If you're shopping for a home and set your sights on a stucco bungalow, don't make the mistake of thinking you have to live with the color. Stucco can be painted like any other home exterior, but it just may require some extra prep.
Stucco is a material made of an aggregate, almost like concrete. It's applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It's popular as a building material because it is cheap and, if properly cared for, long lasting. In fact, part of that proper care involves periodic painting.
“Start by making sure that the surface of your stucco is sound, said Debbie Zimmer, of the Paint Quality Institute. “It should be free of dirt and powdery dust, and rough enough so that your primer and paint will adhere well.”
Clean the surface
You can accomplish both objectives by cleaning and roughening the surface with a stiff bristle brush, wire brush, or – if your stucco has been long-neglected – a sandblaster. Follow up with a thorough rinsing.
Unpainted stucco that is very new or aged less than a year presents some special challenges. It could still contain moisture from the original mixing. It could have a high degree of alkalinity. These possibilities have implications for the paint you use.
If you plan to apply an oil-based or vinyl water-based paint, you should first apply an alkaline-resistant sealer or risk having the paint fail prematurely. However, like most rules, there are exceptions.
“If you are going to use top quality 100 percent acrylic latex paint, you can often apply it directly to the stucco, since these paints resist the alkaline nature of fresh masonry,” Zimmer said. “When painting stucco that is less than a month old, you should still apply an alkaline-resistant primer or sealer.
Moisture is the enemy
Another part of the prep work involves removing efflorescence -- white, crusty salt deposits -- by scraping, wire-brushing, or sandblasting. Stucco tends to be porous, so keeping water from penetrating it is important. Even if your stucco shows a slight tendency to produce efflorescence – or if it is very porous or "chalky" – you should apply a sealer or latex block filler before painting.
When applying any type of latex coating to your stucco -- sealer, block filler, or paint -- you should dampen the surface immediately beforehand. This will allow the coating to dry more slowly, which in turn, will enable it to form a more durable protective film.
In the case of older homes, you may find that stucco is damaged or cracked. That can be a big problem, since it allows entry for moisture. In that case, the best option is to call in a painting contractor with experience applying “elastomeric wall coatings” -- very thick, highly flexible paints that are designed to bridge and seal cracks to keep moisture out of the home. Like other paints, elastomeric coatings come in a wide range of colors, but it takes special training to apply them properly.
Whether you do the work yourself or call in a contractor, the knowledge that you can use paint to change the color and condition of your stucco should be liberating. So, don't let a stucco exterior deter you from buying your dream home. If you don't like the color, you can change it.
