How to Repair Stucco
Stucco continues to enjoy immense popularity with homeowners due to its aesthetic appeal at a reasonable cost and the years of durability that it promises. Stucco has been known to be extremely durable as a house cladding with minimum maintenance and decades of durability. Cracks and blisters would inadvertently appear in a stucco finish due to the constant barrage of weathering elements like the heat, cold, rain etc. and if left ignored, these cracks and blisters would prove to be a gateway for a lot of damage to the whole wall. Preventing such an ordeal is not hard though if you regularly inspect your stucco installation and take care of the cracks or blisters appearing from time to time. So, it’s important to learn how to do minor stucco repairs yourself to save costs.
Nobody is saying that you should take up all stucco repair yourself. With some amount of DIY experience, anyone can easily handle minor stucco repair, but it is advisable to leave the major repairs to professionals as you could end up doing more harm than good. Stucco repair cannot be generalized as the type of repair treatment required would vary depending on the type and extent of the damage.
The stucco experts at Zero Defects have listed down a few guidelines on how to repair various common types of stucco damage starting with all the equipment you will need to complete a typical stucco repair job.
Equipment required:
Work gloves
Eye protection
Ladder
Mason’s chisel
Hammer
Putty knife
Premixed stucco or stucco patching compound
Notched trowel
Plaster finishing trowel
“Finishing” tool (whisk, trowel, sponge, piece of board)
Now let’s get down to the different types of stucco damage and how to repair them
Repairing large holes
Although minor stucco repairs like these can be easily handled by just about anyone, the biggest challenge you will face is getting the color of the repaired stucco to match with the rest of the wall.
- Clean the hole by removing whatever loose stucco is left by using a chisel and a hammer. Use a blower to clean out the dust from the hole before installing a new wire mesh in the hole if the previous one is damaged. Use a sprayer to coat the hole with water.
- Apply a quarter-inch thick 1st layer of stucco in the hole using a trowel or a putty knife. Scratch the surface of the coat when it becomes adequately hard using a nail or other sharp object and leave it to cure for two days.
- Using a sprayer, dampen the 1st coat of stucco and apply a thin layer of the second coat using the same equipment used in the previous step. Use an object with a flat surface to smooth the second coat and leave it to cure again for 2 days.
- Before applying the final coat, once again dampen the existing second layer. Apply the final coat and smoothen it with a flat surface so that it is flush with the existing wall/surface. Leave it to cure for 4 days.
Repairing small holes
- Use an object with a pointed surface to clean the hole. A brush or a nail typically works well. Clean out the dust in the hole using a blower.
- Using a putty knife, apply a layer of stucco patching compound to the hole. Ensure that the patching compound is tightly packed into the hole almost till the surface. Let is dry until it is hard to the touch.
- Apply a new coat of the patching compound over the old coat until it sits flush with the surface. Using a suitable equipment blend the surface of the patching compound in the hole to match with the rest of the wall. Let it dry.
Repairing Stucco cracks
Just like holes in stucco, the proper way to repair cracks in stucco also depends on the size of the cracks.
Repairing Hairline cracks
Hairline cracks are so called because they are very fine and thin just like a strand of hair. All that is required to fix a hairline crack is a coating of acrylic latex paint which matches the rest of the wall. In case the cracks are too wide to be filled directly with the paint, first, fill the cracks with latex caulking compound and then apply a layer of acrylic latex paint after the caulking compound has dried properly.
Repairing wide cracks
Repairing wide cracks in stucco follows much of the same procedure as repairing holes. Use an all-purpose filler like pre-mixed bridging and patching compound meant for stucco repair to fill up the crack by following the instructions mentioned on the product.
Repairing Stained or Weathered Stucco
Although stucco is known for its durability, it tends to look dirty and stained over time because it constantly exposed to the elements. Many people might think that repairing a stained stucco is easy as all that needs to be done to hide the stains and weathering look is a new paint of coat. However, that’s not the case. Normal house paint doesn’t work with stucco as moisture will cause the paint layer to blister and peel off. The best way to go about repairing a stained or weathered stucco is to re-stucco the whole wall again; preferably by a contractor as they are more equipped to deal with such a major project. An easier and less durable option is to get the stucco whitewashed if it is of white color.
The quality workmanship and impeccable attention to detail of Zero Defects ensure that your stucco lasts for years while looking equally good. With years of experience in stucco projects and a fleet of well-trained and qualified professionals, Zero Defects is the best option for all of your stucco requirements whether it’s periodic maintenance or a new stucco project.
Get in touch with the team at Zero Defects today to schedule your no-obligation consultation or book an exterior stucco project with us. Contact us to learn more or to request a free estimate.
