Milford chronicle., 1928-05-18
PAINTING THE STUCCO HOUSE
By Jane Stewart

Buying or building a house, for
most people, is not an everyday Oc-
currence. Usually it is the outcome
of years of planning and saving.
Sometimes it is the result of a sud-
den decision or impulse. But at all
times it is considered a serious ven
ture-something from which they
should get their moneys worth. 1t
is important that a house should be
practical as well as beautiful.
Where stucco has been selected
for the surface, it must not be taken
for granted that this finish is suffi-
cient unto itself. Like a great many
other building materials it's service
is increased through the application
of paint, which prevents the pene-
tration of moisture, at the same time
preserving the texture of the origi-
nal surface. Houses which are sur
faced with stucco are more or less
porous and may present water alb
sorptive surfaces. During a rainy
season a great deal of water might
be absorbed, resulting in spotted
surface. Or, if the moisture absorb
ed has a chance to freeze, the ex-
panding of the ice gradually spreads
the size of each little pore or crack,
these cracks becoming larger year
by year. Too, moisture entering the
surface sometimes affects the under
lying structure and makes the house
damp.
The application of oil paint to a
stucco surface can eliminate all such
possibilities, while producing a
smooth film which will not be a
catch-all for dirt. Ordinarily, cind-
ers and SCOT adher to a rough sur
face, and once lodged in stucco
house cannot be removed. A paint
ed surface, however, is unaffected by
dirt or by a driving rain, the latter
only serving to cleanse it.
Painting stucco is not difficult. If
the surface is thoroughly dry it is
done in much the same way that
wooden buildings are painted. The
main consideration is to see that the
surface is dry and preferably aged.
And that high quality oil paints are
used. There is no economy in a
cheap paint, as it does not stand up
under severe weather conditions,
and gives inadequate protection.
For many reasons a spray paint
ing gun is very popular for applying
paints and stains to pebble dash and
other rough types of stucco. 1t saves
a great deal of labor cost apd gets
the job done in less time, coating |
from three to five times as much !
surface per day as can be done by
one man using a brush. And where |
three coats would be required for
brush work, two are sometimes suf-
icient when sprayed on. The spray !
inish is smooth and durable and
slightly thicker than that of hand
work.
In painting a house, careful con-
liberation should be given to the Sc
ection of eolors. With little ad-
-ance thought and care it is just as
.asy to select attractive colors as
Inattractive ones, and stucco houses
Iffer unlimited possibilities for
resh and original schemes. 1t must
e kept in mind, though, that the ;
mes selected should suit the type OF
rchitecture of the building and, al
ogether, be in harmony with sur
oundings. For example, dwelling, :
Italian in design, might be very at
ractive and suggestive of a Mediter-
anean villa, painted a soft pink,
nth the roof stained a medium gol-
en- brown. A more conservative
ouse would be lovely painted light
ray. using darker gray for the trim,
nd a tile-red roof. If house be-
1ngs to no particular period, the ap-
ropriate combinations are endless
cream and dark tan; stone 6ray
nd green; ivory and medium blue.
All things considered, paint does
great deal for stucco house.
lain stucco quickly becomes drab
boxing, while running the risk of
eteriorating in quality from expos
re. On the other hand, if it is
ainted, its looks are not only inn
roved, but it's service qualities are
lcreased beyond comparison.