Do-it-Yourself Stucco
- 1). Mix Portland cement, hydrated lime and sand, according to the instructions located on the cement package. Following the specific directions on the package helps determine exactly how much of each ingredient you need for your specific project.
- 2). Examine the wall to ensure it's free of dust and particles.
- 3). Cover the walls using a 1/2-inch cement backer board if applying the stucco to a wood wall. To install the backer board, leave 1/4-inch space from the bottom and top of the wall and an 1/8-inch gap in between each board. Use hot-dipped ring-shanked nails or corrosion-resistant screws to screw or nail the backer board to the walls.
- 4). Apply a 3/8-inch thick base coat with a trowel.
- 5). Scratch the base coat with a plasterer's rake after you allow it to harden slightly. To scratch the base coat of stucco, create horizontal lines beginning at one end of the wall and finishing on the opposite end. Repeat until the entire wall is covered with grooves.
- 6). Spray water onto the wall with a water hose to dampen it. The best application for stucco is on damp surfaces when the weather is overcast and when the temperature is between 50 and 60 degrees F.
- 7). Apply the top coat of the stucco using the trowel, ensuring that the thickness of the finished layer is 1/4 inch.
- 8). Spray the wall with water over the course of three to five days to keep it damp and slow the curing process. If you plan on painting the surface of the stucco, wait a minimum of six weeks after application.
