When you live in a climate that is hot and dry, stucco siding is a popular choice among homeowners. Just like any other kind of siding, stucco needs to be painting every now and then as the color can start to look old and tired. When you care for and maintain stucco siding properly, you can enjoy that siding for decades to come. Part of maintaining it is painting it. It is important that you know that when you’re painting stucco, you need to do it right, or you will have a mess on your hands. Jeff the Painter is here to talk about some of the mistakes that people make when they are painting stucco.

Is Painting Over Stucco a Good Idea?

There are several ways that you can mess up your stucco when you don’t paint it right. Making sure that your stucco is cared for properly and prepped properly before painting is a big deal. Here are some of the most common mistakes that homeowners make when they paint their stucco on their own.
– Painting Before Curing: When stucco is first applied to the outside of the house, it has to be given the proper amount of time to cure before it is painted. This is usually about 60 days. You may need to give it even more time if your climate is wetter than normal.
– Ignoring Stucco Repairs: It isn’t uncommon for repairs to need to be made with stucco siding just like other types of siding. Sometimes there are cracks that need to be repaired or paint that is starting to peel off the stucco. It is important that you repair the stucco before your start to paint.
– Not Cleaning Before Painting: Just like any other surface, you need to make sure it is cleaned properly before painting it. Stucco is a porous surface and will have many cracks and crevices that need to be cleaned before painting to ensure the paint adheres to the surface.
– Not Drying Completely: It is vital that the stucco has ample drying time after cleaning it before you start painting. Since stucco is so porous, it takes longer to dry than other materials. If you paint stucco that is wet, you could run into mold problems.
– Wrong Painting Techniques: You need to make sure you’re painting stucco using the right techniques so that you get the best application possible. It is recommended that you either roll on paint or use a paint sprayer. Stay away from paintbrushes.
– Trying to Paint Yourself: It may be tempting to try and paint the stucco siding on your house by yourself. However, it is difficult enough to get it painted properly, that you should always leave this up to the professionals.

Interior & Exterior House Painting & More in San Marcos, Temecula, Vista, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad & Escondido, California

If your stucco home needs to be painted, you can turn to Jeff the Painter to make sure the job is done right. We have the equipment and training needed to ensure your stucco home will be beautiful once we have finished painting it. Call us today!