CA License #730258

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East Bay Stucco Color Coating

Why paint when you can coat?
Kirk Giordano plastering did a great job color coating our home, the bad patches no longer show and he was able to cover the drill holes where I had insulation shot into the walls, but best of all we never have to paint again...
Bill Y.

NEVER paint your stucco AGAIN!

There's weather outside. Let's put a coat on instead.

Accentuate your home’s beauty and protect your #1 investment with a maintenance free color coat finish, and never have to paint the body of your home again.

We’re the experts you need to do it right!

Alameda stucco color coat project

This is a color coat we did several years ago, and still looking sharp.

Stucco color coats come in a wide variety of shades – whether browns, reds, greens, or gray tones, we will help you find the color that best compliments your home’s aesthetic!

What is color coating?

Color coating refers to the application of a colored stucco finish over existing walls. This can be called various names – a finish coat, a top coat, a texture coat, or a third coat – but almost all refer to the same process. 

Color coating involves mixing a specialized pigment (of the color you choose) to the finishing material to achieve the desired color. We can either recreate your home’s existing texture, or use this opportunity to apply a new texture of your choice to your home’s exterior.

We have worked on thousands of homes and applied every texture under the sun. We often recommend a fine sand texture as an elegant, easy to clean uniform finish that gives your home a modern, updated feel.

Should I paint my stucco or color coat?

Why hire a professional painter, just to need them to come back every 5-10 years? With a stucco color coat, you do it once and never have to worry about repainting the body of your house again.

We recommend color coating on all new stucco jobs here in the East Bay for the reasons given above – it adds elegance, an updated texture, lasts longer than paint, and can save you money over the long term.

Stucco color coats are a bit more expensive than painting, but its superior longevity makes it the more cost effective choice in the long run. Not only that, this maintenance free finish is a great selling point should you ever decide to sell your home. Contact us now for a free estimate.

Example of color coating an entire wall so that the patch would blend perfectly.

Types of stucco color coats

Acrylic color finish

Acrylic stucco finishes are stucco aggregate mixed with high quality paint materials. Every manufacturer has its own blends of material, but mostly they perform similarly.

Acrylic color coats add additional moisture resistance. They also have some flex, which is good for homes with foundation issues which is not all that uncommon in older homes here in the East Bay. However, they are unnecessary for most situations as they add additional cost and can be difficult to source, causing potential delays on your project.

Kirk answering one of the most common questions we get: what’s the difference between acrylic and cementitious color finishes?

Cementitious color finish

Cementitious stucco finishes are made up of sand, portland cement, lime, and color pigments. These materials can achieve a wide variety of colors and textures.

Cementitious color coats are what we recommend for the vast majority of our East Bay clients because they perform extremely well, are cost effective, and readily available.

What color options are there for stucco finish coats?

Think colored stucco just means choosing from a few basic options? Think again! Today there are a wide variety of color choices you have with stucco finish coats. Please note that there may be some variation in color once applied. This is one of the benefits of a stucco color finish, it has more character and charm than simply painting. Not only that, over time as it gets weathered, it can look even better.

These sample charts are pulled from our friends at La Habra and BMI, our most commonly chosen manufacturers for cementitious color coats.

La Habra color options

BMI color options

Acrylic color coat options

The above color charts are all for a cementitous color finish, which is often what we recommend for the reasons listed earlier on this page. However, for folks who want to go the route of an acrylic color finish, here is a color chart from our most often used manufacturer “Stuc-O-Flex“.

Color coat FAQs

Yes, however the painted surface must be prepared properly. It must be power washed, and then we apply a bonding agent over the painted surface. This adheres color coats to painted surfaces.

No. You have to color the whole wall because color coat is not like paint. It cannot be blended in anywhere.

The cost of color coating varies depending on the quality of the product, the size of the area to be coated, and regional pricing variations that include labor costs.

Color coating tends to be more expensive upfront than paint. However, it offers advantages in terms of longevity and durability. Because color coating is specifically designed to withstand weather elements and resist fading, peeling, or chipping over an extended period, it reduces the need for frequent repainting, and potentially saves on maintenance costs in the long run.

Painting is often, but not always, cheaper in the short run. It’s much easier to spray or roll on five gallons of paint on a single story home than it is to lath (paper and wire) the same home, then add fifteen tons of sand and cement to it after its lathed. But then you must repaint every 5-10 years. With a maintenance free stucco finish you will never have to refinish your home again.

Because it is porous and not sealed like paint. When it absorbs water it darkens. This is normal and not a problem, the waterproof layer is behind the stucco.

As mentioned above, we recommend color coating on all new stucco jobs – it adds elegance, an updated texture, lasts longer than paint, and saves you money in the long run. You can hire a professional painter and need to repaint every 5-10 years, or choose a stucco color coat and never need to repaint the body of your house again.

Plus if you’re getting stucco work done anyway, you only deal with one contractor (us) versus having to find and hire a separate painter after we’re done with your stucco.

When properly applied by a licensed contractor, stucco color coats will last for decades. It will last as long as the stucco lasts, which outside of natural disasters or acts of God will be long after you and I are gone.

The color may fade a bit over time from sun exposure, but just like houses built out of brick, can end up looking even better with some weathering. Painting a brick house causes unnecessary maintenance; stucco is the same. Make things easy on yourself and choose a color coat finish that is “one and done”.

Our estimates make sense. See for yourself.

We pride ourselves on our excellent work, but also in our transparency and integrity. Ever hire a contractor and wonder what they’re doing behind the scenes, if they’re cutting corners, or if they’re cheaping out on materials? Thanks to our extensive video catalog of completed work, you can see us work from beginning to end on hundreds of projects just like yours. Our methods are effective and time tested.

We have no need to upsell and do not want folks paying for things they do not need. In fact, we often recommend more cost effective ways to solve problems, if we are aware of them. When we give you a bid, you can be sure it’s a fair estimate of what actually needs to be done – no more, no less.

As the local “stucco guys”, we’ll be completely honest with you in the recommendations we make. We’ll give you an estimate that is fair and reasonable, and give your East Bay home the TLC it needs.