When people hear the word “siding”, they generally think of vinyl or wood siding. There is another material called stucco, that has been used for centuries.  Stucco is a great siding material product that can be used for both interior and exterior applications.  However, this type of building material needs extra attention if chosen for your home.

What Is Stucco?

Stucco siding is a building material made of cement, lime, sand, and water. It is a porous and breathable material that allows moisture to pass freely through the surface. When installing stucco on a home, a waterproof barrier must be put in between the structure of the house and the stucco to keep the inside of the home dry.

There are two types of stucco systems: a three-coat stucco system and a one-coat stucco system.  The exterior on a stucco home can display different textures such as patterned or pebbled, depending on how it is applied. Stones can also be added for a more customized appearance. Stucco can also be colored by adding pigment to the final coat.

4 Major Precautions with Painting Stucco

You can paint a stucco home’s exterior, however, there are some warnings to heed before applying any fresh coats of paint.

1. Patience Is Key New stucco siding can’t be painted until it is completely dry.  The drying time for stucco takes weeks due to its porous nature.  Prematurely painting on fresh stucco could result in bubbling and peeling paint on the surface.
2. Careful Prep Gentle power washing is required to clean old stucco before painting it. Again, it must dry properly after cleaning; otherwise, the moisture from washing it could become trapped causing voids on the surface.  If there are any cracks, repairs must be made before painting.
3. Climate Change Humid climates pose severe problems when painting stucco. The atmospheric moisture gets blocked beneath the layers of paint. To make matters worse, the trapped moisture can get into the wood framing of a home causing the wood to rot. It’s important to know the correct product to use for the climate you live in.Although stucco does very well at repelling moisture in normal climates, it doesn’t do very well in a rainy environment because it tends to become oversaturated. This could lead to the wood and other building materials getting wet.
4. Maintenance To maintain the exterior of a stucco home, one would have to have it repainted every few years.  The porous nature of stucco causes the paint to blister and peel, resulting in more time spent cleaning it for many coats of paint to be applied.

Choose A Professional to Paint Your Stucco Home

Because of the sensitive nature of stucco, you may be better off hiring a professional. Yes, you’ll pay more in the short term, but the results will look better and last much longer.

Select a reputable professional who is an expert in stucco painting.  An expert stucco painter will know how to clean, repair, and prime the surface before painting. Stucco must be cured and dry which can take at least a month or longer.

A knowledgeable professional can recommend products that are suited to your climate. If you have an older home, a professional stucco painter can also inform you of previous finishes that may have existed on the stucco before you purchased the home.

pH Level

A knowledgeable stucco painter will test the alkalinity in the mortar using a pH test kit. This is used to ensure the stucco has cured completely. If the pH level is higher than ten, the stucco may need more time to dry.  pH levels less than 10 are ideal for the paint to adhere properly to stucco material. Painting stucco too soon causes the paint color to appear faded and blotchy.

Best Paint for Stucco

Once it is completely dry and ready to paint, you could ask your contractor to apply paint samples in squares to compare colors.  After the paint dries, compare the looks of the paint colors during different times of the day.  Once you’ve chosen the color to paint your stucco home, the professionals can proceed with the rest: cleaning, repairs, and priming.

Let Us Handle Your Stucco

If you’re not sure how to maintain or paint your stucco home, let Battle Born Painting do the job for you. We are trained in the proper procedures when painting stucco surfaces. Our professional team of painters are knowledgeable and will inform you of each step in the painting process. Contact us today for all your stucco needs.

Let Us Handle Your Stucco

If you’re not sure how to maintain or paint your stucco home, let Battle Born Painting do the job for you. We are trained in the proper procedures when painting stucco surfaces. Our professional team of painters are knowledgeable and will inform you of each step in the painting process. Contact us today for all your stucco needs.