How to Paint Rough Stucco With a Roller

How to Apply Skip Troweled Stucco
Written By
Brandon Getty
Brandon Getty
Published: Jan 20, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

Things You Will Need

  • Garden hose
  • Scrub brush
  • Mild dish detergent (optional)
  • Plastic pan inserts
  • Paint pan
  • Primer
  • Roller handle
  • Roller cartridges (with 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch pile depth)
  • Extension handle (optional)
  • Paint (urethane or acrylic-based)
  • Medium-sized paintbrush

Because of stucco's very rough texture, a roller cartridge with a thick pile density (long fibers) must be used to ensure sufficient paint coverage.

  1. Clean the stucco to be painted using a garden hose and a scrub brush. A mild dish detergent may be used to help clean away any dried dirt or other debris.

  2. Place a plastic pan insert into the paint pan. Fill the bottom of the pan with primer.

  3. Coat the roller cartridge with a generous layer of primer and begin rolling it onto the stucco. Use more primer as needed, until the stucco is completely coated. Attach an extension handle to the roller if necessary.

  4. Allow the primer to set and harden for 24 hours, or for the time suggested by the manufacturer. Remove the plastic insert holding the primer from the paint pan.

  5. Place a fresh plastic insert into the pan and fill it with paint. The paint you choose should contain either urethane or acrylic resins to create a lasting bond on the stucco's rough texture.

  6. Dip a fresh roller cartridge into the paint and roll it onto the stucco. Cover the stucco with a light first coat and then cover it with a generous second coat.

  7. Check all areas of the stucco for complete coverage, spot-treating any unpainted areas with a paintbrush. Allow the paint to dry for the time suggested by the manufacturer.

Warnings

Do not allow any children or pets near your work area, as the chemicals in primer and paint may be poisonous if swallowed.

Photo Credits

stucco texture image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com

stucco texture image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com

Brandon Getty

Brandon Getty began writing professionally in 2008, with columns appearing in "Thrasher" magazine. He received a Bachelor of Arts in literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and lives in Stockton, Calif.

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