It’s no doubt that when properly prepared and applied, stucco becomes one of the most attractive alternatives among all siding materials. However this beautiful material can quickly lose its aesthetic appeal if not maintained and repaired the necessary way. Fortunately, conducting simple repairs on a stucco surface is not as difficult as it may seem, and is well within the set of nominal skills set of most do-it-yourselfers. So, before you start repairing stucco take a closer inspecting look around your house, identify the areas where the stucco needs some upgrade and restoration and follow these easy steps:

Step 1. Start with thorough inspection of the wall to identify cracked stucco areas. For example, if the crack is vertical, like from the base to the window there might be a trouble with the house foundation. In such situation consider the possibility of calling a foundation specialist as you may have a much more serious problem than cracked stucco.

When the crack is horizontal, you can continue with needed repairs. Small cracks can be filled by using a high quality caulk that can be easily and invisibly painted over. Besides, such caulk can be pressed into the crack with your fingers. After the caulk is in place, smooth and clean the area with a damp cloth. As soon as the caulk has dried it can be painted to match the color of the wall.

Use a screwdriver or a cold chisel to clean out wider cracks. Soak thoroughly the area to be filled in order to prevent the stucco from leaching the water from the new stucco mortar. At the same time if the new stucco mortar becomes dry it can start crumbling.

Step 2. Next, mix the stucco mortar consisting of one part cement, four parts builder’s sand and a small amount of water in a shallow bucket. The mortar should be thin enough but not too runny to work easily.

Step 3. Now cover the area to be patched with a bonding agent designed specifically for masonry. When the bond is still slightly sticky, fill the crack with the stucco mortar mix.

Step 4. Then cover the patched area with a piece of fiberglass which can then be pressed into place using a paint roller. The coat of the material should be applied directly over the patch.

Step 5. Allow the fiberglass to dry, and after that apply the second coat. Make sure to carefully stipple the second coat using a soft bristle brush so that it matches the rest of the wall. To finalize the repairing stucco project the area can then be painted over with a primer made specifically for stucco. Allow the primer to dry, and then repaint the area to match the rest of the wall.