Author: scpcpaintco

Stucco Exterior Maintenance

Sedona, Cottonwood, and the Verde Valley receives abundant sunshine which significantly impacts the upkeep of stucco homes. The areas arid conditions while enjoyed by residents, can be harsh on a stucco exterior, here’s why.

Dry Air and Intense Sunlight:
The combination of low humidity and relentless sunlight speeds up the wear and tear on exterior stucco surfaces. Prolonged exposure can lead to fading and cracking, as the stucco becomes brittle and less flexible.

Temperature Fluctuations:
Day-to-night temperature swings can cause the stucco to expand and contract. Over time, this process can create stress fractures allowing water to penetrate deeper.

Wind and Dust:
Winds, carrying dust and debris, can erode the stucco’s surface.

Maintenance Tips for Homes with Stucco Exteriors in Sedona and Cottonwood Arizona

Regular Inspections:
Schedule periodic checks to catch small cracks or signs of wear before they become major issues.

Protective Coatings:
Consider applying a high-quality primer and paint to protect against the elements.

Proper Cleaning:e
Clean the exterior stucco to remove dust and dirt buildup.

Prompt Repairs:
Address any wear and tear immediately to prevent small issues from developing into costly repairs.

Sedona, Cottonwood, and the Verde Valley homeowners must take proactive measures to maintain the beauty of the exterior of their house.

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST YOUR STUCCO EXTERIOR HOUSE PAINTING QUOTE

 

When it comes to selecting the ideal paint for your homes stucco exterior, 100% acrylic latex paint consistently tops the list.
This type of paint offers excellent durability and flexibility, making it perfect for the unique needs of stucco exteriors.

Here’s why acrylic latex paint is a standout choice:

Breathability:
Stucco needs to breathe to prevent moisture buildup. Acrylic latex paint allows moisture to escape, reducing the risk of cracking.

Adhesion:
Superior adhesion properties ensure that the paint firmly sticks to the textured stucco, providing a long-lasting finish.

Weather Resistance:
This paint type withstands harsh weather conditions, maintaining its appearance through various seasons.

Surface Preparation:

Before painting, ensure the stucco exterior surface is clean and any damages are repaired. Proper preparation increases the paints effectiveness.

Finish Selection:

Decide on the type of finish that suits your aesthetic needs. Flat or matte finishes can hide imperfections, while eggshell or satin offer a slight sheen and are more durable.

Professional Advice:

It’s beneficial to seek recommendations from professionals or local paint stores, as they can provide insights based on regional climate conditions and specific needs of your property.

Beware of cheap paint at some of the big box stores. The strong Sedona and Cottonwood sunlight attacks the paint. Bargain paints do not enough solids in the paint so UV rays will degrade the surface allowing moisture and dirt to penetrate the stucco.

By choosing the right paint, you can enhance the beauty and longevity of your stucco exterior, ensuring it looks vibrant and well-maintained for years to come.

SCPC Paint Company uses only 100% Acrylic name brand paint that has been proven to last for years in our harsh climate.

www.scpcpaintcompany.com  |  (928) 634-1077

 

More Google 5-STAR reviews than any other painting company in Sedona and the Verde Valley!

YES, we only use name brand paints that have proven their reliability, standing up to the harsh weather we can experience here in Sedona and the Verde Valley.

YES, we take great care to cover and protect your windows, decks and outdoor furnishings.

YES, we clean up and remove the materials we use when we are finished.

YES, we invest the time and effort in the time-honored techniques that result in a superior application.

FOR EXAMPLE: As we spray the paint on your homes exterior we then follow behind and BACK ROLL by hand. This forces the paint down into your Stucco which contains myriads of pockets, voids and ridges

Makes sense right?

Check out our 26 FIVE STAR reviews on google and reach out to us. We are looking forward to giving you a quote soon.

PS: We are just as picky when painting the inside of your home!

scpc paint company – Google Search

 

Every house we paint receives the same attention to detail with top quality paint and materials.

We treat your home like it was our own!

scpcpaintco@hotmail.com

(928) 634-1077

 

What is The W Technique?

