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Elite Edition

What is pebble dash stucco?

Author

Robert Bradley

Published Apr 04, 2026

What is pebble dash stucco?

Roughcast or pebbledash is a coarse plaster surface used on outside walls that consists of lime and sometimes cement mixed with sand, small gravel and often pebbles or shells. The materials are mixed into a slurry and are then thrown at the working surface with a trowel or scoop.

What is another name for Pebble Dash?

What is another word for pebbledash?

pebblesroughcast
claddingencrustation
facingfinish
coatingcoat
renderingsiding

Why were houses pebble dashed?

Pebbledash originated as a way to cover up the cheap bricks used to build these houses. It was made from pebbles dredged up from the sea and thrown by hand onto wet sand and cement. It was also popular as it was easier to apply than stucco or rendering – with a lack of skilled labourers, anyone could apply it.

How much does it cost to Pebble Dash a house?

The dry dashing prices normally start at around €1,995 and go up depending on the size and state of your home’s exterior walls. Small or partial jobs may start at €1,295 depending — once again — on a number of factors. Feel free to ask us for a quote to know exactly how much it would cost to dash your house.

Is Pebble Dash expensive?

Pebble dashing will cost roughly between £2,000-£3,000 depending on the size of your home. For example, the pebble dash price for a 2-bedroom terraced house will cost around £2,100-£4,800 whereas the cost to pebble dash a 4-bedroom detached house will cost around £2,700-£9,200.

Can you take pebble dash off house?

If the home owner wants to completely get rid of the pebbledash, it can be rendered. This can be with a coloured render, which saves on repainting, or sand and cement render, which will need painting once it’s on the house. A professional builder will remove all the old pebbledash and render over the bare bricks.

Is painting pebbledash a good idea?

Unfortunately, with such a rough, bumpy surface, pebbledash isn’t really suitable for painting. The various peaks, troughs and sharp edges are a nightmare to paint – and the results are rarely good. On top of that, paint is never a long-term solution outside your home.

Can you get rid of pebble dash?

When did they start putting dash on stucco?

For ‘dash’ stucco, after the first two coats were applied and dried, a final mixture of cement and lime was applied, and while still fresh had aggregate dashed into it with a scoop. In BC, it wasn’t until the 1920s and 30s when stucco became the “popular choice for houses”.

What kind of finish is used for rock dash?

In the earliest example of this style of finish, one can occasionally find sea shells, crab legs and other such bits. Starting as early as the mid 1930s more refined crushed rock (like white quartz and black obsidian) was used to impregnate the surface. This style of finish is known as pebble or rock dash.

What kind of rock is used to make stucco?

Starting as early as the mid 1930s more refined crushed rock (like white quartz and black obsidian) was used to impregnate the surface. This style of finish is known as pebble or rock dash. Sample of ‘salt and pepper dash’ stucco. Pieces of black obsidian and white quartz are imbedded into the surface. Photo: C. Hagemoen

When was bottle dash stucco common in Vancouver?

Back in the 1970s and into the 1980s, it was quite common to see it on Vancouver houses of a certain era. When I decided to research bottle-dash stucco, I found that there was very little historical information about it. Broken brown beer bottles and green pop bottles make up the colour portion this bottle-dash stucco sample.

What kind of material is used for rock dash stucco?

Rock dash stucco. Roughcast or pebbledash is a coarse plaster surface used on outside walls that consists of lime and sometimes cement mixed with sand, small gravel, and often pebbles or shells. The materials are mixed into a slurry and are then thrown at the working surface with a trowel or scoop.

For ‘dash’ stucco, after the first two coats were applied and dried, a final mixture of cement and lime was applied, and while still fresh had aggregate dashed into it with a scoop. In BC, it wasn’t until the 1920s and 30s when stucco became the “popular choice for houses”.

In the earliest example of this style of finish, one can occasionally find sea shells, crab legs and other such bits. Starting as early as the mid 1930s more refined crushed rock (like white quartz and black obsidian) was used to impregnate the surface. This style of finish is known as pebble or rock dash.

Back in the 1970s and into the 1980s, it was quite common to see it on Vancouver houses of a certain era. When I decided to research bottle-dash stucco, I found that there was very little historical information about it. Broken brown beer bottles and green pop bottles make up the colour portion this bottle-dash stucco sample.