Stucco

QUESTION: My son and I have a stucco house. He suggested washing, then staining, or using some other kind of finish. Is that acceptable?

ANSWER: Yes, but don’t power-wash stucco. Regular washing with detergent and water will work. Then stain it with a solid color latex stain; two thin coats will do. Or, use Dry-lock, a cement-based paint.

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Question: I have stucco walls around my windows and I would like some ideas on how to put up some plastic to act as inside storm windows. I have put some up, but it keeps coming untapped. Any ideas would be great.

Answer: Many tapes will not adhere to stucco or any rough plaster.  But before you give up, try Gorilla tape, a very strong tape that looks like duct tape but it is stringer. It is also thicker, so you can press it into the stucco-like plaster and make it stick. Another way: Nail 1-by-3 boards around the sides and top of the opening; there is probably wood behind the plaster that will hold the driven nails. Then you can tape or staple the plastic on these boards, tightly and securely. Fold the bottom of the plastic so you can fasten the sill.

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QUESTION: I have stucco walls around my windows and I would like some ideas on how to put up some plastic to act as inside storm windows. I have put some up, but it keeps coming untapped. Any ideas would be great.

ANSWER: Many tapes will not adhere to stucco or any rough plaster. But before you give up, try Gorilla tape, a very strong tape that looks like duct tape but it is stringer. It is also thicker, so you can press it into the stucco-like plaster and make it stick. Another way: Nail 1-by-3 boards around the sides and top of the opening; there is probably wood behind the plaster that will hold the driven nails. Then you can tape or staple the plastic on these boards, tightly and securely. Fold the bottom of the plastic so you can fasten the sill.

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Question
My husband bought a house with a brick fireplace and he wants to cover it with stucco, and he wants to do it himself. Is that possible, or even feasible?

Answer
It is certainly possible, even probable, but think one more time on that brick fireplace. That is the way it was intended to be, and if the brick is not down right ugly, then it would be nice to keep it. It also can be cleaned up. But if you insist, here's how to do it (there are two ways). Use Sakrete's concrete mix; it has small stones in it, which you want for stucco. Nail or staple wire-reinforcing mesh to the brick, and insert sticks behind the mesh to hold it about half an inch from the brick. With luck, the nails and staples will hold in the mortar. Then apply the concrete mix, making sure it goes through the mesh and touches the brick. The other way is to put a bonding agent on the brick, then the concrete mix. In both cases, when the concrete has settled and set for 15 minutes, float it with a wood float.

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