What is the price for installing metal lath and stucco on a wood-frame home in Ottawa?

Installing metal lath and a full three-coat stucco system on a wood-frame home in Ottawa typically costs $10–$16 per square foot of wall surface, or roughly $15,000–$30,000 for a complete exterior on an average-sized home. This is the proper way to apply stucco over wood framing, and skipping or cheaping out on any layer invites serious problems down the road.

The Full System Breakdown

A proper stucco installation over wood framing isn't just "putting stucco on the wall." It's a layered system, and each component has a cost:

• Weather-resistant barrier (two layers of Grade D building paper or modern housewrap): $1.00–$2.00 per sq ft installed- Self-furring metal lath (galvanized, 2.5 lb diamond mesh): $1.50–$2.50 per sq ft installed, fastened with corrosion-resistant nails or screws into studs- Scratch coat (first stucco layer, scored for bonding): $2.50–$3.50 per sq ft- Brown coat (second layer, levelled and floated): $2.00–$3.00 per sq ft- Finish coat (textured and coloured final layer): $2.50–$4.00 per sq ft- Control joints, corner beads, and casing beads: $1.00–$2.00 per sq ft averaged across the project

For an Ottawa home with approximately 1,500–2,000 square feet of exterior wall surface, the total installed cost including scaffolding, surface prep, and all trim details typically falls between $18,000 and $28,000.

The Ontario Building Code (OBC Section 9.28) governs stucco installation standards, including requirements for the weather barrier, lath attachment, and minimum stucco thickness (typically 7/8 inch for three-coat work). Your contractor must follow these specifications — they exist because wood-frame homes are particularly vulnerable to moisture damage if the stucco system fails.

Metal lath selection matters enormously in Ottawa's climate. You want galvanized self-furring diamond mesh lath at 2.5 lb per square yard minimum. The self-furring dimples hold the lath away from the building paper, creating a drainage plane behind the stucco. This gap allows any moisture that gets behind the stucco to drain down and out rather than sitting against the sheathing and rotting it. In Ottawa's heavy rain and snowmelt conditions, this drainage plane is non-negotiable.

Labour represents about 60–65% of the total project cost. Experienced stucco masons in the Ottawa area charge $55–$80 per hour, and a full-house application requires a crew of 2–3 working for 2–4 weeks depending on home size and complexity. The skill level required for proper lath installation and three-coat application means this isn't a job where the cheapest quote is a good sign.

Make sure your contractor carries WSIB coverage and proper liability insurance. A stucco installation failure on a wood-frame home can lead to concealed moisture damage costing $30,000–$50,000+ to remediate — far more than the original installation. Hiring qualified professionals who follow OBC requirements protects your investment.

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• Homeupgraders
• JC Carpentry
• Best Hand2Hand moving company
• Renovo Construction
• Titley Construction

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