How to Apply Stucco Finishes

If you're trying to find a way to make a wall look unique and different, stucco might be just the thing. It's a variation on cement that allows you to texture the surface, giving it a stony, old-world look. It's also great for hiding imperfections in old plaster walls. How you texture the stucco is up to you, but make sure to practice on some scrap wood ahead of time.

Things You'll Need

• Sealing primer
• Paint roller
• Stucco
• Cement trowel
• Wall paint
• Thick paint roller sleeve

Instructions

1. Prepare the wall by covering it with a coat of sealing primer, which you will apply with a paint roller. Let it dry overnight.

2. Apply stucco to the wall starting at the top, and using your cement trowel. Cover about 4 or 6 square feet of the wall with stucco (as big an area as you can comfortably reach from one position). Make the stucco flat and about 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch thick.

3. Texture the stucco, using your trowel. Options include the following: pressing the flat surface of the trowel against the stucco and pulling it straight out to make peaks; swirling the stucco into circular patterns; or putting random lines in the stucco with the long edge of the trowel to give a "distressed" look.

4. Work across the whole section where you've spread the stucco. Spread stucco over the next section and repeat until the whole area is done.

5. Let the stucco set for at least three days. Paint it with an extra thick roller to ensure that the paint gets into the contours of the stucco.

References

• WKBW: Interior Stucco Walls
• Sky Stucco: Interior Stucco