Repairing damage to exterior stucco
walls is not very difficult, and can be accomplished by a novice
as well as an expert. Working with cement and stucco may be intimidating
at first, but just remember that if you make a mistake, you can
'erase' it by spraying with water before it dries and start
over. No pressure!To repair large holes in stucco, you'll
need to purchase a bag or two of exterior stucco mix. This mix usually
comes in about 50-pound bags, but in some hardware stores, you can
find smaller bags. All you need to do is add water, but follow mixing
directions. Some people like to add adhesive to their stucco mix,
so ask if you're not sure. You can mix the batch in a bucket or
a wheelbarrow or a plastic tub. Make sure that your mix is not too
dry, but you don't want it runny like cake batter, either
Make sure you can see 'chicken wire'
in the to-be-patched area, or insert a square yourself prior
to patching. Anchor the piece of 'chicken wire' to any exposed 2x4
framing with stucco wire nails. If no 2x4 is exposed, wire edges
of new wire to existing edges of existing pieces of wire already
in place behind stucco. This will allow the stucco to adhere to
something while it dries. While this process is a bit more complicated
than repairing minor cracks and small holes, it is also rather simple
and can be accomplished in a short amount of time.
1)Mix stucco mixture according to
directions on bag.
2)Apply a coat of stucco mix using
a stucco or rubber based trowel, using half circle motions
with your wrist. At first, you may find that more stucco ends up
on the ground than on the wall, but practice makes perfect.
3)Fill in the patch area first, bringing
stucco to the very edges of the repair area.
4)Go over the entire area with a water-dampened
trowel. Try to maintain an even coat, sweeping from existing
wall to area to be patched. Extend the new stucco past the edges
of the repair area in a sweeping motion.
5)Again dip your float into a bucket
of water and gently smooth the surface of the patched area, again
sweeping past edges and onto existing stucco to create a smooth,
unbroken surface.
6)Look at the patched area from different
angles to make sure that your new surface is flat, and has no dips
and bulges. If you see the patched area sagging, sweep the float
in an upward direction to remove some stucco and wait for it to
dry a while.
7)With a wet float, go back over the
area several times as it dries. As the stucco dries, it will turn
a light gray. Keep working it as it dries, though be careful
not to get so wet that it starts to sag again.
