Stucco is a type of construction material that is applied to the exterior of homes to provide them with both an artistic style and durability. It looks good, it is water-resistant and will last for years and years. There really is no downside to it. Applying it is also quite easy because it is wet at first. Once applied on a wall and left to dry, it becomes a very sturdy solid that will require a lot of force to tear it down. To be honest, it might be the type of façade available.
Unfortunately, all great things have some kind of bad side to them, right? Not exactly. Stucco is beautiful, reliable and all it needs is a bit of paint once in a while to keep it looking fresh. However, painting stucco is not as simple as the regular interior walls of your home. This coating is not smooth at all which means you will have to implement different techniques if you want the coat of paint to be applied properly.
Once you learn those techniques, it will become much simpler. Here are some of those tips to help you paint your stucco home.
Do some inspection
Before doing anything, you will need to do some inspection on the façade of your home. Usually, stucco is very durable and it can still be in its original state even after five or six years. However, it can happen that some parts of it might start peeling away or show cracks.
While this might not be a cause for alarm, it would be best that you first fix this for the best results after painting. The sooner you fix those problems, the smaller the chances there will be any further damage spreading from the cracks. Leaving holes in the stucco might lead to water leaks and vermin could use it as an entrance to your house.
Don’t worry, repairing small holes in this kind of façade is pretty easy. You will be able to find the tools you need in every hardware store in the area. If you are unable to repair the damage on the stucco by yourself, considering hiring professional services that you can find on this website.
After the patch has dried, it is time to wash the walls.
Pressure washing the Stucco
While the façade is waterproof and durable to endure all kinds of weather conditions throughout the years, a lot of dirt and grime can still stick to it. The small grooves in the wall allow for a lot more dust and dirt to accumulate. This might not seem like a very serious problem, but the paint you have bought will have a much harder time sticking to the façade if it has a lot of dirt.
Cleaning the dirt with a regular hose will not do the job. All of that dirt has been there for many years which means you will need something a bit more powerful to clean it. A pressure washer is what you will need. With it, you will clear your entire house of grime in just a couple of minutes. Once you are done, you can start with the painting process.
Buy the correct amount of paint
If you plan on giving your entire house a fresh new look, you are probably planning on painting every side and every piece of wall you find.
For this kind of project you will need a lot of paint, but do you have any idea exactly how much you will need? Buying it in bulk might be cheaper than buying it in cans, but it is still very expensive. The cost of the paint heavily depends on the color too.
Assuming that you do not want to waste hundreds of dollars on buckets of paint that you will never use, it is best that you measure the walls first. The simplest way to do this is with a tape measure or a laser tape measure and then do the math. I would recommend that you get a couple of buckets extra, in case something goes wrong and you spill some of them.
Cover the ground
Naturally, you will want your backyard‘s concrete and your patio to stay the same color, right? You do not want to ruin these elements of your backyard with random drips from your brush while working on the stucco.
Many people think that there really is no need for covering the grass or concrete with plastic to protect it from unnecessary drips, but do you really want a concrete with dots of some random color? Make sure you buy enough tarp or any kind of plastic you plan on using to cover everything up
Cover windows and doors too
It is vital that you cover up all of the doors and windows of your home too. The brush can easily spray and splash in its vicinity. Assuming that you do not want to ruin the frame of your doors and windows, I would suggest getting a couple of rolls of masking tape. With it, you can stick to every surface that you want to be covered and protected. Don’t worry, masking tape is pretty easy to remove too without leaving any kind of adhesive residue.
Use a roller
The most basic way of painting stucco façade is with a painter. Depending on the surface type of the stucco, the roller will be more than enough to finish, but if you are working with a rougher surface, you should consider using a sprayer. Although, soaking the roller in the bucket longer than usual will probably be more than enough to handle even the roughest surface with deeper grooves. In the end, use the tool that you find the most comfortable. Some prefer a sprayer, others a roller. Both will do their job perfectly if you know how to use them.
By following all of these simple tips, you will be able to perfectly paint the stucco walls of your home.
