How to Apply Stucco Over Wood Siding

Stucco is a building material that is used to provide a textured finish to walls, ceilings and other surfaces. Its a great material to work with because its versatile, cheap and simple to apply. Stucco can be applied over almost any surface. Applying stucco over your existing wood siding is a great way to cover up wood that is looking old and worn, or simply to give your home a new look.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 15-pound Roofing felt
• Metal netting
• Galvanized roofing nails
• Hammer
• Water
• Trowel
• Wheelbarrow or bucket
• Stucco (pre-mixed in bags)
• Plasterer's rake

1. Attach a metal lath as a base. Cover the wood siding with roofing felt, nailed in place with roofing nails. On top of this, add a layer of metal netting, also attached with nails.

2. Mix the stucco in a wheelbarrow or barrel. Follow the instructions on the pre-mixed stucco package to determine how much water to add, then stir thoroughly.

3. Apply a scratch coat to give the stucco something to adhere to. Use your trowel to apply a thin 1/4-inch coat of to the entire surface.

4. Wait one hour, then use the plasterer's rake to comb through the scratch coat to a depth of 1/8 inch. Give this coat at least 24 hours to dry after you complete the scratch coat.

5. Apply the final coat. Use the trowel to apply another 1/4-inch coat on top of the scratch coat. Vary the pressure and angle of your trowel to give the surface texture.

6. Mist the surface periodically with water during the next few days. Stucco that is allowed to cure slowly and with added moisture will be least likely to warp or crack.

Tips & Warnings

• When mixing stucco, only mix as much as you can apply within one hour so the material will stay supple and easy to apply.
• Don't paint the stucco surface for at least four weeks after application.

Resources

• More Information on Stucco Application