Can You Paint Stucco Exterior

Coating Systems Protect Your Stucco Home From Harsh Weather Elements

Because coating paint is thicker than acrylic paint, it better protects your stucco house from the damage Mother Nature can cause. While exterior paints can stand up to heavy rain, installing a protective coating on your home will make it more resistant to hail, high winds, and other vicious storms that sometimes are a part of our lives in the west.

How Do You Prepare Stucco For Spray Painting

The first step to spray painting a stucco on house is to always fix the current layer before you even start painting. Just like how you sand down cars whenever you plan to paint it in another color, the same goes for houses. You can grab medium grit sandpaper to catch all the paint chips on the stucco so that you dont overlap them later on when you paint. The sanding step is optional but if you prefer a smoother finish then do not avoid this step. What youre going to need next is a power washer to clean off the surface of mold, mildew, and dirt in general. If the mold really stuck on there, then you might want to apply a little bit of bleach to fully remove it.

Once the stucco is dry from the wash, youre now going to want to prepare some masonry caulk to patch up the really big cracks if there are any. Caulk is basically a crack sealant that is meant for stucco and other types of materials. If the cracks are very minimal, skipping this step is fine as most of the paint will fill in the tiny cracks. Curing may take a while and you might not even be able to start painting on the same day once you caulk so pay attention to the packing for the exact curing time. Normally, you would have to wait a few days before you can begin to paint.

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What To Consider When Choosing The Best Paint For Stucco Exterior

There are many factors to consider when buying a paint for stucco exterior online. You may be tempted to just purchase the first one you find and move on with your life, but its important to do some research beforehand. Many people dont realize how much they need to know about a product before buying it. This is especially true if youre looking for a paint for stucco exterior or other large purchases.

When buying online, it is very important to consider all the factors before making a purchase. This will ensure that you get the best value for your money and that the product is of good quality. You can do a few things to ensure youre getting a good deal on the paint for stucco exterior you want. Here are some things to consider before buying a paint for stucco exterior online:

Some questions to consider before buying anything online:

• Is the product durable?
• What kind of returns policy does the seller offer?
• Do they include shipping costs in their refund?
• How long is the warranty on your purchase?
• Do they offer a warranty?
• What happens if something goes wrong with my purchase?
• What is the process for claiming an item thats damaged or not as described?
• You need to consider many factors before buying online, including.

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How About Acrylic Paint For Stucco

An acrylic paint is usually the type of paint that a lot of stucco contractors will recommend because it has a higher permeability value when compared to an elastomeric product.

Permeability is basically the same as breathability so using an acrylic paint will be able to breathe better, which is what stucco is supposed to do.

An acrylic paint will not last as long as an elastomeric product, so it will have to be repainted every so often but is much less expensive as well.

Some of the advantages and disadvantages of using an acrylic paint on your stucco:

• Is the most affordable type of paint out of all of the choices
• Highest permeability rating
• Can be recoated without any major concerns arising

• Is the most affordable type of paint out of all of the choices
• Will not last as long as the other types of paints
• Will not hide a lot of imperfections

When The Outside Of Your Stucco Home Needs A Refresh Reach For The Paint And Follow These Step

An exterior stucco finish makes a home look handsome and classy, no matter what style it is. But like all finishes, it loses its good looks with normal wear and tear. You could have it redashed , but a cheaper, easier solution is to paint it.

Its definitely in the DIY realm and similar to painting a home with wood siding. Just follow the steps detailed below for painting stucco. You can paint the trim before or after the walls, depending on your home and personal preferences.

Want to refresh your stucco without actually painting it? Consider whitewashing stucco instead.

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Exterior Paint Can Fill Hairline Cracks

If you have a stucco exterior on your home, you know stucco is notorious for cracking. If left unrepaired and unpainted, tiny cracks will only become a bigger problem over time and make repairs even more costly.

Painting stucco with a high-quality, flat, latex paint can fill those hairline cracks and protect the integrity of your stucco exterior for years to come.

S For Painting Stucco Homes

Painting your stucco home exterior is an essential part of home maintenance. If youre into DIY, then you can follow these simple 7 steps to painting stucco. If you are not very familiar with exterior home painting, you may want to call in a professional. They will be knowledgeable in all areas of painting, and may even offer protective services such as waterproofing.

To create a beautiful new home exterior, follow these 7 steps for painting your stucco home.

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How To Paint Exterior Stucco Some Helpful Tips

If you have a house that is made out of stucco and want to refresh the look of it then stucco paint is something that you might want to look into.

