Stucco is quality siding because it's strong and lasts for many decades. However, like any other building material, stucco will need occasional repairs. It's important to make stucco repairs promptly so rain doesn't seep behind the stucco and cause water damage to your home. Here are some things to consider when it's time to have repairs done.
Whether You'll Hire A Stucco Repair Service
If the cracks, holes, or dented areas on your home are large, then calling a repair service is a good idea. However, you might want professionals to repair small cracks too, even if it's a job you could do yourself.
Repairing cracks is fairly easy since it can be done with caulk, but a problem you may run into is making the repairs invisible. When cracks are on the front of your home, you may want a professional to do the work so the repaired area blends in and isn't noticeable.
If You'll Want Changes Done At The Same Time
If the stucco on your home has a lot of damage due to neglect or a hail storm, it might be a good time to consider if you want other changes done to your siding at the same time repairs are done. Since a large portion of old stucco may need to be knocked out, you may want all the old stucco removed so you can put in stucco with a different color or texture.
Blending in repairs that cover a large area is challenging, so the stucco repair service will probably need to paint the entire side of your house. You might even want the other sides of your home painted too, and that gives you the perfect chance to make changes to the color and texture of the stucco if you want them done.
While the repair service might add a new layer of stucco when they change the color, it's also possible to paint over stucco if the right type of paint is chosen so the stucco can breathe. Simply painting over repaired areas helps camouflage the new caulk and new stucco so repairs aren't noticeable. Either way, you could freshen the appearance of your home when you have repairs done.
Whether Outdoor Conditions Affect Repairs
While you want stucco repairs to be done promptly to prevent rain from seeping under the stucco, it's important to know that stucco has to be applied in certain weather conditions. If it is too cold outside, your repair service might need to wait on making repairs or they may need to take special precautions when applying the stucco.
The weather should also be dry when stucco repairs are done. Since applying new stucco can take a few days to allow the individual layers to dry out, it might be necessary to cover the walls with plywood or plastic sheeting to keep the walls dry.