Enhancing the beauty of your home might be a priority for you. Since we stay at home and people sometimes come as guests, we surely want to give them a good impression. Because of that, stucco may appeal to you. It is popular since it is low maintenance, water-proof, long-lasting, and gives homes a timeless appeal. It will surely give your house a textured look that will make it stand up. You can use it in different materials like brick, wood, cement, and others. Here is a guide to help you with your stucco home projects.
Process
When you are applying stucco on wood, make sure to cover it with building paper and attach metal latches for structure support. You will apply three layers: scratch coat, brown coat, and finish or color coat.
You have to do your project on days with low wind and the right temperature (50F to 60F). Temperature will affect your work, like how it will quickly dry out if the weather is too hot. Do not continue it if you see that the weather forecast for several days is too hot or cold.
Preparation
For bricks and cement walls, you only need to fix cracks and thoroughly wash it. You also need to make sure that it is wet before applying the scratch coat. For plywood, you have to cover it with two layers of building paper, and attach them with staples or roofing nails. You also need trim accessories and galvanized lath or netting. Sometimes, you also need to apply some bonding agents, depending on the material.
Application
Make sure that you get the right consistency when mixing. For the scratch coat, mix 1 part cement material (with lime) and 2 1/4 to 4 parts plaster sand. If you are applying stucco to bricks or cement, you may skip this step. Directly apply it using a square trowel held at a 45-degree angle. Spread it evenly with 3/8-inch thickness. Keep the surface moist as it cures for 24 to 48 hours.
Mix 1 part cement (with lime) and 3 to 5 parts sand for the brown coat. Layer it to 3/8-inch thickness. Make sure to do a smooth surface, so fill gaps or voids. Let it dry for a while, then you may use a sponge masonry float to smooth the surface. Allow it to cure for 24 to 48 hours, keeping it moist as it does. For cement and bricks, the brown coat is the first coat. Evenly apply it until it reaches a 3/8-inch thickness.
For the final or color coat, you will need to mix 1 part cement and 1 1/2 to 3 parts sand. You may add a stucco colorant to give it a hue. Use techniques like knife swaths to achieve the texture you want. If you want to make sure that you will do a seamless job, you may use a texture roller. Make sure to dampen the surface as it cures, so you won’t have cracks on the surface.
Stucco is great for your home; it will surely help it look new and upgraded for several years to come.