I just went up into my attic (house was built in 1939) and found that there is black paper on the 'walls'.
Part of the reason for going up is to find out the back of holes that my electrician made while mounting something to the outside of my house.
What is the function of this black paper? What if there's a hole in this black paper? Basically I can see to the outside of the house. The hole is about 1.5" in diameter. How do I patch it?
Here are two pictures. One is with the black paper flap down, the other is with it up. I feel like there is black paper, then some sort of plaster (with metal wires) and then stucco on the outside? I don't see insulation. All around there is black paper…except for the roof. I see some sort of foil type of material.
Best Answer
To this day tar paper is used as a moisture barrier under masonry products and roofing on the outside of homes.
You correctly identified the layers from inside out, tar paper, metal lathe, stucco. To repair it you will need to remove the damaged product and replace the layers.
Check the Internet for videos on repairing damaged stucco.
Good luck!