Stucco News

Question and answers on Stucco and Plastering-- February, 2014




   Making color samples for stucco

a

My husband and I are planning to have our house restucco'd and we are having a hard time deciding on what color to choose from LaHabra.  We've looked all over the internet to find samples of homes with the LaHabra colors we are interested in and your website is the only thing we've found that has been helpful.  I was hoping you would take a moment to answer my question and give me your professional opinion.  We are considering either Blue Grey or Clay.  We are wondering if the colors (especially the Blue Grey) actually go on darker than what is on the sample sheet?  We are going to have a light lace finish.  By the way, we are in California.  
a
Hi Tracy

Here's what I do:

Call Expo stucco in San Diego 858-566-3110 and talk to the
color lab. Usually Maurice will answer.
Find out the Expo cross reference for the La Habra
color.

Expo will send you a small sample for free
if you want, or else you can order a color
pack from West Side building materials
next door. Color can't be purchased from
Expo, only a distributor.
Bear in mind the little sample may vary  from
real life.

There may be a West Side closer to you.
One color pack will make a whole bag of stucco base.
It is a good idea not to make up a whole bag, but measure out
half a bag and half a color pack, for example, to try a different
 intensity (more or less color.)

I put the sample mortar on a block (CMU)
because it is about equally porous as a stucco basecoat
and should give you the same results as a real stucco basecoat.

Since you have plenty, you can put the sample mortar on several
blocks and stack them up, or carry a block over and put it against the
house.

Another method is to use a Sherwin Williams color fan,
or else Duron or Benjamin Moore.
You can call Expo and the will cross reference the paint color number
with a stucco color.

As a warning, you may want to stick to lighter colors (less intensity).

Also, bear in mind that the sample color pack may vary a little from the paint
fan, and the sample you put on the wall will be a little off.

Real stucco colors are a little unforgiving that way.

A lace texture or a Spanish texture
will shadow a little bit, which may darken (more intensity) your color.

You may have an Expo distributor close to you.

I have Expo color UPS'ed   to Virginia.

I almost always do all this before we put on a color.

My sample method is a little different, because we make our own base,
if you saw my you tube video: http://www.stucconews.net/vid/

My recipe is one bag of white portland, on fourth a bag of
lime, and 2 100 pound bags of white sand.
I add three color packs to this mix.
Since one batch makes six buckets of dry material,
I mix one bucket to a half a color pack.
This saves me from making a whole batch for a sample.

I hope this helps