If you have a little crack in your outside stucco, you can repair it—and you should, or you may wind up with larger repairs down the line.
Q: My house is 64 years old and still has the original stucco. There’s a fine crack on one exterior wall with paint chipping out on each side. Is there a method to repair stucco fast and simply before the rains arrive, and is it work I can undertake on my own?
A: Good news: Based on your description, the source of your fracture is not foundation settling. If you have detected larger cracks and other danger signs, such as sticky doors and windows, I recommend you call a foundation specialist. Yes, as it stands, even a novice DIYer can do this task. You were right to be careful since this is an important job. If rain gets behind the plaster, you might have a worse problem.
Several commercially available products may be used to repair stucco. Some are designed to fix larger gouges and holes, while others are designed to mend cracks like you describe. Quikrete, for example, makes an effective and simple-to-apply textured acrylic caulk.
The first step may seem counterintuitive: widen the crack to at least a quarter inch using a cold chisel and hammer. The margins of the fracture should be chiseled perpendicular to the wall. Back cut the crack, so its base is more comprehensive than its top. Remove any loose debris from the fracture using a wire brush.
Using a standard caulking gun, immediately apply the stucco repair compound along the crack. As you go, trowel the repair to match the look of the surrounding stucco. After the patch has dried for 24 hours, paint it with water-based paint, preferably in the color of the house’s exterior.
Even after curing, the finished product is still malleable to the touch. In reality, such pliability demonstrates how robust the repair is. If the wall slightly shifts in the future, the repair will adapt rather than fall undone. You may be sure that precipitation will not be able to penetrate behind
The stucco now that the crack has been thoroughly repaired.
Professional stucco repair is recommended to maintain proper sealing and avoid future damage.
