Exteriors
Adobe and stucco, painted in the order that protects them
Most of the work is before the paint: finding out what the wall is, what is on it and what it is doing.
Walls here take a beating: hard sun, cold nights, dry wind and a few weeks of heavy afternoon rain. Color fades, hairline cracks open and the old coat chalks or lifts. We wash the wall, find what is loose, repair it, and then coat it with a product made for that surface.
A written estimate that names each wall
The coating named on the estimate, with its data sheet on request
A test patch before any color goes on the whole house
Know the wall
Mud plaster, cement stucco, and old paint on either
The right coating depends on the wall. This is what we look for.
| Cement stucco | Old paint on either | Adobe, mud plaster | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to tell | Cement stuccoHard, with a sand or swirl texture | Old paint on eitherChalky, peeling or sound | Adobe, mud plasterSoft, rounded corners; leaves dust on your hand |
| What we check first | Cement stuccoHairline cracks and gaps at windows | Old paint on eitherWhether the old coat is still bonded | Adobe, mud plasterLoose or hollow plaster and moisture at the base |
| What goes on | Cement stuccoA flexible coating made for stucco | Old paint on eitherA primer picked for what is underneath | Adobe, mud plasterA coating that lets moisture out |
| What we avoid | Cement stuccoPainting over cracks without filling them | Old paint on eitherPainting over chalk or flaking paint | Adobe, mud plasterSealing the wall so water cannot leave |
Prep
Before any paint goes on
Preparation is most of the labor on a stucco or adobe exterior. This is the list on every estimate.
Wash and dry
Dirt, chalk and salts off the surface, then time to dry.
Tap and mark
We tap for hollow spots and mark every crack and loose area.
Fill and texture
Repairs are textured to match the wall around them.
Prime bare spots
Patches and bare plaster are primed before the coats.
Mask and cover
Windows, tile, beam ends, doors and plants are covered.
Paint in shade order
In warm months, shaded walls first, sunny walls later.
About adobe and stucco
Can adobe take ordinary exterior paint?
Not any paint. A mud-plaster wall has to let moisture out, so a coating that seals it can trap water behind the surface. We ask what is on the wall first and pick a breathable coating, and we say so if it is not the one you expected.
Who buys the paint, and which brand?
We buy it. We use premium exterior coatings made for stucco and plaster, name the product line on your estimate and give you its product data sheet if you ask.
Will a crack come back through new paint?
A hairline crack that has stopped moving is filled and coated, and a flexible coating helps. A crack that keeps growing is a wall question, not a paint one, and we tell you to have it looked at before we paint.
How does weather change the schedule?
Dry air dries paint fast, and heat and wind can dry it too fast. In warm months we start shaded walls first thing and finish sunny ones later. Afternoon storms from July through September can move a day, and we call you before they do.
Not sure what your walls are?
Send a photo and a few words. We will tell you what we think before anyone drives over.