Give your stucco home a facelift with a fresh coat of paint
Whether you’re refreshing the current color or changing the color of your stucco entirely, a fresh coat or two of paint can go a long way toward improving your home’s appearance. Although painting a stucco house can be labor intensive, especially if you’re painting the entire exterior of your home, you can DIY this if you have the time, tools, and do a bit of research to get you through each step of the process. So it’s a good thing you’re here, because we’ll walk you through the steps of how to paint a stucco house using the best paint for stucco (see later in the article, after the how-to steps).
Clear the area you’ll be working in. Lay down tarps to protect any plants, landscaping, pavement, or decking. If you need a ladder or scaffolding to reach some of the stucco, consider calling a professional painter as working on ladders can be dangerous, and scaffolding can be costly and time-consuming to rent as well as assemble and disassemble and move. Another option is to rent a painting lift, which typically costs $100 to $650 per day.
If your stucco has existing paint on it, use 80- to 100-grit sandpaper to rough up the existing paint to help the new paint adhere. An important part of prepping any paint project is to make sure to clean the surface you’re painting. Dirt, debris, grease, and other materials can keep the paint from sticking, so cleaning the stucco will help the paint adhere more securely, extending the life of the paint. Clean the stucco with a soft-bristle brush and a cleaning solution that’s approved for stucco. Rinse with a garden hose and spray nozzle. Try to avoid using a pressure washer unless you have experience, because a pressure washer could possibly damage the stucco if held too closely or at a pressure too high for the material to withstand.
Inspect the stucco for any cracks, chips, or loose material. Hairline cracks will usually be filled in when you paint the stucco, but you can fill any cracks you find with caulk. Patch any chips with a stucco patch material. However, if you find wide cracks (¼” or more) or large amounts of stucco material peeling or flaking off, you may have moisture or shifting problems that a professional stucco contractor should assess. Allow any caulk and patch material to dry for the manufacturer’s recommended amount of time.
While the caulk and patch material dries, apply painter’s tape around the edges of the stucco to keep from getting paint on windows, trim, and other adjacent surfaces. Taking your time to tape neatly will help save you time and give you crisp lines. Tape painter’s plastic over any windows or other surfaces that might get paint splatters or drips.
Stir the primer and pour it into the paint tray with a liner (for easy cleanup and switching to paint). Use a 3-inch paintbrush to cut in the edges. Then roll a coat of primer on the rest with a ¾ to 1-½ inch nap roller cover to make sure the paint gets into the deeper crevices in the texture. Apply one coat and allow the primer to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.
The best type of paint to use on stucco is acrylic, because it’s durable as well as breathable. Breathability is important because it doesn’t trap moisture that can cause mold and deterioration. As with the primer, cut in the edges with a paint brush. Then roll a coat of acrylic paint on with a 3/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch nap roller cover. Work in smaller areas to avoid letting the edge of the paint dry. Maintaining a wet edge helps the paint blend and avoids lines in your paint job. Allow the first coat of paint to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.
After the first coat is dry, repeat the same process as the first coat for the second coat. Again, allow the second coat to dry for the recommended length of time.
Once the second coat has dried for the recommended amount of time, gently remove the painter’s tape to avoid damaging the edge of the paint. Remove the painter’s plastic and dispose of the tape and plastic. When considering the cost to paint stucco, remember that prep and cleanup should be included as part of the job.
Many painting projects can be DIY, depending on the size and complexity of the prep and painting involved. Painting the exterior of your home can require working on ladders, scaffolding, or lifts, which can be dangerous and quite labor intensive. Something larger in scope is probably more suited to a professional exterior painter. While you may save on the labor cost by doing it yourself, the time and potential for costly mistakes may be worth the price of a pro. On average, the cost to paint a house exterior ranges from $1,900 to $4,500.
When done correctly, a roller or paint sprayer can be used to paint stucco. Rolling paint works well on smaller projects, while a sprayer is more efficient for larger jobs. With some practice, a homeowner can rent an airless sprayer to paint stucco, but a larger job may be best done by a professional painter. Smaller areas are more manageable for the DIY homeowner.
The best exterior paint finish for stucco is a flat or low-gloss finish. A high-gloss finish will show imperfections in the stucco and give it a candy-coated look that many homeowners don’t like. The best types of exterior paint to use on stucco are acrylic, masonry, and elastomeric. However, acrylic is recommended because it is both durable and breathable.
Priming stucco before painting is not an absolute requirement, but applying a primer coat is recommended. Primer is designed to serve as a strong bonding agent between the stucco surface and the outer paint layers. Using a primer can also help produce even coverage and color for a better-looking final product.
