\u200b<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
- Stucco Issues:<\/strong> Take a look at the existing stucco that is on the house\/building and check to see what kind of shape it is in. Are there any patches or cracks that need to be fixed before painting begins?
In most cases, a good acrylic caulk (like this one<\/a>) is the easiest to use and work with but they do make a caulk that has sand added to it<\/a> for a more professional looking finish that blends a lot better.
<\/li>- More Stucco Issues:<\/strong> Is the stucco peeling off in any places, or are there any areas that need a little TLC? These kind of issues need to be taken care of prior to painting the structure and will make the end result much better. Smaller patches can be fixed using a premixed stucco repair patch material like this<\/a> and comes in handy for making quick work of SMALL repairs.
<\/li>- \u200b\u200bHow Will You \u200bClean The Surface:<\/strong> Is the stucco that is currently on the house painted or not? It really doesn\u2019t make too much of a difference, both scenarios will require a good pressure washing (2,800 \u2013 3,100 psi) to get rid of all of the loose paint and material that may \u200bprevent the paint from sticking to the walls.
If you don’t already own one, I found a decent one on Amazon<\/a> that is under $250 with pretty decent ratings, but look around and take your time when buying one of these and it will pay off. I usually pay somewhere around $300 \u2013 $400 for \u200bpressure washers I use but they are much better quality and I have had no issues, it is one of those \u201cyou get what you pay for\u201d types of deals, I guess. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n![\"Pressur](\"https:\/\/thestuccoguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Pressur-Washer-Chart.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- When Was The Stucco Applied:<\/strong> If the stucco is new, then you will want to wait at least 60 days before painting it, to allow it to fully cure and harden up before you seal the stucco with any kind of paint.
<\/li>- \u200bWhat \u200bKind Of Stucco Texture Do You Have:<\/strong> What type of texture do you have, a rough one or a smoother kind? The two different types of textures will require different methods and tools to properly adhere to the exiting texture.
A rougher texture will require a larger nap on the roller and more paint, a smoother type will not need a nap as aggressive and will tend to use a little less paint. Take a look at different texture samples by clicking here<\/a>.
<\/li>- How Will You Apply The Paint:<\/strong> Do you plan on using a roller or a sprayer, or both? A sprayer can be rented and is the optimal way to paint exterior stucco, it is much faster, uses way less material and provides a professional looking end result but back-rolling is recommended to get rid of the lines that the sprayer may leave.
<\/li>- Weather Permitting:<\/strong> Be sure that you will have a period of good weather when you paint or plan on painting, water that is sealed inside the stucco will results in issues.
If you are in the rainy season and can’t wait before you paint, then covering the walls is one option. You want to be sure that the stucco has no moisture content prior to applying paint. A moisture meer will help with this and are fairly inexpensive online.
<\/li>- How Will You Reach:<\/strong> If you have a single story house or building you are painting, then a simple step ladder and\/or extension ladder will probably be more than enough to reach the highest walls.
If you \u200bare working on a two or three story building, ladders aren’t going to do the job. You may want to buy a little scaffolding<\/a> or rent some from a local rental yard. Just plan ahead to make sure you have access to every nook and cranny that will need to be painted.
<\/li>- Measure Your Walls:<\/strong> In order to buy the correct amount of paint, you will need to measure your walls, so you can buy the correct amount of paint. I would add 25% to this because stucco tends to suck up paint and you almost always end up using more than you anticipated.
A smaller house will be pretty easy to do using a tape measure and a partner (optional) but a larger house will be a little more difficult but can be done with a tape measure.
You could always use a measuring \u200bwheel<\/a> or a laser tape measure<\/a>, if you want to make the job easier. These two items will have all kinds of uses in the future too, especially if you are an avid diy’er.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nThink About Painted VS Unpainted Surfaces:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Painted Surfaces:<\/strong> Coming Soon! Reply if you are interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u200bUnpainted Surfaces:<\/strong> Coming Soon!\u200b Reply if you are interested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Prep Work Involved:
\u200b<\/h2>\n\n\n\n- Cover Everything You Need To Cover:<\/strong> You will want to make sure that all of the windows, doors, trim, vents and anything else that is not going to be painted is covered very well. This will save time in the end and will ensure that professional results are achieved.
<\/li>- Caulk Any Cracks You Have:<\/strong> Caulk cracks and small gaps (1\/8\u2033 or smaller) using a paint-able exterior grade caulk. When caulking, only fill the cracks and use a wet rag to wipe the excess caulk off of the wall, or it will stand out like a sore thumb. Try to add a little texture to the caulk to match the stucco, if it is a rougher texture, like a sand finish, dab the caulk lightly with a paintbrush to match the texture a little better.
Anywhere wood meets stucco, you will want to apply a bead of caulking, because it will crack or a gap will form, this is natural and is a normal occurrence.
<\/li>- Clean The Surface:<\/strong> Pressure washing the stucco is a good idea prior to painting, it removes dirt and debris from the surface and ensures that the paint will adhere well to the finish. If you can’t afford one of your own, or don’t need one that bad, then you can always \u200brent \u200bone \u200bat a cost of about $30-$50 a day.
If you do not pressure wash the stucco, you can use a garden hose instead, but really, pressure washing is the way to go and is recommended. Using only a garden hose may result in the paint flaking off over time because the surface was not cleaned and prepped properly.