There are some tips and tricks that you could implement to make the job easier and make it look like a professional did it.

Lets dive right into it to see what methods there are out there and what to expect from each one.

Do You Have To Use Elastomeric Paint On Stucco

Although elastomeric paints have all of these benefits, it is NOT always necessary to use them when painting your home. … If you are not concerned with waterproofing your stucco, a masonry primer and 2 coats of a quality Sherwin-Williams exterior paint will produce fantastic results and at a much lower cost.

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Painting Stucco The Correct Way

If youre like most people, your home is the single biggest investment that you will make in a lifetime. Therefore, it makes good sense to do everything that you can to take good care of this prized possession.

People who get the best return on their investment when it comes time to sell dont wait for the roof to leak or paint to peel. They perform regular home maintenance that preserves the structural integrity of their home. Regular maintenance also keeps a home looking spiffy which also has a lot to do with its value.

Painting is a maintenance task that offers one of the best returns for the home maintenance and appearance buck inside or out. However, a fresh coat of house paint can transform an otherwise plain Jane home into the show stopper of the neighborhood. This can be especially true of a stucco home since stucco has special problems such as cracking, fading and efflorescence not typical of other finishes.

Aside from enhancing a homes appearance, a fresh coat of paint can help protect the home from the elements and the inevitable deterioration that occurs from prolonged exposure to these elements.

Final Thoughts On Color Coating Vs Painting Stucco

Whether you choose to go with a coating or masonry paints for your stucco home, the important thing is to keep your home well-maintained. Regular cleaning and repair of any hairline cracks or damage will help to extend the life of your homes stucco surfaces and keep it looking their best.

For those less concerned about the price, a textured coating may be the best option for your stucco walls. A coating will provide superior protection against the elements and can help to lower your energy bills.

If you are looking for a cheaper option to make your stucco home look its best, consider a new coat of traditional masonry paint.

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Everything You Need To Know About Painting Stucco Here In Phoenix

Due to larger events occurring in our state at the moment, more and more of us are spending our days working at home. As a result, you may be noticing small details about your home that you previously overlooked: that flickering light in the hallway, those dirty baseboards in the living room, or that one cracked tile in the kitchen. Outside, you may have also observed that your homes paint isnt looking so great. Maybe its fading, cracked, or peeling. So, what do you need to know about painting stucco, and what do you need to get started?

In this article, well answer your top questions about stucco exterior painting here in Phoenix, and provide you with a breakdown of how it works and why hiring a professional is the best course of action. To learn more about our process and to get an estimate, contact us today to schedule a virtual estimate with our team.

Pressure Wash The House

The stucco should be free of dirt and debris before painting. Pressure washing is a fast and efficient way to clean it, Cantor says.

You can rent a pressure washer if you dont own one. Follow directions carefully and wear safety glasses. Cantor recommends setting the washer at 1,500 to 2,500 pounds per square inch . Use the lowest pressure that gets the job done, he says. Test it first in an inconspicuous area before you tackle the whole house.

If you want to use a detergent, Cantor recommends an eco-friendly, mild one. If youre not comfortable DIYing this, hire a pro to do it for you. Once its washed, the house should dry completely before taking the next steps.

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Use The Right Kind Of Paint

The best paint for stucco is two coats of flat latex. This type of paint allows the stucco to breathe.

Using rubberized paints can cause damage to the paint job since there is no vapor transmission between the cement and air. As the weather warms, the paint begins to off-gas. Rather than letting the vapor escape, the composition of rubberized paint creates a blister that will bubble and eventually pop.

Painting Stucco Seals Moisture

Stucco is a porous material that needs to breathe. It absorbs moisture, and that includes paint. If you paint stucco, you will have to apply more coats than normal since the material will absorb the first several coasts. As you add more and more coats, the paint will seal the moisture into the stucco.

The moisture causes two huge problems. First, the moisture will cause the paint to peel and blister, making it expensive to maintain. You can expect to repaint it over and over again. That is expensive and frustrating.

Even worse, the moisture can make its way to your homes wood framing, causing rot and structural damage. This is another expensive problem.

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What Kind Of Paint Do You Use On Stucco

Water-based acrylic, masonry, and elastomeric paint are suitable for painting stucco.

• Acrylic paint is the most breathable and ideal for most stucco homes.
• Elastomeric paint repels moisture and benefits homes in areas of high humidity or frequent rain.
• Flat or low-gloss paint finishes work best on stucco to hide imperfections.

