Miami

The work of Stucco repair is best if left in the hands of professionals. However, you can go for DIY if you know that the damage is minor. However, you have to prepare your working area well and take some precautionary steps before carrying out this exercise.

It is good to check the weather report before doing stucco repair. Dry weather can cause wet stucco to dry fast while freezing temperatures may ruin it.  This can have adverse effects on the process of curing. Also, you need to prepare the damaged area well. Use a drywall knife, hammer, or chisel to remove all the loose stucco from the affected areas. However, don’t damage the mesh that is underneath the stucco. Brush away all the loose dirt or dust from your wall using a wire brush.

The next thing is to choose your supplies. The first thing you need to do is determining the kind of stucco you would like to use. You can go for a single coat or the traditional three-coat. You should know the application requirements of each stucco type before moving forward.

At this point, you need to prepare your stucco mix. The base stucco needs to have the consistency of toothpaste or peanut butter. You can mix motor-dye in a single-coat mixture or buy a mix that contains a pigment that closely matches that of your current home. It may be hard to match it 100% because of the effects of weathering.

You can now repair the stucco damage. Use a garden hose to dampen the wall and use a trowel to apply the stucco to the wall. After filling the area in, match the texture that surrounds the stucco patch. Let the stucco dry before you can apply a paint and masonry primer as needed.

The stucco mixture comprises sand, hydrated lime, and Portland cement. The layer bonds well with the mesh that is installed in the building as its base layer. The second mixture is a brown coat that has a high sand concentration. You can get premeasured mixes in the store if you don’t want to mix by yourself. The third mixture is the finishing coat and will have small amounts of sand so as to make it smooth. You can get pre-made mixes that add a broad range of pigments among other additives like adobe, marble, and acrylic among others for texture.

If the underneath wire mesh is damaged, you will have to replace it before you repair the stucco. You will have to cut a new wire mesh piece using a pair of wire cutters and fit it in the damaged area. Pack the stucco mixture in the mesh and then allow it to dry.

However, there comes a time when you have to call stucco repair contractors to work on the project. The first case is when the damage goes beyond the foundation of the building. You should not handle such repairs unless you have the right experience in major home repairs. Attempting to fix such issues can damage your surface further. Miami Stucco and EIFS Repair Services are better placed to offer you exemplary stucco repair services.