Stucco is a durable and relatively maintenance-free siding and it can last for the lifetime of a home.  But as is the case with all of the surfaces in and around your home, it needs to be maintained.

     You should inspect your stucco at least once a year – springtime is a good time because you can check for any damage which occurred over the winter.  And your landscaping isn’t in the way of viewing your house from roof line to foundation.

     Even if stucco is applied properly, it will likely crack.  You can anticipate cracks on large slabs – just like a driveway, a stucco wall is prone to cracking because large areas of stucco cannot accommodate expansion and contraction without give somewhere in the surface.

     Examine your stucco for hairline cracks, vertical cracks running from the roof line, cracks around windows and doors and at any point of transition such as a corner.  Repairs should be made on cracks that are 1/16 of an inch or larger.  If cracks are not promptly attended to and properly repaired, water from rain and snow can make its way through the stucco and begin to rot the wood sheathing and/or wood framing components.

     Stucco should have a protective coating of some type to protect the surface.  Elastomeric paint, a rubberized paint that protects and preserves stucco, can be applied to make stucco even more durable and easier to maintain.

     Repairing cracks in stucco is a challenge – stucco is applied in an infinite amount of textures depending on the materials used to create the stucco and the tools used to finish it.  And matching stucco finishes and stucco colors is difficult, too.  Stucco repair and maintenance is one of the many services Shades of Color provides – we’re happy to give you a free estimate for maintenance service on your stucco exterior.