Matching your existing stucco texture is a huge part of the repair process and can make all the difference in the world from a patch that is virtually seamless and one that you can see from the neighbor's yard. I wanted to touch on how we match existing textures and some of the variables that come with trying to achieve this, so you have a better understanding of what to expect.
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Acrylic and Cement Based Finishes...
The texture on your house will usually be coated with either an acrylic finish or a more traditional cement based finish and both materials do share some textures, while some textures are reserved for a specific type of finish material. This is important because it really is the first part of the puzzle that we need to figure out (in most cases) in order to try to match the existing texture as closely as possible.
Shared Textures: One of the most common shared finishes is a sand finish that can be achieved using both an acrylic type of material and a cement based material. There are also different sizes of aggregates that are offered that will give you a fine, medium or coarse finish as well, depending on the size of the aggregates used in the material.
Even though a sand finish/texture can be achieved using these two different materials, they will not look the same because of the other aspects of the materials themselves. So, if you had a sand finish on your home, then it would be best to match your texture with the material that was used, for the best results.
Unique Textures: There are also some unique textures that are only used for one type of finish material. A good example of this is a lace texture, which is used with a traditional cement based type of finish. I do want to note that a lace texture can be achieved with an acrylic, in theory, but will 99% of the time be a cement based material that it was applied with.
How Was Your Texture Applied?
It is important to mention how your walls were textured, so you get an idea of what to expect, when it comes to matching your specific texture. It is important to remember that when your walls were textured, it was done all at one time from one corner to the other.
This presents a problem when attempting a repair, especially when it comes to a smaller area that will have to be blended in with the existing area around it. This is where the "skill" and patience will come into play.
You will have to analyze the texture of the existing walls and try to replicate that finish. This will involve looking at the size of the aggregate used, how wet or dry the material was when it was applied and other small details that are evident in order to get the most seamless finish possible.
With all of that said, we have never had a complaint when it came to matching an existing texture and this is because we try to get it as close as possible, by analyzing all of the "little things".
Textures Are Unique, Like Your Autograph...
I also want to point out that a texture on a wall, especially one that was done by hand, can be as unique as your autograph, even when you know how to achieve that texture. Other elements come into play that will change the look of a texture and can make matching it slightly harder.
Some of these things can include:
- what the outside temperature was when it was applied
- what the water content was in the finish material
- what the water content in the base coat material was before application of the finish coat(s)
- how large of a trowel was used
- left-handed vs right-handed application process
- and many other variables
