
Q: Can a regular stucco contractor repair EIFS? A: Not reliably. EIFS requires manufacturer-specific materials, proper foam board replacement, fully embedded mesh reinforcement, maintained drainage planes, and EIFS-compatible sealants. Using traditional stucco patch mix on EIFS creates a rigid zone in a flexible system that will crack again quickly. Many EIFS failures in Northeast Florida were caused by repairs done by contractors who didn't recognize the system or didn't know the difference. Always confirm your contractor has specific EIFS experience before authorizing work.
Q: How much does EIFS repair cost in Northeast Florida? A: Small impact damage repairs typically run $300–$800. Moderate repairs involving foam board replacement, mesh, and color-matched finish coat run $800–$2,500 depending on area size. When moisture has penetrated to the sheathing and framing, repair costs escalate to $2,500–$6,000+ because structural components must be replaced before EIFS restoration. The single most important factor in controlling cost is catching damage early — before water reaches the substrate.
Q: How long does EIFS last in Florida's climate? A: A properly installed and maintained EIFS system can last 25–40 years or more. The primary failure modes are sealant degradation at transitions (typically needs replacement every 5–8 years in Florida's UV environment), impact damage from storms or equipment, and drainage plane compromise from improper repairs. Annual visual inspection and proactive sealant maintenance are the two practices that extend EIFS lifespan most effectively in Northeast Florida's climate.