Comprehensive Guide to Stucco Repair for Homeowners
For strengthening build quality of the walls and add to aesthetic appeal of buildings, stucco is widely used in construction industry. Its durability and resistance to weather elements has made it popular in various countries including the USA. However, stucco repair can become necessary for homeowners as this protective material can get damaged with time. In most instances, stucco gets damaged by water seeping into walls and building structure. Excessive amount of humidity in an area can also contribute to its degradation and necessitate stucco repair.
essential to make required repair to walls and other parts like doors and windows
Once the cause of stucco degradation is figured out, it is essential to make required repair to walls and other parts like doors and windows to thwart the source of damage. In some instances, chimneys and drainage pipes can also be shifted or replaced to prevent further degradation and aid stucco repair. Inappropriately done repair jobs can also lead to degradation of stucco in some instances. Before venturing into repair, it is important to assess the extent of damage and test the wall surface to determine best possible repair methods.
Stucco repair strategy also depends on the stucco variant used in a building. Large buildings including churches and elite mansions often have conventional stucco consisting of sand, lime and water. On the contrary, in contemporary houses modern stucco is used, which comprises of the basic three ingredients along with Portland cement. At times, stucco can also contain additives like fibers and synthetic acrylics. Before carrying out stucco repair, ingredients like bitumen, Portland cement, polyvinyl acetate, sand, and latex paint need to be collected. Accessories like paint rollers, brush, bucket etc are also needed for repairing stucco wall surfaces.
Small stucco cracks can be filled easily with masonry caulk
Stucco repair may not be tedious if it involves covering up small holes and cracks on walls. Small stucco cracks can be filled easily with masonry caulk. To give the wall surface a seamless appearance, putty knife can be used. After the caulk gets dried evenly, painting can be done to blend it with wall color seamlessly. For painting on stucco surface, it is prudent to use acrylic-based paints. Its advantage is that the surface will become moisture resistant. People living in humid areas should benefit a lot from this method. For repairing small holes in stucco surface on exterior wall, premixed stucco material should be used. Stucco mix manufacturers specify time required for the material to dry. In general, stucco used to fill up holes may need many days to dry up.
Apart from developing cracks and holes, stucco can also get stained and tarnish the beauty of exterior walls. These stains can be caused by mold, rust, grease and dirt in most cases. Removing exterior concrete stain is not much tedious and using mild detergent solution can be effective. Rust stains on stucco can be caused by metal objects like shutters and gates. Homeowners should not ignore mildew stains on stucco as doing so can lead to widespread damage to house structure in long run. Chimneys can contribute to soot stains on stucco and these spots can be really tough to remove. Using specialized cleaning solutions may be needed for eliminating these stains.
There are certain aspects that play a pivotal role in successful stucco repair on various surfaces like concrete and drywall.
•Small cracks on exterior wall can be repaired by a person with stucco mix compound but repairing deep rooted vertical cracks in stucco can be critical and tedious. Usually, minor or hairline cracks on stucco can be handled with yearly whitewash. The stucco gets hardened by lime present in whitewash and thin lines get covered, thus thwarting chances of water seeping in. Before applying fresh stucco mix, it is recommended to eliminate loose and dirty stucco in the holes and cracks.
•Cracks that extend to foundation of wall from its surface should be handled by a professional. For intensive stucco repair, specific bonding agents are applied, followed by a mix of compatible acrylic mixture and Portland cement. A final coat of Portland cement finish completes the job.
•For lasting and effective stucco repair on walls and exterior surfaces, fiberglass mesh can be used prior to applying finishing coat. This is somewhat costly but lengthens life span of stucco considerably.
To minimize cost of stucco repair and prolong its lifespan, people need to carry out periodic maintenance on stucco coated walls and surfaces. By repairing minor stucco cracks in time, homeowners can save themselves from lots of expense and headaches later.
