Painting Stucco Walls
April 9, 2008 11:38 AM Subscribe
Is it okay to paint over sandy stucco-like exterior house wall? Is there another method or preparation to refinish an exterior wall make of this substance?
My house has a brick and cement block exterior wall that is coated with a 1/4" thick sandy stucco like material. This exterior material has gotten stained due to water and moss stuff.
I would like to prep and paint this. What specifically do I need to do and with what materials?
My house has a brick and cement block exterior wall that is coated with a 1/4" thick sandy stucco like material. This exterior material has gotten stained due to water and moss stuff.
I would like to prep and paint this. What specifically do I need to do and with what materials?
Stucco can be painted over, but painted stucco cannot be stuccoed over if the house latter needs to be be restuccoed.
But you don't have stucco, you have a sandy stucco like material. I have no idea what it is, or if you can paint over it. My house has synthetic stucco, and there is no way I would describe the texture as "sandy". Natural stuccos are usually more like clay, and it's uncommon to find them on the exterior of your house these days. If you brush your hand against this sandy surface, and little sandy bits come off, it might not be such a good idea to paint it. Some photos of your mysterious exterior finish might be helpful for answering your question.
Is there another method or preparation to refinish an exterior wall make of this substance?
You could always stucco it.
posted by yohko at 3:17 PM on April 9, 2008
But you don't have stucco, you have a sandy stucco like material. I have no idea what it is, or if you can paint over it. My house has synthetic stucco, and there is no way I would describe the texture as "sandy". Natural stuccos are usually more like clay, and it's uncommon to find them on the exterior of your house these days. If you brush your hand against this sandy surface, and little sandy bits come off, it might not be such a good idea to paint it. Some photos of your mysterious exterior finish might be helpful for answering your question.
Is there another method or preparation to refinish an exterior wall make of this substance?
You could always stucco it.
posted by yohko at 3:17 PM on April 9, 2008
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You might be able to bleach the mossy stuff so that you do not need to repaint your house. Use oxygen bleach. This might be a good idea anyway, since you do not want the old stains to show up on your new coat of paint. Especially, if it isn't a dark paint that you plan to use.
If you want to paint it, these are the basic steps:
1. Remove any loose parts and particles, where your choice of tool depends on the toughness of the surface and the amount of work you want to do by hand. You can use soft plastic brushes or hard wire brushes which can be mounted to power tools. Even easier can be the use of a high pressure water jet. But be careful, some models will strip the stucco right off. And make sure the wall dries before going on.
2. Apply a high quality latex based exterior primer. This will stabilize the stucco, prevent it from deteriorating and help the paint stick.
3. Paint with a high quality paint. Here I would simply use a roller on a broomstick or some type of power tool sprayer. (Do not use any "as seen on TV" manual painting aids. They are no better than a simple roller.) I find that for DIY work a nice big fluffy roller stuck on top of a very sturdy broomstick with a screw through the handle is much better than any "professional" extensions that you can buy. I always use a broomstick, it gives you leverage, you don't need to bend down to the paint bucket and it is less tiring. Use one of those special trays that have a flat rolling surface to strip off excess paint. Do not simply use a plastic mesh and the full paint bucket, this is more fiddly and you will get annoyed. A cheap roller might be OK, but lambswool is a dream to work with.
Appy several thiner coats of paint rather than one thick coat, this will give you a nicer, smoother, longer lasting finnish. Paints nowerdays don't run so much (tixotropic), but still, you are painting a vertical surface.
Don't be stingy when it comes to paint and primer. If you do not know any good cheap paint, go with the more expensive one. Especially for exteriors you don't want the paint to flake and age quickly. The primer is especially important since it prevents blooming. It also keeps the stains from moving up to your new coat of paint.
Other people might help you with more specific suggestions for what to buy from Home Depot, etc.
posted by mmkhd at 1:08 PM on April 9, 2008