Stucco on the outside of a house in Yuma, AZ can look tired after a few years. When stucco is fading, chalking, or showing damage from the harsh desert sun, homeowners often wonder what choices are available. Stucco Redashing is one of the best ways to fix that without tearing the whole wall down. Yuma Stucco & Plastering hears questions about Stucco Redashing all the time on job sites, especially when the summer monsoons or scorching temperatures start taking a visible toll on exterior walls.
Here are the real answers to the most common questions Yuma Stucco & Plastering gets asked about Stucco Redashing around the Yuma area.
What actually is Stucco Redashing?
Stucco Redashing basically means putting a brand new, thin layer of finish coat right over existing, structurally sound stucco. Think of it like giving a house a fresh face. Yuma Stucco & Plastering does not tear down base coats or mess with lath unless there is major damage underneath. We skim a fresh layer of colored or texture-matched dash over what is already there to seal up hairline cracks, block out moisture, and make the whole property look like it was just built.
How do I know if my house needs Stucco Redashing or a complete tear-off?
This is a major question for homeowners. If exterior walls are solid, meaning the frame is good, the base coats are stuck tight to the wall, and there is only surface fading, minor crazing, or ugly texture, Stucco Redashing is the right choice. But if stucco sounds hollow when tapped, if it is sagging, or if water has gotten behind it and rotted out the framing or foam backing, Stucco Redashing will not work. The wall must be stripped back to fix the root problem. Yuma Stucco & Plastering always taps around to check adhesion before recommending Stucco Redashing.
Can I just paint my faded stucco instead of Stucco Redashing?
Painting is an option, but paint is only a temporary fix if the texture is degraded or if there are lots of tiny hairline cracks common in dry, shifting Yuma soils. Paint sits on top and eventually peels or bakes off in the 115-degree summer heat. Stucco Redashing actually adds material back to the wall. It seals up cracks permanently by filling them with fresh cementitious material, and homeowners do not even have to worry about painting it because the color is mixed right into the dash coat.
How long is a Stucco Redashing project going to take?
Most residential Stucco Redashing jobs in neighborhoods around the Foothills or Downtown Yuma take anywhere from 3 to 5 days depending on the size of the house. Day one is usually pressure washing, patching deep scars, and masking off windows and doors. Day two and three involve applying the dash coat and getting the texture right. Yuma Stucco & Plastering must work around intense daytime heat too, sometimes starting very early in the morning so the material does not flash-cure before we can trowel it properly.
Will Stucco Redashing fix all my structural cracks?
Stucco Redashing will not fix major structural cracks, and anyone who says otherwise is not being honest. If a home has massive structural cracks tearing through the walls because the foundation is shifting or settling, Stucco Redashing will simply crack right back open in a few months. Yuma Stucco & Plastering always fixes and bridges moving cracks with proper mesh and patching compounds first, but truly severe structural movement needs an engineer's attention before we lay a single trowel of finish coat over it.
How long will a new Stucco Redashing job last in the desert?
If Stucco Redashing is done right using quality materials that can handle intense UV exposure and dry winds, a good finish should easily last 15 to 20 years or more. The secret is proper curing. Even though it is hot and dry here, cement needs moisture to cure right. That is why Yuma Stucco & Plastering sometimes has to mist down the walls during the curing process so the desert air does not suck all the moisture out too fast and weaken the bond.