Stucco Repair: What You Need to Know Before Starting
Stucco application is a craft, so your best chance of having and inconspicuous stucco repair is to have a craftsperson do it. But if locating the original contractor isn't possible--or you're a determined DIYer--these tips may help you out.
Stucco Repair for the DIYer
Tips on fixing a crack in your stucco:
- Small surface cracks in your stucco are best handled with a silicone caulk in a color that matches your stucco.
- Wider cracks should be filled with stucco mix, which is usually available from an exterior siding product distributor.
- If your stucco has been painted, you can get by with a natural-colored stucco mix. However, if your stucco has the color in the top coat, you may need to have a small chip color matched.
- Fill the crack on a cool day so the mixture doesn't dry too quickly. Note tha you may have to do a second coat to make the stucco repair even at the edges.
Seven steps to repair a hole in your stucco:
- Trim the edges of the hole of any frayed materials.
- If the hole is all the way to the home's sheathing, slide a piece of roofing felt in and overlap the existing felt by at least an inch around the edges.
- Nail chicken wire or a similar material to the sheathing using galvanized nails.
- Your stucco should be two or three layers; if the coloring is in the top coat, you probably have three.
- Apply your stucco mix and try to make the first and second coats about the same thickness as your existing layers; leave the second coat very rough so the top coat adheres.
- Let each coat dry completely before applying the next.
- Apply your top coat of stucco.
A stucco repair should always be done when there is no chance of rain and temperatures are moderate. And remember: The stucco repair of a hole is more complicated than the stucco repait of a crack. If at any point you feel you're making a mess, don't hesitate to contact a professional.