If your goal is to get paint on the wall, then why do you need a certain technique? Can’t you just get some paint on the roller and roll it on the wall any old way? Straight lines up and down seem logical. Or lines stacked straight across from top to bottom. And yet it’s recommended that you actually draw W’s all over you walls with the roller when painting.

 

Maybe be because W is for Wall, right? Well, I suppose that’s one theory. But really the easy answer is because it saves paint and prevents streaks and large globs of paint. Now right about now you’re wondering, how in the world does drawing a W on the wall save paint?

 

Well, here’s how, but first lets go over how it’s done.

How To Roller the W Technique

1. Load your roller with paint and be sure to get the excess paint off so it’s not dripping when you pick it up and it’s evenly distributed throughout the roller.

2. Place the roller on the wall near a corner and create a large 3 foot wide “W” on the wall.

3. Don’t take the roller off the wall now go back over the wet paint and fill in until you have a 3 foot square of painted wall.

4. Fill the roller with more paint and repeat this method doing sections at a time like this.

Now that you know how to do it, can you imagine why just painting straight lines across the walls might now work so well? Still unsure, well here’s why.

Why The W Technique is Recommended by Professional Painters

The W method is a great way to evenly and quickly apply paint. By the way, it’s very important to make sure you complete the wall you’re working on before taking a break. So be sure you have everything properly taped off and set up before you start. This way you will avoid any uneven coverage on your wall or streaks. Working with the paint while it’s still wet will help you get a much more even coat of paint on your walls.

Because you are going over the wet paint with your roller as you go you can evenly spread the paint which will save you paint and time in the long run. You won’t have to constantly be adding more paint to you roller to get the right amount of coverage because you’re always just redistributing the paint you already had on the roller.

Now that you know how to do the W technique and why it’s done, will you be painting your room in any other way?

As licensed house painters in Sedona and Cottonwood we are the house painters of choice for proud home owners like you! Keep us in mind for epoxy garage floors and cabinet refinishing.

SCPC Paint Company

Office 928-634-1077
Cell 928-821-1645

 

PRIME AND PAINT OR…USE PAINT/PRIMER COMBO’S?

You have got to get your walls painted up on the wall and you’ll hear all kinds of suggestions on what you should do as far as using a primer, or no primer at all, or a paint with a primer already mixed in? Hey, wait a minute this sounds like the best of both worlds, paint and primer in one.

 

Why would anyone ever choose something else if they can save themselves a step and avoid priming the walls and then going back and painting? Well, here are the benefits and the disadvantages to using paint alone, priming first then painting, or using a paint and primer that’s already mixed.

NO PRIMER

If you aren’t actually changing the color of the room and are just touching up the existing color, then you don’t need to prime first. This is because the color from the old paint isn’t going to tint the new paint color. So when you are doing an exact match paint, you can skip the primer entirely and everything will look just fine.

PRIME FIRST?

The real debate comes in when you are deciding between using a paint with a primer already in it or purchasing a primer and then doing a top coat. You will always want to use one of these types of methods though if you are going with a complete color change. Especially if it’s drastic like going from a dark color to a light color or vice versa.

So what would make someone actually take the time to prime first and then paint a room? Generally speaking the benefit of a stand-alone primer is less coats of paint on a wall with a major color change or if covering over stains.

 

PAINT & PRIMER COMBO’S?

When the paint and primer are mixed together you don’t have to worry about getting the wrong tint to the primer because it just goes straight in with the paint. For amateur painters there is a cost savings and certainly a time savings as well.

If you think all of this painting work…sounds like a lot of effort, it is.

 

If you live in Sedona, Cottonwood or the Verde Valley and have better things to do with your time give SCPC Paint Company a call at 928-634-1177 or visit our website. For over 20 years we have been a licensed and bonded contractor expertly painting and preserving homes for discriminating home owners like you.

 

YOUR PAINT JOB IS ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR PREPARATION

Whether indoors or outdoors thoroughly preparing the surface is the foundation to a quality paint job. Here are some prep steps to a successful project.

COVER EVERYTHING

Covering all of the furnishings that cannot be removed from the area is important. Far too many people have assumed that they will be extra careful and ended up ruining something. Be sure to cover electrical outlets with masking tape. If painting an interior room mask the door handles and most people forget about the hinges which can be a real pain to scrape the paint off of later.

