Repairing and Painting Exterior Stucco: A New Look For Your Stucco Home

Stucco can be an incredibly high-maintenance material to take on as a DIY project if you don’t know the ins and outs of working with a unique finish. For exterior painting colors on stucco, we love pulling inspiration from the landscapes of the American Southwest where stucco finishes are aplenty.

Stucco homes have a visually interesting finish with a uniquely beautiful and beneficial exterior coating. This cement-like siding material is typically made of sand, Portland cement, lime, and water.

These ingredients make one of the more cost-effective types of home exteriors. Stucco can last more than 50 years with the proper maintenance and is highly energy-efficient (which is why you see it so often used in the American Southwest!).

One thing stucco isn’t so good at?

Being the focus of a DIY project.

Leave your exterior stucco painting and repair needs to the professionals so you know you’ll have a completed project that will stand the test of time (and look flawless!).

Read on to learn more about the CertaPro Painters® process for repairing and painting stucco and get some trending exterior painting project color schemes that can have your home looking like new in no time.

Challenges with Painting Exterior Stucco

Stucco siding can be finicky, laborious and time-consuming material to work with as a homeowner. Do-it-yourself application is not recommended for initial installation or maintenance repair jobs along the way. The same goes for painting a stucco house yourself.

Due to the texture and necessary prep work to ensure the paint sticks properly to the surface, it’s best to leave your stucco painting or repair project to the professionals.

The exterior painting professionals at CertaPro Painters® know just how to handle your stucco painting and repair needs. They’ll work their magic to replace any damaged, bulged, cracked, or browned streaks that may be not only hurting your curb appeal, but also impacting the stability and longevity of your home.

The Benefits of Stucco Painted Houses

Insulation

Stucco is a natural fit for homes in a desert climate due to their ability to insulate. This is why stucco painted exteriors are so popular in the Southwest region of the U.S. The insulating material does well to keep out hot temperatures and insulate on cold winter nights. Most stucco homes can help cut costs by keeping your home well-insulated.

Fire-Resistance

Stucco is also fire-resistant. Homeowners get an extra level of security in dry climates that are prone to fires when they have stucco finishes.

Unique Aesthetic

Beyond the practical nature of the material in hot, dry climates, stucco also provides a Southwest aesthetic. For homes built in this style, exterior stucco can be a great way to embrace the home’s architectural features such as slightly sloped, terra-cotta covered roofs and vigas that protrude through the exterior walls.

Our Favorite Stucco Paint Colors

The Southwestern landscape can draw big inspiration for your home’s exterior color palette. Many exterior painting color palettes incorporate the natural colors of the dry deserts and green valleys surrounding them.

For some color inspiration, look to Sherwin-Williams’ Desert & Southwest Style Palette that “highlights the warm, earthy tones of sun-baked adobe homes, terra-cotta roof tiles and desert sands with just enough contrasting hues of green and gray to cool you off.”

Any of their selections would look lovely on a stucco home (even if your roots aren’t in the Southwest). Paying homage to these styles is a great way to highlight your unique stucco finish.

We especially love Sherwin-Williams stucco paint color pairings like:

• Oak Creek (SW 7718)
• Spiced Cider (SW 7701)
• Tiki Hut (SW 7509)

For a brighter body color, look to:

• Birdseye Maple (SW 2834)
• Lanyard (SW 7680)
• Link Gray (SW 6202)

Benjamin Moore also includes rich earth tones of the Southwestern deserts as part of their America’s Colors Collection of 42 subtle hues. Colorado Clay (AC-15), also known as Roman Shade (1228), especially gives us those terra-cotta feelings.

Why Are Exterior Stucco Repairs Needed?

There are two types of stucco houses.

Ones that are cracked and ones that are going to crack.

Any cement-based product is eventually going to crack under the pressures of expansion, wind, moisture, or stress. Cracking can also be caused by the improper fitting of lath or an incorrect mixture of stucco when it was first applied.

The untrained eye doesn’t know a spider crack from a hairline crack––and you don’t have to in order to get them fixed. With the proper repair from a team of professionals, you’ll gain peace of mind that your home will be left with greater stability.

Sometimes, repair techniques are not enough to fix your stucco problems and you’ll need what is called remediation. Remediation is needed when stucco is left untreated and exposed to water that can put your home at risk for developing mold.

If you purchased a home with a stucco exterior that the previous owners did not upkeep, there may be significant damage beyond the normal cracks or discoloration. Functional flaws will need to be assessed and replaced accordingly. This way, your stucco has a clean bill of health upon completion of the project!

It can be especially tricky to get the desired texture and color to match the original finish when making repairs to stucco as well. If you’re not completely comfortable and knowledgeable in the restoration process of stucco, it’s best left to the professionals.

Not to worry, your local CertaPro Painters® team will come in and evaluate the different kinds of cracks in your stucco to form a personalized repair plan for your home’s exterior. Different cracks will require different kinds of care depending on their size and placement.

Professional Stucco Painting and Repair

Updating your home’s exterior painting palette requires much more attention and skill when you have a stucco finish. Primer is recommended on stucco to cover repairs and leave a smooth finish. Without it, the stucco can absorb moisture from the coating, leaving it vulnerable to cracks.

The kind of stucco texture on your home will also play a role in the methods and tools needed to properly adhere paint to the existing texture. Tapping into the equipment resources that a professional painting team can provide, like pressure washers for proper prep work and paint sprayers for optimal application, will get the job done much more efficiently with a polished result.

Exterior paint provides more than just a facelift for your home’s exterior. A well-applied paint project will help protect your stucco from rain, pollution, and mold. It also helps preserve the stucco by preventing cracking and crumbling.

The surface needs to be able to “breathe,” so the best paint selections are ones that are vapor permeable. Blistering or peeling can happen if the wrong paint is used that introduces too much moisture into the walls. Professional painters will be able to advise you on the best waterproof paint you should be utilizing for superior protection.

When you choose to have a professional painting project completed by the team at CertaPro Painters®, they’ll ensure that the cured stucco is sealed with elastomeric/waterproof primer to create a uniform surface for applying your chosen color palette. If you have no idea what elastomeric stucco painting means, no problem. That’s why they’re there!

When you take good care of your stucco, it will take good care of your home for years to come. If you’re feeling unclear about what repairs may be needed or how to tackle painting exterior stucco, reach out to the team at CertaPro Painters®.

They’d be happy to lend their expertise on the material so repairs are addressed properly and paint is applied properly so that the professional painting project will keep your home looking good and protected for years to come. Call 1-800-689-7271 or schedule a free estimate online to get started!