Forums > Specific Focus > Home, Garden & Construction in Mexico

Ed and Fran

Feb 11, 2008, 11:35 AM

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Prepping stucco for painting

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We have a couple of areas that were repaired and stuccoed and which I now need to get around to painting. The stucco has long ago cured, so that's not the question. Local advice has been of two different approaches. Any comments as to which might be better? Other recommendation?

1. Sand surface (first with coarse, later with medium grit sandpaper) to smooth the sandgrain finish. Apply a sealer (like Comex Sellador 5x1 Reforzado). Then paint.

2. Mix up a soupy batch of water with white cement. Brush on liberally to smooth the surface (instead of sanding). When dry, paint.

Thanks

Ed

Rolly / Moderator

Feb 11, 2008, 12:04 PM

Post #2 of 3 (1896 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Prepping stucco for painting

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A third option which is common in my area: Apply whitewash, let it dry throughly, paint.

Quoting from my website on construction materials and techniques:

Whitewash is made by combining lime, water, salt and a binder. The binder commonly used in my part of México is cactus paddles nopales. The lime used can be either builders' lime or quicklime. Quicklime has the advantage of making the nopales more efficient. The process begins by course chopping the nopales and adding them along with salt to a barrel of water. The lime is then added. (Your maestro will know the correct proportions.) Quicklime will react with the water releasing heat and a gas which should not be breathed. The heat will help to extrude the juice from the cactus. When the water has cooled, it is ready to be used. When first applied, the whitewash will appear thin and weak on the wall, but as it absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, it will turn white and cover the wall.

Rolly Pirate

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Ed and Fran

Feb 13, 2008, 1:27 PM

Post #3 of 3 (1867 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Prepping stucco for painting

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Okay, thanks Rolly. I suspect that the whitewash route, using nopales, is less common down here due to the lack of nopales. Not that they don't exist, but they're not nearly as numerous as they are up on the altiplano.

Regards

Ed