Tips for stucco painting

Prep your stucco for painting
As with anything you paint outside, you’ll want to clean your old stucco thoroughly and remove loose paint before applying paint to it. Essentially, you can wash off your stucco with a garden hose, but it’ll be a good idea to scrub your walls with a strong nylon brush. Work the brush into dirty areas to remove dirt, stains and mildew.

Your stucco may have cracks showing. While this usually isn’t a problem, you can easily fill these in with acrylic latex caulk. Check that it is for outdoor use and is paintable. For cracks wider than the thickness of a credit card, you can use vinyl concrete patch or elastomeric (synthetic rubber) stucco patch. Apply with a small putty knife. If cracks are wide (more than a quarter of an inch or so), you should get your stucco looked at before painting as it may be weak and ready to come off your wall. Simply squeeze the caulk all along and into cracks, then wipe it into the cracks firmly with your finger or a rag, removing excess after you’re done.

Paint that stucco wall
When you’re ready to paint, be certain to use a good latex paint. You can find this paint with a label that will tell you it’s just for stucco.  Always apply two coats. Two will last longer and look much better. A thick nap paint roller with a powered roller pump are usually the best ways to paint stucco walls and ceilings. Roll the paint over the stucco in multiple directions to get every nook and cranny.