Everything you need to know about painting stucco here in Phoenix

Due to larger events occurring in our state at the moment, more and more of us are spending our days working at home. As a result, you may be noticing small details about your home that you previously overlooked: that flickering light in the hallway, those dirty baseboards in the living room, or that one cracked tile in the kitchen. Outside, you may have also observed that your home’s paint isn’t looking so great. Maybe it’s fading, cracked, or peeling. So, what do you need to know about painting stucco, and what do you need to get started?

In this article, we’ll answer your top questions about stucco exterior painting here in Phoenix, and provide you with a breakdown of how it works and why hiring a professional is the best course of action. To learn more about our process and to get an estimate, contact us today to schedule a virtual estimate with our team.

How often do I need my home to be repainted?

Here in the Valley, our homes face brutal heat and near-constant sunshine, which is only occasionally punctuated by intense monsoon showers, harsh wind, and abrasive dust storms. In other words, the exteriors of our homes get a lot more wear-and-tear than in other parts of the country. Because of this, stucco paint on Valley homes tends to start to fade, peel, crack, or show other signs of age about 5-7 years after the initial application.

Of course, the longevity of your paint is also influenced by the thoroughness of the prep work—more on this below—and the quality of the paint itself. This is one of the reasons our company is able to offer our customers a 7-year warranty that most other Valley painting companies are unwilling to match.

If your home was last painted about five or six years ago, start to keep an eye out for signs of paint degradation. This can include chalking, peeling, cracking, or fading paint. If you’ve received a letter from your HOA or you’re planning on listing your home in the near future, you may want to consider having your home’s exterior repainted sooner rather than later.

Is there a special paint for painting stucco?

Yes, and using the wrong type of paint can be disastrous. As we all know, our year-round sunshine can quickly bleach the color out of patio furniture and yard equipment. The same thing happens to your home’s paint. This is why your stucco needs a specially formulated exterior paint designed to block UV radiation and damage. At Crash of Rhinos, we use high-quality, undiluted paint from Dunn-Edwards.

Headquartered in Los Angeles with a paint manufacturing plant here in Phoenix, the team at Dunn-Edwards knows a thing or two about dealing with sunshine. Time and time again, we’ve found that their paint just stands up better to the elements, retaining its color and vibrancy much longer than many other types of paint.

Of course, the paint is just part of the equation. The world’s greatest paint is worthless without the right prep work and application. Here’s what you need to know.

Is a power washing required? What about other prep work?

Absolutely. To make sure that the new paint applies to the stucco the right way, it’s important that the stucco is cleaned, repaired, and prepared. At Crash of Rhinos, we start by going around the home and pulling away rocks and landscaping from the paint surface. We then pressure wash the exterior. Just like your interior walls, grime, pollutants, dust, and chalk can accumulate on the exterior surface of your stucco: if not removed through a thorough pressure washing, these can prevent the new paint from adhering correctly, making the end product look shoddy and unprofessional.

We then go around and repair all the stucco and drywall. After all, stucco takes a beating from more than just sunlight. Woodpeckers, for instance, can drill unsightly holes into stucco. Along the stem wall, we’ll scrape away all the old paint—which is probably peeling off by the time the project starts—and apply waterproofing to prevent the new paint from absorbing water from the soil surrounding your home’s foundation.

When painting stucco, do you need to apply a primer?

Yep! After we’ve finished the rest of our prep work—including masking your doors, windows, light fixtures, and more to protect them—we’ll start by applying an official primer. This layer between the stucco and the paint helps the paint adhere correctly to the stucco surface, and ensures that it’s protected against the elements. Of course, as described above, we use the official Dunn-Edwards primer that is formulated to work harmoniously with their exterior paint. This perfect match ensures that the end product is going to look great and last.

Do I need to hire a professional?

If you have a stucco home in Phoenix that needs to be painted, you really need to hire a professional for your stucco painting. Unlike homes with wood-siding or brick found in many other parts of the country, stucco is notoriously difficult to paint correctly without the right paint, the right tools, and the right experience. As we’ve outlined above, the prep work process is extensive: without a team of painters, just completing the prep work on your own could take you days.

Of course, when you paint your own home, you have no real guarantee that the end result will look great or that the paint will last. If you’re painting to avoid an HOA fee, or to prepare your home for sale, this can be disastrous: you don’t need any new variables introduced. When you hire us to handle your stucco painting, you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the project is going to be done right, done on time, and backed by our 7-year warranty.

Right now, we’re offering free virtual inspections throughout the Valley. If you’ve noticed your home is starting to show signs of fading, peeling, or chalking paint, give us a call so we can talk through your options and next steps.