Find Stucco Painting & Repair Near Me
Stucco is a wonderful, versatile siding material that’s popular in both hot and cold climates for its good looks, longevity, and sturdiness. Over time, however, stucco can crack, need patching or develop dark spots that should be covered. Whether your home or commercial building has a rough or smooth stucco finish, you’ll want to call upon an expert to repair holes or cracks properly, making sure your property is protected against the elements. And while stucco lasts a long time, its color can eventually start to fade or become discolored from water or rust stains at which point you’ll want to repaint it, utilizing a professional painter who specializes in stucco re-finishing.
Rely upon Great Guys Painting to find skilled, licensed contractors in your area who know and understand the nuances of working with stucco siding. Click now to get free quotes from experienced contractors near you in just minutes!
Professional Stucco Repair and Painting Services
There are many reasons why stucco siding may crack on your home or commercial building: the ground settling, frame expansion in hot and cold temperatures, or poor application of the siding material. Whatever, the reason, it’s important to have the stucco repaired before re-painting.
Patching and Repairing
Once you notice cracks or holes in your stucco siding, you’ll want to repair the stucco before further cracking or water intrusion takes place. Small hairline cracks (less than 1/8 of an inch) can safely be filled with an elastomeric caulk that expands and contracts with temperature changes. Pros will usually “stipple” the caulk with a brush to make sure the pattern matches the surrounding stucco. Larger cracks can indicate structural problems and should be looked at by a professional who can evaluate the root cause. Holes should also be filled with caulking and covered with new stucco.
Water Damage Remediation
Cracks and holes in your stucco can allow water to seep in and cause severe damage like mold and dry rot. You’ll be able to recognize water-damaged stucco by dark stains or streaks, cracks around doors and windows, or soft spots on your exterior. Experts will fix water-damaged stucco by removing the ruined section of stucco (much like you would if you were repairing drywall). They will patch with stucco that matches your own, applying two to three coats as needed. Once the patched area has dried, it can be re-painted.
Priming & Painting
When you’re ready to re-paint your stucco, your painting contractor will clean the surface with a stiff brush or power washer. They’ll remove loose sections with a putty knife and fill cracks with special caulking. Once all repairs have dried, they’ll prime the surface with an elastomeric primer. If there are surface stains, they’ll prime those spots with stain-blocking primer. Once the primer has dried, they’ll start painting. First, they’ll paint around doors and windows with a paintbrush. Next, they’ll cover the rest of the stucco with a large roller. Once that coat has dried, they’ll apply one or two more, depending on how much coverage is needed.
How Professional Stucco Contractors Repair and Paint Stucco
We all tend to put off repairs to our properties until, often, it’s too late. Prevent severe damage to your home or commercial property by having your cracked and broken stucco professionally repaired and re-painted…your building will thank you for it! Following are the steps that pros take to repair, prep, and paint stucco.
1. Inspect
Stucco is enormously popular as a siding material due to its versatility and longevity. But as strong as it is, it may crack over time, or become compromised by harsh weather, ground movement, or even flying objects. While properly applied stucco and paint can last 20 years or more, it’s important to inspect your property regularly to see if the stucco has developed any cracks, if the paint is peeling or if there are any holes. If so, you’ll have some choices to make.
2. Decide
Once you’ve taken inventory of your stucco’s condition, you’ll need to decide what level of repair and refinishing is required. Are there just one or two small cracks? Chances are you can get away with repairing the section(s) and touching up the paint. Or is the damage more severe with large spots allowing moisture to seep in, and paint fading or peeling? In either case, you’ll want to make sure to hire a professional to get the job done right.
3. Clean & Prep
After your painting company’s on board, they’ll begin by cleaning the exterior of your home or commercial property. First, they will dislodge stuck-on debris from the crevices with a stiff-bristled broom. If the exterior is only mildly dirty, the painters will wash with soap and water, or if it needs more extensive cleaning, they’ll utilize an industrial-strength cleaner and a power washer. The walls will need to be clear of dirt, dust, climbing vines, and mildew before painting can begin. The surface should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before the next steps.
4. Patch
When the stucco is completely dry, the painters will mask off sections not to be painted (like windows) and lay down drop cloths to protect the surrounding landscape. Then, they’ll begin patching damaged areas, large and small. If there are extensive repairs, the caulking and re-applied stucco will need time to cure before painting. Small cracks will be scraped, filled with masonry-compatible caulking, and sanded. Larger areas may be dug out with a putty knife, re-filled with caulking, and covered with layers of new stucco.
5. Prime
With everything cleaned and patched, the painters can begin priming. They’ll use rollers to cover large areas and brushes for edges or hard-to-reach spots. Good painters will apply two to three thin coats of expandible elastomeric primer to create a smoother painting surface, rather than one thick coat. If there is heavy staining that cannot be removed, they may choose to prime those areas with a stain-blocking primer that will prevent discoloration from showing through the paint.
6. Paint
Once the primer has dried, they can start painting the building. Again, they’ll apply two to three coats of paint with a sprayer or thick nap roller so as to properly saturate the textured surface. More delicate areas, like around the roofline or windows and doors, should be handled with a paintbrush. Once the paint has dried, the pros will cut the masking tape with a utility knife and carefully peel it off without removing any paint or stucco underneath.
7. Maintenance
Moving forward, the best way to prevent future damage is to maintain your home’s stucco. Keep it clean by spraying it with a garden hose every once and a while: lightly loosen dirt, then applying more pressure to remove it. If you see any cracks forming, repair them right away and touch up the paint.
EIFS Notes
If your building has EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems), a.k.a. synthetic stucco, and you notice damage, you will need to find a contractor who specializes in the material. EIFS is notorious for not breathing well, and if water gets in around flashing or other entryways, it will not evaporate easily. This, in turn, will lead to rot and mold. Great Guys Painting can help you find siding contractors who have the skills to properly repair and replace compromised synthetic stucco.
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Got cracks? Don’t try to repair cracks and holes in your stucco yourself! Request free quotes from licensed painting contractors in your area who can handle stucco repairs and painting for you.
