Replies

1. 
   Brian_Smith | Feb 09, 2002 07:13am | #1

   *
   that's why i chose not to be a painter:-)

   brian

1. 
   Ralph_Wicklund | Feb 09, 2002 08:35am | #2

   *If your contractor is attempting to tint a standard or traditional stucco topcoat there are any number of factors that will prevent an accurate color match. For instance, he may be guessing the amount and/or the actual color needed to affect a change. His base mixture may not be the same either in water content or sand/portland proportions. His sand may not be consistant.What many contractors are doing, while avoiding the potential of poor EIFS installation, is to use traditional stucco (scratch and brown coats) and finish up with the EIFS topcoats as produced by Stuc-O-Flex, Dryvit, Sto, Parex, Senergy or Pleko.This topcoat contain the predetermined color and is very consistant and can yield any variety of finish textures, such as smooth, sand, worm or knockdown.You might be ahead if you just order the finish by the bucket rather than attempt to mix and match on site.

1. 
   Shelley_Perkins | Feb 10, 2002 10:20pm | #3

   *I've got an idea. Don't know if it will work, but....Stucco companies make a fogging coat, not paint, cement product to even out or slightly change the color. Will bond with the stucco, since it's the same basic product.Perhaps you could hire a decorative painter to use this product to give you the old world, faded look that you want and put your contractor out of his misery.

1. 
   Bob_Darby | Feb 11, 2002 02:02am | #4

   *The fogging coat sounds interesting. Do you know how and when it should be applied and what it costs?

1. 
   Shelley_Perkins | Feb 11, 2002 08:55am | #5

   *The color coat is the final, cosmetic coat, applied with a trowel, approx 1/8" thick. It's affected by the water mix, the air temps and humidity. There are "dye lots" so the proper way is to purchase all you need at one time....and make sure that the water is consistent from batch to batch.The fog product is cement, comes dry, water is added to the consistency of milk and it's usually sprayed. It's design is to even out the color if for some reason it needs to be, or to slightly darken. All the companies make a fog coat.If your contractor is trying to mix a custom color and he succeeds, you're still going to have a uniform color...which is not what I think that you want. I think that you want an aged look, which would mean slightly mottled, faded, a blending of colors. The Tuscan look if I read you rightly.A faux painter is experienced in this technique. Might be able to take several colors near what the contractor comes up with and get you the effect that you want.As I said, it's not paint. It's the same material as the color coat and will bind with the stucco underneath. Should last just as long as a normal job. However, have never heard of anyone doing it....I just made it up! But, I've achieved what you want indoors with paint...plenty of times. Don't know why this wouldn't work.

2. 
   Shelley_Perkins | Feb 11, 2002 09:03am | #6

   *Sorry, got carried away and didn't answer your question.Can be applied any time and the cost of the material is trivial. The cost of the faux painter is another thing :o)

3. 
   Shelley_Perkins | Feb 13, 2002 06:24pm | #7

   *Hey Bob,I did think of one problem. When one applies fog coat it dries almost instantly. A faux painter is used to adding extenders to paint to provide a longer wet edge.So, the painter would have to do lots of practice and know exactly how he's going to achieve your look b4 he starts. Still think that it's worth a shot.It can be sprayed with a pump garden sprayer. Have never tried using a paint brush, but he'd have to be very deft and very fast.

2. 
   Bob_Darby | Feb 13, 2002 06:24pm | #8

   *
   I am having the exterior of my house changed to stucco. We want the look of "old" stucco you see on old buildings in Savannah. We want the color in the mix rather than painted on. Having some variation in color is desirable and the first sample the contractor produced was the right color but needed to be slightly darker. However, every attempt to darken the mix has produced a brown, pink, yellow or green tint. The contractor seems to be about ready to give up and I'm beginning to wonder if he is just tired of trying of if we want something that can't be produced without waiting a century for it to age. Any suggestions?