On 3/10/2011 7:20 PM, Steve B wrote:
THE ANSWER IS YES, NO, MAYBE, ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, NEVER, MAYBE, AND I
DON'T HAVE A CLUE.
There are MANY different variations of stucco, and if I could deduce your
particular type and problem, I would be working for the NSA at roughly $5
million a year.
Stucco is applied in stages.
Each stage's integrity depends on the stage before.
There are different stages, some being just sand, concrete, colorant, or
some binder, such as an acrylic or some adhesive outside the parameters of
sand, concrete, and whatever they throw in there.
Once you want to "clean" such stucco, it can come apart with the ease of a
fingernail pulling off one layer from another.
So, it is an equation that has variables.
If you have a loosely adhering level of stucco, you will find out really
quickly when you just blow a 3' x 3' hole in your stucco.
Easy is the best approach.
Scrubbing can take off flimsy surface coatings as fast as a power washer.
The trick is to find out what you're working with, then deal with that.
Don't go at it with a power washer, or you will quickly find out if you have
a soft vulnerable area or stucco.
Pressure washing stucco/concrete block is SOP in Florida...standard,
routine. Yes, it's possible to etch your name in concrete with a
pressure washer, but one quickly realizes they are too close or have the
pressure set too high. I definitely would not use it on wood, as it
turns the wood to fuzz. The stucco I'm familiar with has some
texture...not the deep troweled texture, but sanded or a bit more than
that (dabbed with a brush)....there is no way to get loose paint off
such a surface unless one picks it piece by piece. With all the
retirees in Florida, none has enough time left to resort to that
)
I would take pains to pick/dig dried caulk joints and repair them, as
well as searching out any other gaps (plumbing and/or electric entries)
to caulk them - around hose bibs, dryer vents, etc. Those who want a
coat of paint below grade can just blast away with the p.w. (pro's do
it), dig a little ditch whilst they clean the masonry; prime bare
masonry, paint, throw the dirt back in....the color goes down to soil level.
HTH
Steve
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