How to Repair Stucco

Stucco is composed of water, a binding material and construction aggregate which is mainly used as a strengthening material. It is a building material and it gives the walls, an attractive look. Moreover, it is durable and weather-proof. The use of stucco in the United States dates back to the nineteenth century. St John's Church, Washington D.C. is an example of one of the most important stucco structures of the nineteenth century. Stucco was considered to be a far more superior, inexpensive, dryer and a warmer material than the bricks by Andrew Jackson Downing, who was an architect of those times. Stucco is of two types, the traditional and the modern. The traditional stucco comprised water along with sand and lime whereas the modern one consists of sand, water, lime and Portland cement. The modern stucco is a cement plaster wall covering used for exterior walls of the building. It sometimes might also contain a mixture of additives that include synthetic acrylics and fibers. This mixture is added with an aim to increase the strength. Other than walls, stucco can also be applied on wood. From the above discussion, it is understood that stucco is a vital material to strengthen the wall and also for home decorating purposes. Stucco repair becomes necessary when it shows signs of damage. So let us find out how to repair stucco.

Steps to Repair Stucco

Stucco repair is not a difficult job, it only requires some practice to do it perfectly. In order to practice, you can try stucco repair on boards that contain holes on it. Once you heal those cracks successfully, you can move further to do the actual job.

Material Required

You will require Portland cement, bitumen, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) bonding agents, dampened rags, one soft bristled brush, latex paint, some garden hoses and attachments, paint rollers, primer, hammer, cold chisel, caulking material, bucket, one fiberglass cloth and adequate quantity of builders sand.

Procedure for Stucco Repair

    * The first step in repairing exterior stucco is to completely soak the crack area with the help of a hose. If done so, the stucco would not separate water from the new mortar and thus would prevent crumbling.
    * The next step is to prepare the mortar by mixing some water to one part of the Portland cement and about four parts of the builders' sand. Ensure that the mortar has become thick enough to be used for the work.
    * Further, take the polyvinyl acetate bonding agent and cover the cracked area.
    * The bond would remain a little sticky for some time, therefore apply the mortar to the crack at this time itself. This would fix the bond and the mortar mix properly to the crack.
    * Now, cover the cracked area with the help of bitumen-coated fiberglass.
    * Further, the fiberglass needs to be fixed in its place. You can do this by pressing a paint roller over it.
    * Apply bitumen to the crack area now and let it dry. On drying the first coat, apply the second coat and spread it uniformly with the help of soft bristled brush, so that the coat doesn't stand out as an odd spot on the wall
    * You might be wondering how to paint a stucco? Well, it is not difficult. Use the primer to paint the patched area and let the primer dry. Apply another coat of primer and take care that the newly painted area should look a part of the rest of the wall.

Some Tips to Remember While Repairing Stucco

    * If you ever find vertical cracks from the bottom of the wall to the window or from the roof of the wall to the door, have these cracks repaired from a professional. As such, cracks indicate a fault in the foundation of the wall.
    * Very tiny cracks that are less than 1/8 inch can be stuffed with a superior quality caulk. Prefer using a caulk that allows painting on it post application.
    * For painting a stucco, always prefer an acrylic-based paint which prevents moisture from accumulating in the stucco paint.

So you have seen that stucco repair is not at all a difficult job. Stucco installation can be achieved with sufficient practice followed by proper implementation of the above procedure in getting that right finish for your walls.

By Ujwal Deshmukh