No matter what you use to paint (brushes, rollers, or sprayers) there’s bound to be drips on the floor. No matter how careful you are. So it’s important that you cover the floor. Put some painters tape on the baseboards all around the room. Then lay a cloth drop cloth on the floor overlapping the tape. If the floor is carpeted then make sure you push half an inch of tape behind the carpet with a scraper to keep the entire carpet protected.

WASH SURAFCES WITH NON-RESIDUE CLEANER

You must be sure the surface you are paintings is clean and dust free. There’s nothing worse than a splotchy paint job because of dust and debris left on the work surface. So clean the walls with a damp cloth. If the area has oil residue like your kitchen then you will need to use a degreasing cleaner. For outdoor surfaces use a pressure washer to prepare the surface. Be careful not to get too close to the surface or you may end up with a stucco repair.

REPAIR ANY CRACKS OR HOLES

You should also putty up any holes in the wall. If there are larger holes be sure you repair those properly as needed with wall compound and tape. Speak with your local hardware store to find out the best way to repair walls before you begin painting, especially if large repairs are needed.

For paint that is peeling you will want to scrape and sand prior to painting. Painting over paint that’s chipping is just going to be a waste of your time!

USE QUALITY PRIMER

This isn’t always a necessary step, but for surfaces that haven’t been painted before, or if you are going from a dark color to a light color the surface will accept the paint better if they have been primed first. You will need less coats of paint to get the desired color and coverage.

Making sure that you have properly prepared to paint is of the utmost importance. Once you have covered, masked, repaired, cleaned, and primed all surfaces you will be so happy you took that extra time to do that extra work. The results will be far better and ultimately you’ll find will last longer if done correctly.

If you think all of this prep work…sounds like a lot of work, it is.

 

If you live in Sedona, Cottonwood or the Verde Valley and have better things to do with your time give SCPC Paint Company a call at 928-634-1177 or visit our website.

 

For over 20 years we have been a licensed and bonded contractor expertly painting and preserving homes for discriminating home owners like you.

 

 

Think That’s All There Is To It?

Just walk into the big box paint store and walk out with the perfect paint to go on the walls?

Well, that would be great, but besides the overwhelming choice of “what color” you’re going to have decide what kind of finish? Choose the wrong finish and the color goes from perfect to YECH!!

So here are the different kinds of paint finishes you should consider.

MATTE FINISH (Flat)
As the name would suggest this has a flat finish to it. It’s usually used on interior walls and is great for camouflaging small imperfections in the wall like bumps or cracks because it does not reflect light. This paint might scratch easily, so keep some paint on hand to make minor repairs to the walls. Ceilings can be painted with a matte finish because it’s not going to have any wear or tear.

FLAT ENAMEL
This finish can stand up to a good scrubbing so use this paint in bath rooms and hallways.

EGGSHELL
This paint has a very slight gloss to it, kind of like an eggshell, therefore the name. Unlike its name though this is a sturdy paint which holds up better than flat paint. So go ahead and put it on your walls and fear not when it comes to cleaning the walls.

SATIN
For a more velvety look with very little shine try the satin finish. This is a great paint to use in high traffic areas. Kid’s bedrooms do well with a satin finish. Try it in kitchens or bathrooms too.

SEMI-GLOSS
You don’t really want to put a semi-gloss paint on the walls. This is best for trim or painting cabinets. It has a little gloss to it, but not too much to be distracting. It’s important to prepare the surface properly before applying because every little flaw will be highlighted by the slight glossiness to this paint.

GLOSSY
This is a reflective paint. It’s not used much for interiors, but for a dramatic effect it can be used on trim, cabinets, and furniture. It gives almost an enamel/plastic look. But be aware any imperfections in the surface are going to be highlighted with this finish so make sure you prepare the surface well or you’ll be disappointed with the outcome.

Always remember, the key to good painting is going to be proper preparation. It doesn’t matter what kind of paint you use if you ignore the preparation of the surface.

www.scpcpaintcompany.com
Office 928-634-1077
Cell 928-821-1645