I’ve called the system DEFS (direct-applied exterior finish system) and kept it in Division 07, using my EIFS master as a template and editing it accordingly (to delete sheathing, inslation, etc)
Our Standard stucco specification is an acrylic modified fiber reinforced cement plaster specified in Section 09220. For Direct Applied EIFS systems like Dryvit we specify them in Section 07240…with editing as required for the project.
I let the base coat installation method determine where to specify the product. If the “synthetic stucco” is one of the one-coat stucco products with a portland cement plaster base coat on lath, I place it in Division 09. If it is really just and an EIFS system without the “I”, then I put it in Division 07.
Don’t confuse polymer-modified portland cement plaster with textured acrylic finish.
I agree with Dave Metzger: a textured acrylic coating over concrete unit masonry or concrete is DEFS. However, if there is EIFS specified and if an accessory application is over masonry or concrete, I include the textured acrylic coating (DEFS) with the EIFS. It doesn’t make sense to write a separate Section for work that is performed simultaneously and with the same bucket of stuff.
The system I’m looking at is, as Richard stated, the EIFS without the “I”. This includes the base coats and finish coats.
I’m seeing several projects where the architect has requested “synthetic stucco” on concrete unit masonry. We use a lot of 3-coat and so-called 1-coat systems on concrete masonry. However, these require coatings that are thicker than the EIFS coats. And, applying finish coats directly on concrete masonry just doesn’t look good. So, we’re applying the polymer-modified cement plaster in a base coat over the masonry with a textured acrylic finish coat.
I agree, if the finish coat is also applied directly to a substrate (no base coats) such as exterior gypsum board soffits, then there is no need to write a separate specification.