DIY: Stucco Application on a Wall

Stucco can be applied and finished in a variety of textures.

Stucco can be added to any type of wall to change the texture or overall look of the wall. It's important to plan when to apply stucco to your wall so that the weather is not dry and hot and that the temperature does not drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature is too hot or too cold, the stucco will not finish properly.

Things You'll Need

• Portland cement
• Sand
• Hydrated lime
• Cement board
• Corrosion-resistant screws or hot-dipped ring-shanked nails
• Phillips screwdriver or hammer
• Water hose
• Trowel
• Plasterer's rake

Instructions

1. Mix together the Portland cement, sand and hydrated lime according to the instructions on the Portland cement package. This will help you determine how much is needed for the size of your specific project.

2. Inspect the wall to ensure it's clean and free from dust. If applying stucco to a wood wall, cover the walls with a cement board that is 1/2-inch thick. To cover the walls with the cement board, leave a 1/8-inch gap between pieces of the board and a 1/4-inch space from the top and bottom of the walls. Nail or screw the board to the walls. Use corrosion-resistant screws or hot-dipped ring-shanked nails.

3. Apply the base coat of stucco with the trowel to the walls so that the base coat is 3/8-inch thick.

4. Allow the base coat to harden slightly before scratching it with the plasterer's rake. This ensures that the top coat has grooves to "grip" on. Scratch the base coat, starting from one end of the wall and moving to the other end, creating horizontal lines and repeating until the entire wall is covered with horizontal lines.

5. Dampen the wall with a water hose for proper application. Stucco is best applied on damp surfaces and in overcast weather conditions with temperatures in the range of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Apply the finish or top coat of stucco with the trowel. The finish coat must be 1/4-inch thick.

7. Dampen the surface of the wall over the next three to five days to slow the curing process and wait at least six weeks before applying paint to the surface.

References

• Ask the Builder: Applying Stucco
• Ask the Builder: Applying Cement Backer Board