Painting Stucco

[Oren]

Actually mold can grow in the desert here. There was big law suit over brass PEX connectors that failed (product failure), with leaks at the outside walls. The builder did not place "weep screed" (?) and the bottom of the wall / stucco. Water collected over a long period and mold grew. It was found after the stucco was torn off.

My house is 12 years old. The front and sides are still the original paint. I painted the back 5 years ago when I added a patio deck cover.

I really have to look to find any "hairline" cracks, nothing major. You mentioned golf ball holes. I take it this house is near the fairway :-/ I was at a home some years back, and the golf balls knocked holes the stucco from wide golfers..

[bud--]

Sounds like EFIS, a 'modern' replacement (that is not really stucco). Some major horror stories with that stuff here (where it does rain).

[uncle K]

OK, I'll give you that mold "could" grow naturally here, but it would take an extreme circumstance.

Our unit isn't in the line of fire, but many of them are on the right side of a fairway, which means bad golfers smack them regularly. I counted two dozen punch marks on the side of one unit. The red clay tile roofs are beat up too. We would have preferred a unit on the fairway, but in the end, I refuse to wear a hard hat to relax on the patio.

;-{

[Oren]

I'm not familiar with what "EFIS" is? The homes here are a three coat stucco. (I call them as looking like a Taco Bell)

There was a company here that was hawking some type of "ceramic" coating. Had all the typical "but wait, there's more!" sale pitches.

[Robert Neville]

Here's a good definition of the different stucco types:

[Oren]

Outstanding.

I really like the comment: "Prehistoric stucco was performed on dwellings 4,000 years ago ..."

[DanG]

Amen. If it has not been painted before, stay with the stucco.