May 31, 2023

Can Stucco Be Painted the Color I Want?

The good news is the answer to “Can stucco be painted the color you want” is Yes. As long as you don’t have to answer to a homeowner association (HOA), you can paint your stucco walls any color. Stucco is a surface, both exterior and interior, that can be painted with little issue.

And by the way, Sunny Coast Stucco knows how to work with HOA’s and if you need any exterior stucco work, we know how to comply with community required standards.

Priming and Painting

Painting stucco requires some preparation before you put paint to stucco. Just like painting any interior or exterior wall, painting stucco walls benefits from prepping your surface so the paint adheres properly and smoothly. It is worth taking your time and doing the job with care. In the end you will be happier with the results.

Washing

You should not paint a dirty stucco wall. First, any dirt left on the stucco when you paint will prevent the paint from adhering to the stucco well, so the job will not accomplish what you want. Secondly, dirt in the paint finish results in spotty final results that look bad. Imagine a wall full of dead bugs and dust bunnies mucking up your walls!

Keep in mind that stucco tend to be wavy and textured so you want to get excess dirt out of waves or crevices before getting started.

Priming

Priming the stucco before applying your final color choice can do wonders for extending the life of the paint. Make sure to get quality primer for stucco walls and for exterior or interior use. Same for the paint you use. A good primer will help covers imperfections that may have been patched or repaired. It also blocks and conceals stains so they don’t “bleed through” your newly painted finish. Finally it provides a uniform surface for your paint to stick to. This will save you from having to come back and do the job all over again in a few years.

Paint

Choose the right paint. Make sure it is okay for use on stucco. If you are not sure, you can simply ask Sunny Coast Stucco what we advise. The best paint for stucco is acrylic also known as acrylic-latex. Stucco’s uneven surface requires the use of acrylic-latex paints to hit every available surface with an equal amount of color and volume. Acrylic-latex paint is water-based with acrylic binders and adheres well to uneven and rough surfaces.

The best exterior paint for stucco is 100% acrylic (acrylic-latex) paint in most cases. acrylic latex paint is both durable and flexible, maximizing stucco surface breathability. Stucco becomes a hard but porous surface that allows for breathability, so you want your paint to have similar breathability.

With interior stucco walls, it is advisable is to choose a matte or flat finish instead of a semi-gloss. The texture of stucco looks best with a matte or flat paint. Flat finish has an ever so slightly lower gloss percentage than matte with around 5% and matte finish around 5-10%.