Should Stucco walls breathe or be sealed by painting

Should Stucco walls breathe or be sealed by painting. To breathe or not to breathe? That is the question, Kirk Giordano, stucco dude. 2023, Contractor. To be or not to be. William Shakespeare, 1603, poet. Folks keep in mind that stucco lasts between 50 to 80 years if properly maintained. That means painting at least every 7 to ten years. Yeah, it’s a drag but not as tough as maintaining one’s health. Can you add a weep screed to the bottom of a wall where it meets a ceiling? Of course, you can under certain circumstances such as this. The proper screed is called a drainage weep screed but a regular weep or drip screed works too. Does painting stucco seal it? Yes, stucco is known for absorbing rain; painting stucco with the right paint can ensure it stays waterproof. Paint and stucco, called Elastomeric Coatings for stucco, make it even more weather-resistant. That means rubber-like primers and coatings. Applying waterproof stucco-flex over retaining walls. So, again, do you want your stucco wall to breathe or be sealed? This is your decision. It is okay to seal your walls with paint. Humans, animals, whales, plants, etc., need to breathe. A house does not need to breathe, although the lime plasters used for thousands of years in the UK do indeed allow these walls to breathe. If your walls on the home are leaking, it’s okay to seal the borders. All the major paint companies sell now and have been selling elastomeric waterproofing paints since the 1950s. Elastomeric coating is an above-grade exterior wall or roof coating that is approximately 10 times thicker than paint. It forms an incredibly thick yet flexible coating that helps waterproof the exterior of a structure. Think of these primers and paint as a thin coat of rubber. If your stucco walls are leaking, you either remove the stucco and re-lath the stucco or, option 2, purchase the best paint and qualified painting contractor or DIY; however, applying any of the Elastomeric coatings takes knowledge. Once applied correctly, no rainwater can penetrate if a wall is sealed; thus, the walls are safe from wood rot. How long can painted stucco remain unpainted? Keep in mind that painted stucco needs maintenance, like all exterior finishes. After many seasons cracks can occur as wood expands and then shrinks. This allows rainwater in, especially around the higher windows and or eves. Thus, most painting systems should be maintained or re-painted every ten to fifteen years. Then your walls will last forever. keep in mind that weep screeds were not invented until about 1980. Thus 99 percent of all homes in the country don’t have them. They were introduced in 1980 and the reasons were to give the stucco something to stop at, provide a natural expansion joint, and allow the new three cost systems a place for water to drain out of. Before 1980 homes that had color coat finishes, had the moisture just leach out from the bottoms where gravity did the rest. FYI, folks, here are all the basic tools we use and recommend on Amazon’s website. Live long and plaster hats, shirts, and other cool stuff. Kirk Giordano Plastering Inc. For immediate bids, send pictures to Jay or myself at our sites below. Kirk’s website. Jason’s Website. Thanks for watching.