# Painting Peeling Stucco



## Maderan (Jan 12, 2006)

Trying to get a bead on how to paint exterior stucco. I am in New Orleans and working on a flood damaged home. About half the house was flooded (2 story, 2500 sqft, 1500 down, 1000 up) and everywhere below the waterline paint is flaking off. The top of the house is fine but I know I will have to paint the whole house to match. Here is the problem. I don't have experience painting exteriors and will not actually be doing the work myself. I will be the GC for the project and need to include the price for the exterior paint in my estimate for the rest of the project. I will be subbing it out to an experienced exterior painter but I can't get anyone to give me a bid for several weeks and the client wants a final bid in the next couple of days. I am surmising that the site needs to be pressure washed and primed with a no peel primer, and then painted. It doesn't seem possible to sand the stucco but maybe someone knows a way? My question is how should I bid this? The job is mine to lose becuase of the reutation we have for quality interior work but I don't want to way overbid the exterior paint or lose profit in an already tight market (labor has gone through the roof post Katrina). Please help!!! 

Thanks


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## Brian (Jun 9, 2004)

We do 10 to 12 stucco homes a year (in Houston), but never one that was under water. I would suspect that the water brought salts in the stucco to the surface, so a good power washing with a mild acid solution may be necessary. I would do some testing first to determine what, if anything, is on the surface.

I would also prime the bare stucco with a good quality masonry primer. The top coat would be Duration or an elastomeric, depending on the condition of the stucco. 

You are right, you can't sand the stucco. There will be a visible ridge where the paint stops peeling. You may be able to hide this a little by applying an extra coat or two of elastomeric over the edge.

Also, depending on how many coats have been applied and the coarseness of the stucco, there may be very noticable texture differents between the peeled areas and the non-peeled areas. I would inform the customer of this.

If you could post some photos, that would help.

Brian Phillips


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

I'd have to think the flooded stucco is no good. I am not a painter or stucco applicator.

I'd power wash, prime and paint.

Again not a painter here.


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## Maderan (Jan 12, 2006)

Yeah, I think a test might be in order. The stucco seems to be ok and insurance definetly won't cover the replacement of the stucco. Brian, or someone else, what are you charging to paint a stucco exterior? Have done a bit of research but I just can't make it a time factor (i.e. it will take 50 man hours to do) becuase I will be subbing it out and becuase I really don't use time as an estimating factor so I wouldn't know where to start (everything i do is by the foot, board, lin ft, etc.). Please advise.


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## Brian (Jun 9, 2004)

I use a production rate of 90 square feet per hour for first story for one coat. With elastomerics we usually do 2 coats to get the film build. I also add for higher work. Multiple colors up the price as well.

Brian Phillips


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## Dale (Aug 26, 2004)

I'd try and get some moisture readings not only thru the stucco but into the layers behind it before coating it with anything. If anything is submerged for a bit of time it can get saturated and have a difficult time ever drying out.


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## Wallcoat Joe (Aug 9, 2005)

If the substrate is stucco over block the cells could be full of water still and causing the delamination of the film. A moisture test is a must, check out paintinfo.com for alot of info and feel free to contact me privately for some help 1 on 1 we are contemplating opening a satelite office out there our selves and water and stucco is our world


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## Wallcoat Joe (Aug 9, 2005)

Sorry, forgot something. A previous post suggested ins. won't cover the stucco replacement and that is not entirely correct. A good site for info is myleakyhome.com it was set up after the hurricanes of 2004 in Fl., hope this helps.


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