Does Painting
Stucco Fix Cracks?
No. Paint covers cracks for a season. The crack lines, the old patches and whatever let the water in are all still there. Here's what actually fixes stucco.
The Short Answer
Painting stucco does not fix cracks. Paint and elastomeric coatings can bridge hairline cracks up to about 1/16 inch, but they don't repair what caused the crack, and you can still see the crack outlines and old patches through the paint. Real stucco resurfacing repairs the cracks, embeds reinforcing mesh in a new base coat, and finishes the wall with a new textured stucco finish.
4 Reasons Paint Can't Fix Stucco
More painters and coating companies are advertising "stucco repair." What they're selling is a coat of paint over the damage. Here's what that leaves behind.
Cracks come back
Stucco moves with the house through every freeze-thaw cycle. Paint can only stretch across hairline cracks. Anything wider opens right back up.
You can still see them
Crack outlines, old patch lines and uneven texture from a previous installer show straight through a coat of paint. The wall is a new color with the same problems.
It doesn't fix the cause
Most stucco cracks start somewhere: a window corner, failed flashing, settling or water. Paint covers the symptom and leaves the cause working behind it.
Water can get trapped
Elastomeric paint is so watertight it can stop the wall from breathing. If water gets in behind it, it stays there, which leads to bubbling and mold.
Painting Stucco vs. Christensen Resurfacing
| Painting or Coating | Christensen Resurfacing | |
|---|---|---|
| What goes on the wall | One or two coats of paint or elastomeric coating over the old surface | Cracks repaired, Senergy base coat with embedded reinforcing mesh, then a new textured Senergy finish |
| Cracks | Covered, not repaired. Paint only bridges hairline cracks up to about 1/16 inch; wider cracks reopen | Repaired at the source and reinforced with mesh across the whole wall |
| Crack lines and old patches | Still visible through the paint | Leveled under the new base coat and hidden under a uniform new texture |
| Bad texture from the last installer | Stays exactly as it is, just a new color | Replaced with a new texture you choose |
| What caused the damage | Not addressed | Found and fixed first: flashing, window corners, moisture |
| Moisture | Thick elastomeric paint can trap water behind it | Moisture checked before any work starts |
| Up-front cost | Lower | Higher, priced after inspection |
Real Resurfacing: Base Coat, Mesh, New Finish
These are the same steps in Senergy's published resurfacing bulletin, which states: "We do not recommend applying a finish over existing finish." A new finish needs a new base coat and mesh under it.
Inspect and moisture check
Dallas checks every wall for soft spots, moisture and the cause of each crack before quoting anything.
Fix the cause
Failed flashing, window corners and water entry points are repaired first, so the cracks don't come back.
Repair and prep the cracks
Cracks are opened, repaired and the wall is cleaned. Painted walls are bond-tested and stabilized first, per Senergy's procedure.
Base coat with embedded mesh
A Senergy base coat goes over the whole wall with reinforcing mesh embedded in it. This is what holds the wall together and levels out old patches and texture.
New textured finish
A new Senergy textured finish in any Sherwin-Williams color. New texture, new color, one uniform wall.
See Stucco Resurfacing → · See Stucco Repair → · See Stucco Inspection →
Painting Stucco: Straight Answers
Does painting stucco fix cracks?
Can you paint over stucco cracks?
Is elastomeric paint good for stucco?
What's the difference between painting stucco and resurfacing stucco?
Do ceramic coatings with long guarantees fix stucco?
Can stucco be resurfaced after it has been painted?
Is resurfacing more expensive than painting?
Is painting stucco ever the right call?
Stucco Resurfacing Across Utah
Get a Free Stucco Inspection.
Dallas will tell you honestly whether your stucco needs paint, repair or resurfacing. No sales team. He answers his own phone.