Exterior walls on homes in Pasadena, CA can sometimes look tired over time. In Pasadena, between the baking summer heat and those occasional Santa Ana winds whipping down from the mountains, Stucco takes a beating. Stucco Redashing is usually the fix, but homeowners always have plenty of questions before starting Stucco Redashing. Here are the answers to the questions we get asked most on job sites by homeowners in Pasadena, CA.
What actually is Stucco Redashing?
Stucco Redashing is not tearing everything down to the wood framing or brick. Stucco Redashing means putting a brand new finish coat right over your existing, sound Stucco base. Think of it like giving your house a fresh face without needing major construction. Apex Stucco skims a fresh layer of colored or texture-matched cement mix over the old Stucco surface to hide hairline cracks, fading, and years of weather wear on Stucco walls in Pasadena.
How do I know if my house needs Stucco Redashing or a complete tear-off?
The decision comes down to what is happening underneath the Stucco. If your Stucco base coat is solid and the walls do not sound hollow when you knock on them, Stucco Redashing is totally fine. If you have major moisture damage, crumbling plaster, or structural shifting, applying a new coat on top is not the right choice. Apex Stucco always checks the bond before recommending a simple Stucco Redashing project for homes in Pasadena.
Can you match the texture of my 1920s Craftsman or Spanish revival home?
Matching historic textures takes a lot of care and skill. Pasadena has some incredible historic pockets, from Bungalow Heaven out on the east side up to grand estates near Linda Vista, and you cannot just put a modern dash finish on a historic Monterey-style home and expect it to look right. A good plasterer can read the old Stucco wall, figure out the aggregate size, and match the hand-troweled texture so the Stucco Redashing or patch blends in seamlessly with the rest of the Stucco.
How long is this whole process going to take?
For an average single-family home in neighborhoods like Bungalow Heaven or near Hastings Ranch, a standard Stucco Redashing project usually takes 3 to 5 days from setup to cleanup. That includes washing down the Stucco walls, applying a bonding agent, putting up the new finish coat, and letting the Stucco cure properly. Weather plays a part, though. If we get an unexpected humidity spike or rain in Pasadena, we have to slow down the Stucco Redashing work.
Do I need to paint after Stucco Redashing?
Most of the time, no. Apex Stucco usually mixes the color right into the finish coat so it goes on integrally during Stucco Redashing. That means if a stray branch scrapes the Stucco wall five years from now, you do not see white paint underneath, just the same color cement. If you want a specific custom color that is hard to mix in the mud, or if you want extra waterproofing protection, you can paint over the Stucco, but wait at least 28 days for the new Stucco to fully cure first.
What's the best time of year to schedule Stucco Redashing in Pasadena?
Avoid the peak of summer if you can. When the thermometer hits the nineties and the sun is beating straight down on a west-facing Stucco wall, that fresh Stucco dries too fast and cracks right open. Spring and fall are prime time around Pasadena for Stucco Redashing. The mild temperatures let the cement cure slowly and build maximum strength. If we do have to work through a hot spell, Apex Stucco spends a lot of time misting the Stucco walls down with water to keep them from flashing.
For homes and businesses in Pasadena, Apex Stucco provides Stucco Redashing services.