Choosing the right stucco finish for you can be a daunting task, but when you know what to look for, it can be done in no time. The first thing you need to ask yourself is what you want your home to look like. Is your home going to be a ranch or a Mediterranean style? Most stucco textures will work on most architectural styles, but some will work better than others. For example, if you want a ranch style home with stucco, a smooth finish will look best. Flakes, bumps, and dashes will look strange. However, if you have a Spanish style home with stucco, you can go a little wild with dashes, flakes, and bumps. You can even mix and match textures for an even more unique look.
The next thing to consider is what your budget is. Are you going to hire a contractor or are you going to do it yourself? If you are hiring a contractor, you can have them apply the stucco finish they think will look best. Just be sure to get several quotes and if one comes in too high or too low, get another quote. You don’t want to be short changed. If you are going to do it yourself, you have more options. You can apply a trowel finish, which is the easiest. Just smooth it out with a steel trowel. You can also use a textured finish. This is a little trickier since you have to apply a base coat with the texture you want and then apply the top coat.
Once you’ve made your decision, you can either apply the stucco finish yourself or hire a contractor to apply it for you. If you are going to apply it yourself, you will need a good stucco spraying machine with a pump. Once you have the machine, you will need to apply the base coat, which can be either a dry mix or a wet mix. After it has dried, spray the top coat. If you are hiring a contractor to apply the stucco finish, you will need to have a good idea of what you want the finish to look like. You will also need to make sure that you have a good sealant to protect the stucco finish from the elements.
To achieve quality and long lasting stucco, you must first have a good quality plaster base coat. The plaster base coat is applied first and then the stucco is applied on top of the base coat. The stucco is applied in a wet mixture and the smoothness of the finish is determined by how long the stucco is allowed to sit before the final finish is applied.
If you are looking for a rustic finish the stucco finish will give you that look. The stucco finish is also very durable and will last for years.
As we’ve discussed, stucco is one of the most popular materials for home exteriors. But if you’re going to have stucco on your home, you’re going to need to decide what kind of stucco finish you want. And if you’re going to have stucco on your home, you should know what you’re getting into.
Stucco is a mixture of water, sand, cement, lime and color additives. The mixture is troweled over the wall and then the excess is pushed off with a steel trowel. The steel trowel leaves a smooth finish, but you can also get a more textured finish by using a plastic trowel. Stucco is heavy, which is why it’s usually recommended for the interior walls of homes. But there are some exterior stucco finishes that are lighter than others.
The texture of the stucco on your home’s exterior is an important decision. The texture of the stucco affects the appearance and durability of your home. There are several different types of stucco textures, from smooth to rough.
The most common stucco finishes are:
Float
Float texture finishes, also called “Sand texture finishes,” as the name suggests, look like grains of sand on the home. It is the type of finish you are most likely to see on the exteriors of homes.
Float: Float finishes, also called Sand finishes, feature a fine-grained texture similar to the look of sand. Float stucco is popular for modern homes that wish to incorporate the stucco wall’s texture into its design. Float finishes were used on many of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes, but are not limited to being used on modern or homes. Float finishes are popular for use as a siding, as they are usually a smooth texture, which makes them easier to clean and maintain. Float finishes are available in many colors and textures, usually in a sand, tan, or gray color.
Dash
Dash is the roughest stucco texture. The top coat is applied in a rough pattern of peaks and valleys. Dash finishes are generally created with a fairly heavy top coat. This stucco finish is most commonly used for bungalows, craftsman style homes, and commercial buildings.
Lace
Lace is a medium-textured stucco texture that features a finish coat that is rougher than a float finish, but smoother than a dash finish. The top coat is applied in a pattern similar to an ornate lace pattern.
Scraped
Scraped stucco finishes are another smooth option, created by simply smoothing the stucco with a steel tool and putting in taps of the trowel to give it a scraped feel. This finish is perfect for modern homes, and some people prefer the look of this finish over the other texture options.
Decorative Stucco Finishes
Trowel Sweep
A fan-shaped pattern created with a trowel causing big sweeping indents in the stucco.
Worm
Tiny grooves created by aggregates mixed in the stucco for a rougher look when applied in circular motions.
Cat Face
This texture finish is typically smooth with small random textured pieces floating throughout.
When choosing a stucco texture, the type of texture will depend on the architectural style of your home.
Traditional homes: Traditional homes may feature a variety of stucco textures. Float is the most common stucco texture for traditional homes, but many traditional homes feature a dash finish or even a line finish.
Contemporary homes: Contemporary homes feature a wide variety of texture finishes depending on the designer. Modern homes may feature clean, contemporary finishes with a sand or trowel finish, but may also feature a more unique texture finish, depending on the designer’s preference. Contemporary styles are all about simplicity and flat surfaces. When choosing stucco textures for contemporary style homes, offer an interesting contrast between smooth stucco and rough stucco.
Cottage style homes: Country French and cottage styles both feature steep roofs, small windows, half-timbered frames, and stucco siding. The best way to enjoy the beauty of stucco is to use the rough textured stucco in combination with smooth stucco.
Farmhouse style homes: Farmhouse style homes are traditionally finished with a trowel finish, making this style of home a good candidate for a smooth texture finish.
Rustic homes: Rustic homes are traditionally finished with a textured stucco finish, making this style of home a good candidate for a medium to rough texture finish.
Craftsman and Bungalow Styles: Craftsman and bungalow styles are appealing to the eye because of the overhangs, roofs, and the small windows. When choosing stucco textures for craftsman and bungalow style homes, offer an interesting contrast between smooth stucco and rough stucco.