Before hiring a stucco contractor near you, remember to:

• Get at least three estimates to compare.
• Look for licensed and insured painters or contractors with experience in stucco.
• Ask for references or a portfolio of past projects going back at least five years to see how their work holds up over time.
• Browse their reviews on HomeGuide, Google, and the Better Business Bureau .
• Select companies that are insured, bonded, and have been in business for more than five years.
• Avoid selecting the lowest quote as quality may suffer.
• Get a detailed estimate, contract, and warranty in writing before the work begins.
• Never pay in full before the installation starts. Use a payment plan instead for work completed.

How To Paint Your Old Exterior Stucco Correctly

Stucco is basically a combination of cement or powdered limestone, blended with sand and water to achieve a mortar-like consistency. Stucco is applied by hand over lath or metal, cures to a hard, durable masonry surface and can last for years on the exterior of your home.

An old exterior stucco siding can be updated by a simple application of paint. It holds paint quite well and as long as your exterior is still in good condition, you can get right to painting after a simple cleaning of the stucco and caulking a few minor cracks.

Preparation before painting

Start by removing dirt and debris from the surface of your stucco. And this in most cases can be achieved by thoroughly brushing the stucco with a push broom that has stifle bristles. However, of your stucco has a deep texture, simple brushing might not suffice, in which case, use a power wash to make sure all the dirt deep down in the crevices comes out.

If the stucco has minor hairline cracks, you can caulk it using the masonry-compatible caulking. If the cracks are larger, use a putty knife to first remove all the loose debris before filling the crack with a dry stucco repair product, mixed with water, as per the instructions on the container.

Picking the paint and roller.

Painting stucco

Cover the entire exterior with one coat of primer. Be sure to use a stain-blocking primer if your stucco is stained to prevent the stains from bleeding through. Allow the primer to dry as suggested on the packaging before painting.

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When Youre Applying Fresh Stucco

Unless youre making a fresco , do not paint fresh stucco. In fact, the floor under The Last Supper is covered with flakes of paint and the famous mural has to be regularly restored and repaired.

Stucco is porous and it needs to breathe. Moisture penetrates the surface and then evaporates away. When its installed, a waterproof membrane goes between the stucco and the structure of the house, so the inside stays dry.

The final pigmented coat of stucco goes on as part of the installation process, so when the stucco is done, its done. If you were to paint, youd have to wait for the stucco to dry and cure, which can take weeks. Not only that, but the paint interferes with the breathability of the surface. Moisture can become trapped in the wall between the membrane and the paint. At best, this causes the paint to bubble, peel, and chip as the moisture forces a way to escape.

Worse than that, water can gather at the base of the wall, fostering mold and bacteria and creating rot that will eat through the membrane and into the structural wood.

Properly applied, the color coat of your new stucco can last for decades. Paints will not have comparable durability and youll still have to paint again in a few years even if you dont have any problems, so its better to go with the color coat ultimately.

Painting Different Stucco Textures:

Smooth Stucco Finishes: The smooth types of finishes are probably the easiest types of finishes to paint. Repair work is a little tougher to do and make them appear seamless but if you take your time and use the right tools, it should come out pretty good.

Scraping the walls with a large floor scraper will help eliminate any larger items that may be stuck to the surface.

A roller or sprayer will work on these types of finishes but a sprayer will be much quicker and probably have a little bit better results because you can spray a more even amount of paint on the surface. Backrolling is recommended and will help soften the overall appearance. A roller with a 1/2″ nap will work well and perform well, using a roller cover with a thicker nap would be much harder to use, especially for a novice painter.

Semi-Smooth To Medium Types Of Finishes: A medium finish would be considered most sand finishes, a worm type finish,etc. and will require a little more effort than a smooth or semi-smooth finish would because of the added roughness.

These will usually require a 3/4″ – 1″ nap on the roller and will need two coats of paint to thoroughly cover the surface. If you use a good paint with an equally good technique, it should be more than enough coverage.

I have seen people use one coat of paint on these types of finishes but I don’t think it turns out as good as it could have, just my personal opinion.

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Wrapping Up The Best Exterior Paint For Stucco

Finding the best exterior paint for stucco will largely come down to what features you value most in a paint. If you want a better selection of colors that last a long time, then acrylic paints are the way to go.

Masonry paint can provide extra protection for stucco paint, with better bonding than acrylic, and is lighter than elastomeric. However, you wont find a wide variety of colors and the protection is slightly lower than elastomeric.

And, you should choose elastomeric paint if maximum protection is your main concern. Just be aware that this is heavier paint than acrylic and masonry, meaning you may have to do a lot of sanding to remove older paint before applying this type of stucco paint.