The Temperature's Dropping: How To Protect Your Stucco From Winter Damage

If you're having new stucco applied to your home, you'll want to make sure you provide it with the proper protection, especially during the winter months. Cold, wet weather can wreak havoc on stucco. To protect your new stucco trim from winter damage, here are some tips you'll want to follow.

Start With the Right Paint

When it comes to caring for your stucco, the most important thing you can do is start with the right paint. Ordinary exterior paint may save you money initially, but it's not going to provide you with the protection you need. To make sure your new stucco is properly protected during those long, cold winters, you need to choose masonry paint for your home. One of the benefits of choosing masonry paint for your stucco is that it provides sealing protection against moisture absorption. Excess moisture absorption can cause your stucco to chip, bubble and crack. The masonry paint will prevent those problems.

Keep Your Stucco Clean

Once you have the new stucco on your home, you'll need to keep it clean, especially during the winter. Dirt and grime can destroy your stucco. The best way to clean the stucco during the winter is to rinse it off with your garden hose. Simply attach a garden nozzle to your hose and rinse the stucco off at least once a week. The weekly cleanings will help extend the life of your stucco.

Get Rid of the Stains

During the winter, you may notice that your stucco develops rust and water marks along the lower portion of the walls. If you don't get rid of those marks right away, you'll end up with permanent stains on your stucco. To remove those marks before they have a chance to stain, you'll want to use a mild bleach solution. Fill your garden sprayer with water and add about two cups of bleach. Spray the solution on the marks and scrub them with a scrub brush. Rinse the area with your garden hose to remove the marks and the bleach solution. Repeat this process whenever your stucco develops rust or water marks. You can also use it to remove the greenish algae that can develop on your stucco during the winter.

Take Care of Necessary Repairs

Over time, your stucco may develop small cracks and chips. When that happens, you'll want to take care of the repairs as quickly as possible. Allowing those minor blemishes to remain will result in more serious damage. Minor cracks can be repaired using latex caulking. Fill the cracks with a strip of latex caulking and them smooth the surface with a putty knife. For larger cracks, use your putty knife to press the caulk into the crevices and apply a second layer. Once the caulking dries, apply an additional layer to make sure that the crack is sealed tight.