As a way of covering both the outer and inner walls of residential and commercial buildings, stucco continues to prove immensely popular, thanks in part to its affordability and its smooth, practical and attractive finish. Also able to be tinted so that it dries to a particular color, homeowners can tailor the exact shade of stucco to make their home stand out from others in the neighborhood.
Available in a range of different colors, stucco can be used on walls constructed from block, brick and stone. Made up of a combination of sand and cement, stucco gives a clean and waterproof finish that is also resistant to scratches. It’s worth noting that stucco is also an energy efficient material to use, and helps to insulate a home and reduce energy bills.
If you’re considering stucco as a wall covering either inside or outside of your home or business, (and what a great decision you’ve made, by the way!), here is a brief 5-step guide to help you care for and maintain it so that it lasts and lasts:
- Try to clean stucco walls during springtime Because stucco is highly porous, it’s important to clean it appropriately, and ideally during the spring or summer months. Helping to open the stucco’s pores, the milder climate of spring and summer will aid the cleaning process and make it more effective overall.
- Only ever use an appropriate cleaning product To ensure that your stucco isn’t playing host to mold (which is both unsightly and bad for your health), you should clean it with a special solution that’s widely available in both a powder and a spray. Read the instructions for use carefully to make sure you apply the correct amount.
- Ensure that a primer is used before stucco is applied If you have your stucco walls applied by a professional construction contractor, you shouldn’t have to worry about this, but for self-builders, a stucco primer should always be used before stucco is applied to prevent it from absorbing water and becoming moldy or damaged. Additionally, the use of a primer will help the pores of the stucco to seal, and make it watertight.
- Apply stucco sealer As mentioned previously, because stucco is porous, it easily absorbs water, and if being applied to a roof, it will have to be sealed to make it watertight. Available in a range of colors, stucco sealer also helps make stucco more weather resistant.
- Use stucco on your exterior walls Helping to stop water from permeating the walls of your home, stucco can also help keep your home at a cooler temperature when the mercury rises. It’s best to apply stucco to the exterior of your home at the end of spring, or just as fall is approaching.
Versatile and aesthetically appealing when professionally applied, stucco can help protect your home from the elements, keep it cooler during the long, hot summer months, and provided you care for it appropriately using the steps above, it should last for many, many years to come.