Noticed a crack or a rust stain at the bottom of a porch column? Columns are where stucco fails first. They sit at the corner of the house, take sprinkler spray and splashback at the base, and often hold up a roof or balcony, so a crack there deserves attention. We repair, wrap and rebuild stucco columns on homes across Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade: porch and entry columns, garage-front columns, driveway gate piers and the round columns that flank a front door. Stucco column repair is part of our residential stucco work under the stucco hub, and for general cracks elsewhere on the wall, see stucco repair.
Why columns crack at the base
In most cases, it's moisture. Water sits at the foot of the column after rain or sprinklers, soaks into the stucco and finds the steel inside. A column that looks like plain stucco is usually one of three builds: a block or concrete core with stucco on top, a wood or steel post wrapped in lath (metal mesh) and stucco, or a foam shape coated in stucco. Each one fails differently.
Block or concrete core. Rebar or tie steel rusts, swells and pushes the stucco off in sheets. First you see a horizontal crack a few inches above the ground, then rust stains, then a chunk falls away.
Wrapped post. If the lath was poorly galvanized, or the stucco went on without a paper barrier, the metal rusts through and the stucco loses its grip. Tap it and it sounds hollow high up the shaft.
Foam shape. The coating cracks at joints and corners, and water enters behind it. Foam does not rust, but trapped water softens the face.
A crack at the base is not always the whole story. Before we quote, we tap the full height of your column, probe the crack and look at what is underneath. If the column carries load and the core looks compromised, it goes to an engineer before we touch the finish. We do not do engineering; we build to the engineer's drawings and coordinate a licensed engineer when the work needs one.
Seeing rust stains at the base of a column? Text a photo to (561) 556-7509 and we'll tell you how urgent it looks.
Repair, wrap or rebuild
Repair. For local cracks, hollow patches and surface spalling (stucco flaking off) where the steel is still sound. We cut out the loose stucco, treat the rust, rebuild the area in scratch, brown and finish coats, and match the texture.
Wrap. For a column that is sound but shapeless, damaged on several faces, or being resized. New lath goes over the old column, then three coats of stucco. A wrap lets us square off a round column, add a base, or build a plain post up to a heavier look.
Rebuild. For a column with a failed core. We take it down to the structure, set shoring if it carries load, repair or replace the core to the engineer's detail, then lath and stucco it new. This can include a cast cap, a precast base or a new footing.
Many owners add a stone veneer base to a stucco column once we have rebuilt it. It keeps splash and sprinklers off the lower foot of the stucco.
How we repair a stucco column
- Inspect. We tap the shaft, probe cracks, check the base for moisture and see what the column holds up.
- Open up. Failed stucco is cut back to sound material, and any lath that is rusted through comes off.
- Treat the steel. Rust is ground to clean metal and sealed with a converter and primer. Badly corroded steel is replaced, not painted over.
- Moisture fix. We correct what feeds the problem: a sprinkler head, a flat base that traps water, missing sealant at a rail or cap.
- Lath and coats. New corrosion-resistant lath where needed, then scratch and brown coats of Portland cement stucco, cured at least 48 hours each.
- Finish and match. The finish coat is textured to match the neighboring wall, tested on a sample first.
- Cure and paint. The column cures 7–14 days before primer. We recommend painting the whole column, and ideally the whole face of the house, so the repair does not show.
Repair, wrap or rebuild? Call (561) 556-7509 and we'll open a test area and show you.
South Florida conditions
Wet bases. Ground-level splash and sprinkler spray are the main enemies. We bring the base detail up at least a few inches off the ground or slab, and a bead or drip detail at the foot sends water away from the stucco.
Salt air. Steel inside columns near the coast corrodes quicker, so we use galvanized or corrosion-resistant lath and fasteners where the column is exposed.
Matching texture. We can match an old column to the house, but a one-column patch will always show in bare stucco. Painting the whole column, or the whole front, is what makes it disappear.
Permits and HOA. Cosmetic column repair needs no permit. Rebuilding or resizing a load-carrying column does, and we pull it. If your community regulates exterior changes, a new column shape or size needs approval, and we supply a drawing for your submission.
Hurricane season. A column with a cracked, loose shell can throw stucco in high wind. If a storm is close, we remove loose pieces and seal the spot, then finish the repair after it passes.
For the material behind every column, see Portland cement stucco. If the columns hold up an archway or a porch with arched openings, squaring off arched openings is often done in the same visit, and a smooth stucco finish can tie the columns and wall together.
Pricing
| Scope | Installed range |
|---|---|
| Repair of a cracked or spalled base, per column | $1,250–$2,500 |
| Column wrap: new lath and three coats, per column | $2,500–$4,000 |
| Column rebuild with shoring, per column | $5,000–$8,500, engineer extra if load-bearing |
| Pair of gate or driveway piers, repaired and refinished | $3,500–$6,000 |
About these prices. These ranges are starting points based on typical South Florida projects. Your final price depends on the condition of the property, access, the materials or system specified and the full scope of work. We confirm every number after we review your project in person or from the drawings, and the price in your signed proposal is the one that applies.
A 10-inch decorative post and a 24-inch load-bearing pier are not the same job, so the price moves with height, shape, access and what sits under the stucco. Your written scope spells out whether it is a repair, wrap or rebuild.
Gate piers and porch columns both need work? Send photos through our project form for one visit.
What the estimate lists
- Number of columns, height, width and shape
- Core type: block, concrete, wrapped post or foam
- Whether the column carries load, and any engineer involvement
- Rust treatment, lath and stucco coats
- Cap, base and trim details
- Texture and paint, plus permit if required
Column work by area
Boca Raton · Fort Lauderdale · Palm Beach Gardens · Jupiter · Weston · Wellington · Pompano Beach · Hollywood
Planning guides: Lintel and tie beam repair · Stucco crack repair vs re-stucco
Workmanship warranty on every job; materials carry the manufacturer's warranty. Terms are in your written contract.
Prefer to send photos or plans? Send us your project
Stucco column repair FAQ
Why is the stucco cracking at the bottom of my column? Usually moisture. Water pools or splashes at the foot, soaks in and rusts the steel or lath inside, which swells and splits the stucco. The fix has to deal with the water and the steel, not just the crack.
Can a column be repaired, or does it need to be rebuilt? If the core and steel are sound, a repair or wrap works. If the core has lost section or the lath is rusted through along the shaft, we rebuild. We tell you which after tapping and opening a test area.
Will the repaired column match the house? We match the texture to the neighboring wall on a sample board. Bare stucco still shows a repair, so painting the full column, or the front elevation, completes the match.
Do I need an engineer? If the column carries a roof, balcony or beam and the core is damaged, yes, and we coordinate one. For cosmetic cracks over a sound core, no.
How do I get an exact price? Send photos of each column, a wide shot showing what it supports and a note on any rust stains to (561) 556-7509 or through our project form. Pricing is set per job after a site visit, and the proposal names repair, wrap or rebuild for every column.
Free estimate — call (561) 556-7509 or send us your project. Licensed Florida general contractor CGC1540699. Serving Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.