Ellen’s Home Exterior Makeover Continues with Stucco Repairs
After Stucco Repairs, Before Primer
Ellen is revitalizing her home with a fresh coat of paint – and making a few vital repairs along the way!
In the first part of this project series Ellen shared Benefits of Repainting Your Home’s Exterior; click the link to read more about why painting your home’s exterior is more than just a face lift. If you’re already caught up, keep reading to learn about the process of painting your stucco home.
Repaired Soffit Looking Sharp!
Prep Work: Inspect and Repair as Necessary
Preparation is important for just about every project; house painting even more so. The exterior house painting process is detailed and taking vital steps to prepare your home properly before paint will help your fresh new paint job to last decades.
First things first, start with an exterior home inspection. Scan the outside of your house for any damage, especially wood rot. As mentioned in the previous blog, Ellen discovered damaged soffit which had to be repaired before painting could begin. Removing the rotted wood and replacing the old with brand new soffit took nearly four days.
Stucco Repair Curing
Ellen’s stucco exterior also needed extra attention before painting. Stucco is a mixture of powdered cement or limestone combined with water and sand until it has a mortar-like consistency. When properly maintained, stucco does an excellent job of protecting your home from the hazards of rain and other moisture. If the stucco is cracked or otherwise damaged, moisture can enter your home – causing mold, wood rot and other deterioration.
Stucco repair experts use a masonry-compatible caulk to seal off cracks in the stucco; for larger areas of repair, these professionals use a dry stucco repair product blended with water to close big gaps. Stucco repairs need time to cure before painting; following manufacturer’s recommended guidelines to allow the repairs to fully set.
Remove Downspouts for “EZ” Painting
Remove Downspouts = Better Results
While waiting for stucco to cure it’s a great time to remove the downspouts in your gutter system before starting your paint job. If you don’t remove the downspouts, it’s a struggle to paint walls evenly and, if your downspouts are a contrasting color to the base exterior paint, removing the downspouts and painting them while detached will ensure they are painted completely – front and back.
Clean Surfaces Allow Better Painting
It’s almost time to paint – but before opening that first can, take time to “sweep” cobwebs and dirt from your home’s exterior. Not removing dust and dirt can result in a patchy or discolored paint job. If you have stucco on your home and it has a deeply textured surface, you may want to use a power washer to fully prepare your home – but use caution! Harsh power-washing can be too strong for old homes with more delicate woodwork like cedar shake and decks. When in doubt a hose with nozzle and a sponge may be a better choice.
Painter’s Tape Protects Doors & Windows
Prime Time
Once your home’s exterior walls are repaired and cleaned, it’s time to carefully mask off the edges of your doors and windows and other areas to protect them from the base paint color.
Ellen says it’s important to choose the highest quality of paint that you can afford; not only will this achieve a more polished finish, but a higher quality product will last longer on your home.
Once trim has been masked, begin applying exterior primer to the trickier edges of your home before moving onto the main wall surfaces. Coat with one solid coat of primer if needed being careful to not over-apply paint.
Choose a thick-nap paint roller that can reach into the insets of the stucco. Let the roller do the work – but don’t press the roller too firmly or you may compress the thick-nap of the roller and leave roller streaks.
If your stucco isn’t too deep, a thick roller should work, but a roller is best used on flat home surfaces. For deeply textured stucco, many homeowners hire professional painters because a paint sprayer works much better than even the thickest roller. Ellen was wise enough to have the experts come out and professionally apply the paint. Spraying the paint or primer on also allows you to apply fewer coats of product, saving you time and money, and leaving a thorough and more evenly coated finish.
Base Coating Almost Complete!
Let the primer dry for the manufacturer’s recommended time before proceeding to the next step. Once the primer is dry, you’ll want to use a paintbrush to carefully outline – or cut-in – the edges of your doors and windows. Then use a roller to apply exterior paint to the broader surfaces. Again, depending on the surfaces of your walls and the scope of the project, it may be best (and safer) to have a professional painter take on the project.
Base Paint Almost Complete – Trim to Come
This layer will need to dry fully before applying additional coats of paint (which may be determined by how bold the color shift from old paint to new is). Lighter colors on dark may require more coats. For a smooth and professional appearance without runs, it’s better to apply multiple layers versus one thick coat.
After applying the base coat you can really begin to see your home’s new look coming along. For trim painting and other final steps (and the big reveal!) stay tuned!
More From Paint Expert Alan Johnson
Ellen recently interviewed painter and wood rot repair expert Alan Johnson in her “I’ve Got a Guy Series.” If you’d like to learn more about how to check for wood rot or how to prevent it, be sure to watch the interview here!
If you have questions about the best way to interview a painter or hire a contractor, Ellen is happy to walk you through the process. For more on this project and painting your own home, contact Ellen online today! You can also give her a call at (816) 489-6950!
