Stucco paint job

[Learninggal]

Guys - 100yr old stucco home and looking to do a paint job but obviously have to fill all the cracks first. Potentially hiring someone as it'll take 2 weeks for the whole house. It was last painted 9 yrs ago and most cracks are on the chimney and patio. For these two areas, this contractor recommended using a stucco base mesh (reinforcing mesh) and then using Elastomeric paint. For all other areas of the home, they will only use Elastomeric paint after fixing any cracks

Any thoughts on the above?

Thanks

 

[egdede]

Elastomeric paint seems like the fix (I have 100 year old stucco too). But I opted out after seeing other jobs it seemed to fade too quick. Plus it was going to be 2-3 times more expensive. Not sure where you are, but usually found termites wood behind my cracked stucco : (

 

[Shiftless]

My next door neighbor had elastomeric paint applied to a poorly prepared chalky stucco surface and it peeled badly in only a few years.

I had a similarly chalky surface on my stucco when we bought the house 40years ago. I pressure washed and then applied an oil based stucco sealer that had fibers in it. Then I painted with a 100% acrylic paint. Roller, not spray. That never peeled. After 15 years or so, it was time for a more modern color so I pressure washed again and applied another coat of high quality acrylic paint. Roller, not sprayed. And for the trim I sanded, primed it all, and the. Brushed on another coat of semi gloss.

It’s time consuming but not actually what I would call hard work. Just time consuming and for many guys, unbelievably boring. Digging trenches and busting concrete is hard work.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Your stucco already's been painted so it's kind of too late, but...it's best not to paint stucco at all. If you want to change the color, they can apply a tinted dash coat that works very well, plus it takes care of cracks in the original stucco.

 

[Learninggal]

Any comments on using stucco base mesh or too late for that? I think contractor was referring to something like this - https://www.homedepot.com/p/BOEN-38-in-x-150-ft-Non-Adhesive-EIFS-Stucco-Mesh-EM-38150/203071686

 

[nadogail]

We like a "High Build" quality paint that bridges those hairline cracks in the stucco.

I have seen those houses that were coated with the heavy plastic coating that was supposed to be so wonderful, when they peel they are the epitomy of ugleyness.

The idea that you can save by using a cheap Bargin Basement paint is, IMHO, very wroung.

 

[Learninggal]

Ok, no comments on yet about base mesh - thoughts if it's good, bad?

 

[Learninggal]

Your stucco already's been painted so it's kind of too late, but...it's best not to paint stucco at all. If you want to change the color, they can apply a tinted dash coat that works very well, plus it takes care of cracks in the original stucco.

I like your point about not painting stucco at all and I’ve been reading about that on different forums. Obviously we are going to take the paint out. After that, can we apply new stucco onto old stucco or does all the old Stocco needs to be taken out to expose the brick on the chimney? And would that be a long process because we plan to do the whole Chimney now and hire someone for it. Thanks

 

[Norcal]

The best choice for stucco is a color coat over having it painted.

 

[egdede]

Yes but he is already painted. And, in my so cal neighborhood, 100 year old stucco usually appears to be concrete and very hard. My home is basically 1' thick concrete shell. Very very hard. A contractor once characterized my stucco as cement based and newer stucco as lime based. I have certainly noticed that some newer homes with stucco soft enough to be scratched off with a fingernail. Stucco basically used to be mortar with a little lime.

No thought was given to water penetration on my 100 year old home. And where there is no water penetration a 100 YO structure can be as sound as the day as it was built. (Now there are stucco like panels which allow drainage flow of penetrating water. My home had shifting foundations leading to cracks leading to water leading to the kind of wood that calls to termites : (

 

[Learninggal]

So what do you folks think I should do in my current situation? Cost is a big consideration.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If there are cracks and/or loose spots, take out the old stucco back to where it's still firmly attached and then patch it, but you shouldn't need to remove everything.

 

[Learninggal]

Patch with just off-white stucco and leave as-is right? Not planning to paint as long as it’s not terribly obvious to see different colors on the chimney

 

[legenddc]

Our house was about 40 years old with EIFS mesh stucco. It had been repaired, patched and painted a few times before we bought it and you could tell. Had some estimates and between the lack of local expertise on stucco and cost we ended up replacing it with siding.

Obviously not for everyone and depending where you are and the climate stucco may be fine.

 

[pcmeiners]

Galvanized mesh if on wood, with a coat of bonding agent (weldcrete or "milk"), thin oil base primer, not thick, as you need it to allow moisture through, then a top coat.

"For these two areas, this contractor recommended using a stucco base mesh (reinforcing mesh)"

This, mesh and bonding agent for chimney, Patio ?

Larsen 22000 1G Blue Weld CreteDefault Title

Bonds new concrete, stucco, tile setting beds and terrazzo to any structurally sound surface. Interior/exterior use. UPC #: 716076220005

www.painterssolutions.com

 

[bb29510]

get some of that paint that has sand in it

 

[goodWood]

We just had our 100+ year old stucco house repainted. Stucco was in generally good condition--mostly old paint peeling. We first had a stucco contractor patch some big cracks due to settling for an addition in the 1980's and around a window replacement. Painters fixed a several other smaller cracks. Stucco guys did an outstanding job-- can't see or hardly see what they did.. outstanding job on matching the texture. Painters not so much-- can see exactly where they patched. So, consider getting advice/estimates from stucco contractors rather than painters. Painters did do a good job on the peeling paint... 4 guys scraping for several days--not a job I'd want to do.

We had estimates for elastomeric paint but went with regular paint as several people said it was difficult to touch up we may be do some alternations in the future.

 

[Learninggal]

Can anybody who simply used white stucco and left it as is without painting recommend or tell me which brand of white stucco did you use and how have the results been for you. We plan to do this first on our brick chimney completely (fixing cracks and then applying new stucco on top of current stucco). If things work well, we'll do the same on the whole house with no paint at all and let the stucco breathe

 

[Fav Onefour]

Can anybody who simply used white stucco and left it as is without painting recommend or tell me which brand of white stucco did you use and how have the results been for you. We plan to do this first on our brick chimney completely (fixing cracks and then applying new stucco on top of current stucco). If things work well, we'll do the same on the whole house with no paint at all and let the stucco breathe

I'd like to know what you are dealing with for cracks on the chimney. Is it getting water damage, mortar deterioration, or is it structural movement?

 

[Learninggal]

mostly just old age in our 100 year old home. The bricks are obviously 100 years old too so not in the best shape but not terrible either. We can't take out all the stucco and fix the brick joints as the job will be cost-prohibitive and we may only be in this house another 10 years. There were some water damage, but that's been fixed as we have new chimney caps and a new liner inside

 

[Learninggal]

Here is an image but most of it has been fixed up with stucco patch. But now we want to use just white stucco to make it all look better -

https://imgur.com/a/snQQ0A3

 

[Learninggal]

Any recommendation on brand of white stucco or if I should do things differently?