How to Paint Stucco: A Guide for Homeowners

Stucco is an affordable siding option when compared with other materials, can last for a long time, and adds visual appeal to your home. However, it can present some challenges to homeowners looking to repaint the exterior of their home. When it is applied, stucco is usually mixed with a tinting material to achieve the colour of choice, and then applied to the home. There’s no paint involved, at least not initially.

So, what do you do if you want to change your home’s colour and have stucco siding? It can be painted, but you’ll need to follow some specific steps. We’ll discuss what you need to know below.

Tools You’ll Need

Part of successfully painting stucco is making sure you have the right tools. You’ll need the following:

• A brush or broom to clean the stucco
• A way to remove mildew (degreaser, etc.)
• Masonry caulk for repairs
• Caulking gun
• Patching compound
• Napped roller
• Synthetic brush
• Acrylic paint and primer

Check the Condition

Before doing anything, make sure that your stucco is in good condition. Take a walk around your home and check for the following:

• Chips
• Cracks
• Missing pieces

Cracks should be filled with masonry caulk, but those larger than 1/16th of an inch wide will need to be patched before you can paint.

Prep Work

Once you’ve made sure that the stucco can be painted, it’s time to prep everything. You’ll need to thoroughly clean the stucco with a stiff-bristled broom or brush to get the dirt off. If mildew is a problem, you’ll need to clean it more thoroughly. If you have to pressure wash or use soap and water, give the surface time to dry. In addition to cleaning, you’ll need to cover any trim with tape to prevent paint from getting on it.

Painting Your Stucco

The next step is to prime the exterior walls of your home. You’ll want to use a high-quality acrylic primer and a synthetic brush for (for cutting in). Roll the primer on with a large napped roller to ensure you get the primer into all the depressions. In most cases, you’ll likely need two thin coats of primer to get everything covered.

Once the primer has dried, you’ll begin applying the paint. Make sure you’re using a high-quality exterior paint and a napped roller. You should also plan to use more paint than you might think. Stucco’s unique texture means that there’s more surface are to be painted than if you were painting flat siding. Our recommendation is to double what you would use on a normal surface.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and apply your first coat of paint. You will likely need to let that coat dry and then roll on another light coat. Make sure to allow plenty of drying time between coats, though.

How Long Will Painted Stucco Last?

With high-quality, professional exterior paint, you can expect it to last between 15 and 20 years, as long as the paint is applied correctly. Not allowing adequate drying time between coats, not using enough primer, and other mistakes could shorten that lifespan considerably, though.

Call in the Pros

Concerned that you don’t have the time or expertise to handle your stucco painting project?

We can help.

At Elite Trade Painting, we have years of experience helping our customers breathe new life into their homes, and that includes repairing and painting stucco.

We can also make short work of cleaning stucco, and pressure cleaning is the first step in all of our painting projects.

Get in touch with us today to learn more – call 1-877-663-5483.