The agreed plan is to address the first need: what can be done to ensure plastering and stucco will continue for the next generation?Ī major concern is the claim about water leaks. Each has met with the SMA and shared their concerns that cement stucco is under attack. This includes groups like the Texas Lath & Plastering Contractors Association, the National One Coat Stucco Manufacturers Association and the Florida Lath & Plaster Bureau. Much of the lath & plaster industry is aware of a crisis, and making moves to save plastering is being discussed. Ironically, it appears the time we might need those old plaster bureaus the most is when they are systematically being destroyed. Recent stories out of the East and Gulf Coast suggest that trouble is brewing for the entire plastering industry. The good news is that the vast majority of designers expect to pay a slight premium for lath, plaster and even quality stucco. The simple translation is to service the designers with credible expert advice, supply a skilled work force, and assure quality–all for an affordable cost to building owners. It is our collective duty to find ways to deliver lath & plaster to the end users at a reasonable cost and then ensure they want it again on the next project. The alternative is a slow demise in market share. Marketing is not by accident it requires planning and funding. The SMA is not funded through a collective bargaining agreement that creates an unstoppable and continuous source of revenue. The SMA knows this to be true as we receive phone calls and emails requesting help with design, details and product selection on a daily basis.Īs other associations shift their focus away from lath and plaster to drywall and exterior panels, the design and even code enforcement entities have fewer and fewer resources for help. The good news is that designers and building owners want plaster. ![]() Taking a market for granted is one of the most common errors an industry can make until it is too late. Maybe the lath & plaster industry should take a cue from the same industry that kicked them to the curb only a few decades ago. Consider that drywall ads are run in current architect magazines and we see none for plastering. The point is that plastering needs promotion. However, we should not forget that 40 years ago, tract homes being built by non-union labor was inconceivable to us in the industry, but that did come to pass. Significant loss of stucco marketshare in California or Arizona seems unlikely to occur. While cement stucco is considered a staple in the southwest, it is a premium in most regions of the country. Lath & plaster is not the lowest cost or simplest installation for the construction industry. Today only a handful are left, and most have become more focused on drywall - and even gone as far as shifting promotional efforts more toward metal or other paneled exteriors. These groups used technical excellence and promotional plans targeted to promote the more expensive and superior finish materials in the plaster family. At one time there were many associations and bureaus dedicated to promoting lath, plaster and stucco. There is a definite vibe in the lath and plastering industry that change is needed. The SMA has been busy and been invited to present in Texas and Florida. MESSAGE FROM THE SMA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mark Fowler
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