Repair Stucco Before Painting

​It's not breaking news, that no matter how you reinforce stucco, it will crack after some time, it is natural for stucco to crack. So, it is best to carry out stucco repairs before painting the exterior, for the best results. Stucco is known to add a pleasant appeal to any home and provides cost effective improvements on the wall, but it is almost impossible for stucco not to crack. It’s usually dubious that the cracking is caused by the foundation settling, repeated cycles of hot and cold weather or other reasons.

​Regardless, it is imperative to repair the stucco before exterior painting. There are many ways to repair stucco; however, the repairs of the cracks should be carried out strategically. Here are the best ways to approach stucco repair before painting.
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​Treat Stucco Cracks Individually
Remember that all cracks are not the same, and approaching the repair using the one size fits all technique will leave the exterior of the home looking awful. Therefore, it is best to start small. Some cracks are small and look cosmetic while others could be bigger and there may even be holes in the walls. Notwithstanding, these cracks are easy to repair and combat water intrusion!

Stucco Repair Process
Small and bigger cracks require a different approach; here are effective methods to repair the cracks in your stucco. In Jacksonville, Florida stucco cracks are a very common problem!

1. Small Cracks
What constitutes a "small crack?" Small cracks are so small that the edge of a business card won't fit in. Keep in mind, some high-grade acrylics or water-proofer will bridge these cracks and they may not need addressing.

​For those that do; take a 5 in 1 (painters knife) or hand held grinder to broaden the small crack. Opening it up to 1/8 or 1/4 inch wide V. Use a wire brush to clean debris out of the cutout area. Fill the removed area with a sand-textured acrylic caulk from top to bottom. Leave the material at least 24 hours to cure before painting. The elasticity of the acrylic caulk will adjust in case the stucco walls move slightly.

​2. Big Cracks
If the cracks in the stucco are big (edge of a business card will fit) or have holes, a elastomeric patching compound or a cement-based material will be needed to fill the hole. It's best to carry out these repairs when the sun has moved away from that side of the house. Note; that excessive moisture or heat will prevent the material from setting correctly and make the repairs short-term. You'll want to grind these out clean and always remove loose stucco with a wire brush before applying the material. Wait for at least 24-48 hours to let the fresh patch cure before painting.

​Before starting off with the stucco repairs, examine the walls surveying the cracks to know if it would be economical to purchase pre-mixed stucco patch material (if the cracks are not many) or you need to mix your material from cement, lime or sand and use an acrylic bonding agent (if the cracks and holes are very large).

Call us or click here for an evaluation or advise with your stucco repairs in Jacksonville; we would be happy to help you!