Painting a Stucco and Wood Exterior

Project: Basement Finishing and Family Space, Episode 10, Part 1



Exterior repairs, painting, and new stucco are underway in Melrose, where Bob looks at the various surfaces that need paint and repairs on this 1921 home. The stucco walls are in good shape overall, but moisture has damaged trim pieces and window frames, especially in the back. Trim is replaced with resilient western red cedar and the back window frame is updated with a synthetic material that will never rot and can be painted to match the home. A painting specialist walks Bob through the surface treatments that will be needed on the home including primer and paint for the new stucco, scraping, sanding, and repainting the trim, solid-color stain for the new wood shingles, and trim paint on facing boards, windows, and rails. The Ipe porch deck is installed with a hidden deck-fastening system that attaches to a deck board and is screwed into the joist to eliminate face nailing. A western red cedar trellis is constructed for porch privacy and a new antique-look exterior porch light is wired in. New operable shutters are installed with shutter dogs that are drilled first through the masonry and then into the sheathing underneath to hold them securely in place.

Part 1: Painting a Stucco and Wood Exterior

Bob reviews some of the work done on the house so far. The house was built in 1921 and the exterior stucco walls are in good shape overall. The woodwork, however, was in bad shape as it is 80 year-old wood combined with New England winters. Most of the wood trim was repaired using western red cedar. The gutters on the gambrel roof were also replaced. The porch columns were repaired after suffering insect damage. These stone columns were filled with concrete by mason Kevin Latham. Some new stucco was added where the back door was removed and replaced with a new slider and small window. To add this stucco wall, wire lath is placed over felt paper and plywood. Then a brown coat is added and allowed to cure before the finish coat goes on. Fergus Cullen of CertaPro Painters reviews the issues involved with painting the house. Different parts of the home's exterior are older than others. The old stucco is in good shape, while the new stucco needs to be primed and painted using a couple of coats. The window uses a couple of different materials. The frame has been replaced with Azek, which does not need to be painted but will be painted to match the rest of the trim. The Azek is especially effective in areas where there is a lot of moisture and rot may be a problem. The natural wood surrounding the window will also be primed and painted to match everything else. In some areas the old paint is peeling off in sheets and "alligatoring" or creating check marks in the paint. The old paint used in these sections is likely lead paint and does not have the flexibility New England winter and summer temperature fluctuations. All the areas with chipping and peeling paint will be scraped down, the edges sanded, and then primed. When complete, the texture will be retained but there will be no chipping or peeling involved. Some shingles on the lip of the roof have sustained significant water damage. The damaged shingles are replaced and painted with a solid color stain. This stain looks like paint but penetrates into the wood. There will be a little difference in texture between the old shingles and the new, which comes with having an older home. The most important thing to remember when painting at the end of the season is overnight temperatures. Painting is possible as long as the overnight temperatures are above 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The paint must be given time to cure at the proper temperatures. Painting is also not possible during times of high humidity, which is a problem that plagues hot, humid climates in the South.

Part 2: Installing a Porch Floor and Light and Constructing a Porch Trellis
Part 3: Installing New, Strong Shutters With an Old-Style Look

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