Stucco

What is stucco?

• It's a cement like product used on the outside of a house or building in multiple layers.  It's mostly made of aggregates, a binder, and water. It's applied wet and hardens to something very solid, dense, and protective. It can be used as a decorative finish for many different places. A downside of stucco is it is susceptible to house foundation shifts meaning, it's brittle and you'll see the cracks after a shift has occurred. Keep where you live in mind if you get it.

How do I paint stucco? Easily explained.

1. Pressure wash first, make sure it's cleared of debris and other dirt.

2. Let it dry before doing any prep.

3. Fill any cracks. 

• Depending on the size, you may have to patch. 

• If miniscule, you can get away with a little bit of acrylic caulk. Have a sponge on hand.

4. Use a masonry primer. Now do spot priming on areas that don't have anything for paint to adhere to. 

5. It's recommended to use an elastomeric latex paint. 

6. Apply your paint with an airless sprayer. There are so many angles that need to be hit, that this is the quickest method.

7. Back-rolling may be wise to help repair the damage.

8. Let it dry for a couple of days.