Stucco is a durable, decorative coating that protects your home from the elements. Without the right color, however, it’s really just drab and lifeless. In this article, we’ll tell you the best paints for stucco exteriors.
What is Stucco?
Stucco is a texture made of water, cement, and sand. It’s used for interior and exterior walls and occasionally on ceilings. It’s applied wet and in layers to create a dry, breathable exterior.
Stucco homes are popular in the Southern and Western regions of the United States, where climates are driest and hottest, but they occasionally appear in the Midwest.
Benefits of Painting Stucco
Stucco is a low-maintenance material that can look beautiful for years when taken care of. Painting a stucco house has the following benefits:
Improves Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Painting your stucco walls is a great way to make your home attractive to buyers. If your stucco house’s colors are chipped, faded, or outdated, adding a fresh coat of paint will make it look as good as new.
Protects Your Home from Moisture
When it rains, your stucco absorbs water and becomes darker until it dries, which can lead to the growth of mold and mildew. Adding a layer of paint will enhance its moisture resistance and protect your home from water damage.
Many Color Options
Stucco comes in many colors. Whether you want a darker hue or to make a bold statement, there’s a color out there to suit your preferences and complement your landscaping.
Protects From Sunlight and UV Rays
Constant exposure to sunlight can cause your stucco exterior to fade, discolor, and eventually crack, leading to structural damage. Painting your stucco exterior safeguards your home from the most harmful effects of sunlight. The paint acts as a barrier, deflecting UV rays and insulating your walls.
Protects From Stains
Water or rust can cause stucco to stain quickly, especially under windows. These stains are difficult to clean. However, painting stucco walls serves a dual purpose of concealing existing stains while protecting them from future ones.
Fills In Cracks
Stucco will eventually crack due to regular usage. If these cracks are left unattended, chunks of stucco will eventually break off, resulting in expensive repairs. Repainting with high-quality paint will keep small cracks from getting any larger.
Pro Tip: Before painting, professionals fill large cracks with caulk or masonry. While it won’t cause the crack to blend perfectly with the rest of the stucco, it will go a long way toward hiding it.
Types of Paint
Three kinds of paint work best on stucco houses: acrylic, masonry, and elastomeric.
Acrylic
As stucco cures, it becomes more porous, and thus, it needs a breathable paint. Acrylic latex paint is a great choice. It prevents moisture from building up on the stucco surface. It also offers a diverse range of colors and finishes, and because it’s waterproof, it’s easy to clean up. Just wash it off with water.
However, acrylic paint isn’t as elastic or water-resistant as elastomeric paint, so it isn’t suitable for areas with large fluctuations in temperature or humidity. Though durable, it also needs more touch-ups than masonry or elastomeric paint, as it’s more prone to fading and chalking over time.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Breathable ✓ Comes in many colors and finishes ✓ Easy to clean up | ✗ It needs more maintenance than masonry or elastomeric ✗ Not as elastic or water-resistant as elastomeric |
Masonry
As the name suggests, masonry paint is designed specifically for bonding to masonry (concrete, brick, substrates) and stucco. It’s designed to be very durable, resisting fading, chalking, and peeling. It’s also moisture and mildew-resistant, making it appealing if you live in an area with heavy moisture.
Unlike acrylic, masonry doesn’t come in as many colors. It also doesn’t cover as much stucco as elastomeric. It’s also more expensive than acrylic, as it’s a specialized product.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Resists fading, caulking, and peeling ✓ Moisture and mildew-resistant | ✗ Not many color options ✗ Less coverage than elastomeric ✗ More expensive than acrylic |
Elastomeric
Thick, rubbery, elastomeric paint is waterproof, moisture-resistant, and expands and contracts with the stucco surface. Its thickness makes it great at sealing hairline cracks. It lasts at least ten years, and seven more than acrylic.
However, elastomeric paint is more expensive than acrylic and masonry. It’s also less permeable than acrylic and masonry, so it isn’t ideal for humid areas. It can also trap moisture, damaging the stucco or leading to mold growth.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Waterproof ✓ Flexible ✓ Covers up cracks well | ✗ Most expensive paint ✗ Can trap moisture ✗ Lowest permeability |
Factors to Consider
Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are harmful chemicals found in exterior paints. Exposure to them can cause nausea, headaches, airway irritation, and kidney, liver, and central nervous system damage. Because of this, the best paints have few or no VOCs.
While some people believe that the harmful effects of VOCs are less problematic because they are used outside where fumes escape, limiting your exposure to them is still advisable. For example, wear a respirator when working with these paints, even outside.
Color Longevity
If you want a long-lasting color, acrylic paints are the best option because the paint permeates deepest into the stucco.
Remember that the paint’s color affects its resistance to sunlight. For example, darker shades fade before lighter shades. Because of this, if you want to paint in a darker hue, pick a product with titanium dioxide designed to resist color fade.
Climate
Choose a paint that’s well-suited for the climate in your region. Certain paints can cure and dry in temperatures as low as 35°F, while others are formulated for use in humid climates, where high humidity can extend other paints’ drying time.
Durability
Your paint’s durability depends on the following factors:
- Formula: This is what determines a paint’s durability. Acrylic paint is the most breathable and resists wear and tear. Masonry paint bonds well with masonry surfaces but isn’t as breathable as acrylic paint. Elastomeric paint is durable and moisture-resistant but takes the longest to cure.
- Viscosity: The thicker a paint’s viscosity, the more durable it’ll be after it fully cures. Thicker paints are also better at concealing small cracks and chips.
- Finishes: Exterior paint has five different finishes: eggshell, satin, flat, gloss, and semi-gloss. Flat is the most common finish, as it helps conceal tiny imperfections that glossier finishes highlight.
- Number of coats: The more coats of paint you apply, the more durable your results. However, paint has weight, and each additional coat increases its weight. As a result, the paint won’t be strong enough to adhere to the stucco and will start peeling.
Weather Resistance
All paints are designed to withstand the elements (rain, snow, UV rays, fluctuating temperatures), but to varying degrees.
Elastomeric paint is the most weather-resistant paint, as its rubber seals out moisture, and its thick viscosity protects it from UV damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I wet the stucco before painting?
No. Stucco absorbs moisture, meaning if you wet it before painting, the paint will trap the moisture, causing it to bubble and peel with fluctuations in heat and humidity.
Do I need a primer for exterior paint?
Yes, because exterior paint sticks and covers better when applied over a primed surface.
Can I still paint my stucco walls if they have build-outs and unique textures?
Yes. You’ll need paint with good coverage and a paint sprayer that penetrates all the indents and raised elements on the walls.
Choosing a Paint and Finding a Pro
Painting stucco goes a long way in making your home more beautiful. However, not all paints are suitable for each house, so understanding the different types of paint and considering key factors will help you make well-informed decisions.
If you have any questions regarding stucco and the right types of paint, contact one of Paint Gnome’s pros for a quote.
Main Photo Credit: LUMIKK555 / Canva Pro / License