<\/li>- Address Patches And Larger Imperfections:<\/strong> Make any necessary repairs to the stucco that need attention, meaning larger voids or damaged areas. To achieve this, remove the existing stucco, keeping the paper and wire underneath intact and fill with a stucco patch material, using two to three applications, but try to avoid filling larger patches in a single coat. They will end up turning out bad and will stick out like a sore thumb when you are all finished.
Try to avoid filling in the spots with a single application, seeing as how it will likely crack and make even more work for you in the long run.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\u200bPainting Different Stucco Textures:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u200bSmooth \u200bStucco Finishes:<\/strong> \u200bThe smooth types of finishes<\/a> 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Smooth](\"https:\/\/thestuccoguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Smooth-Stucco-Wall.jpg\" "\\"Smooth")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u200bScraping the walls with a large floor scraper will help eliminate any larger items that may be stuck to the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\u200bSemi-Smooth To Medium Types Of Finishes:<\/strong> \u200b A medium finish would be considered most sand finishes, a worm type finish,etc.<\/a> and will require a little more effort than a smooth or semi-smooth finish would because of the added roughness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Medium](\"https:\/\/thestuccoguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Medium-Stucco-Finish.jpg\" "\\"Medium")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u200bThese 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\u200bRougher Types Of Finishes:<\/strong> \u200bRougher stucco finishes require a little more paint, thicker napped rollers and more attention to detail because the surface is so rough!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would recommend using a 1″ nap roller for this and would recommend spraying the paint on this type of finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Rough](\"https:\/\/thestuccoguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Rough-Stucco-Finish.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u200babacostucco.ca<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u200bYou can roll it on but it is going to be very difficult to get into the crevices of some of the finishes, especially a dash finish<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my experience, painting these types of finishes will require at least two coats of paint and possibly a third “touch up” coat. This has the best results and ensures that nearly every spot is covered. Be sure to check each wall after you paint (or have someone else check) for any small spots you may have missed and look from all angles. If you painted the wall from left to right, walk from right to left to see if you missed anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u200bUsing A Sprayer:
\u200b<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhen using a sprayer, certain techniques and tricks can be used to achieve professional results, not to mention, it can cut the time the project takes in half! This is the best way to paint a stucco surface and will yield the best results. You might be surprised to see that there are decent sprayers out there<\/a> for around $300 that will easily paint an entire house\u2019s exterior, if you choose to do it yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Prep And Cover:<\/strong> Be sure that everything is masked off very well, these sprayers have a tremendous amount of pressure and can blow your covering right off, tape every joint of the plastic\/paper, so no edges are exposed. A covering machine<\/a> is a handy tool to have on hand and make the job so much easier!
<\/li>- Use A Shield:<\/strong> When spraying, use a shield to avoid over-spraying on areas that you do not want to be painted, such as walkways, the eaves, etc. Cardboard works well for a shield and is free, cut a couple out, so you can toss the ones that get too saturated with paint. A good size for these is 12-15\u2033 wide by 3-4\u2032 long, holders can be purchased or made so you don\u2019t have to hold the cardboard with your hands.
<\/li>- Technique:<\/strong> Try to avoid making lines with the sprayer by having an even spray pattern and using quick, short bursts, as opposed to longer ones. Pull the nozzle away from the wall in order to blend the starting and stopping points of your spray pattern and to avoid any hard lines.
<\/li>- Back-rolling Makes A Huge Difference:<\/strong> Be sure to spray the stucco in many different directions, to better blend the paint and minimize the appearance of hard lines. For \u200bthe best results, have someone use a roller and go over what you have sprayed, this will help cover the surface and get the paint into any crevices and low spots that the texture may have and help to evenly spread the paint around making a more uniform appearance.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u200bUsing A Paint Roller For Your Stucco Walls:
\u200b<\/h2>\n\n\n\nSome of you may choose to use a roller to paint the stucco on your home, which is just fine, but requires a few different techniques than a sprayer would. It will take a bit longer to do it this way, but can still give professional looking results if done correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Use A Shield:<\/strong> When spraying, use a shield to avoid over-spraying on areas that you do not want to be painted, such as walkways, the eaves, etc. Cardboard works well for a shield and is free, cut a couple out, so you can toss the ones that get too saturated with paint. A good size for these is 12-15\u2033 wide by 3-4\u2032 long, holders can be purchased or made so you don\u2019t have to hold the cardboard with your hands.
- Caulk Any Cracks You Have:<\/strong> Caulk cracks and small gaps (1\/8\u2033 or smaller) using a paint-able exterior grade caulk. When caulking, only fill the cracks and use a wet rag to wipe the excess caulk off of the wall, or it will stand out like a sore thumb. Try to add a little texture to the caulk to match the stucco, if it is a rougher texture, like a sand finish, dab the caulk lightly with a paintbrush to match the texture a little better.
- \u200bWhat \u200bKind Of Stucco Texture Do You Have:<\/strong> What type of texture do you have, a rough one or a smoother kind? The two different types of textures will require different methods and tools to properly adhere to the exiting texture.
- More Stucco Issues:<\/strong> Is the stucco peeling off in any places, or are there any areas that need a little TLC? These kind of issues need to be taken care of prior to painting the structure and will make the end result much better. Smaller patches can be fixed using a premixed stucco repair patch material like this<\/a> and comes in handy for making quick work of SMALL repairs.
![\"Roller](\"https:\/\/thestuccoguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Roller-Nap-Chart-For-Stucco.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n