Q: I had to have all the stucco around the edges of my windows replaced because of problems with leaks. Workers pulled the old stucco off to reflash the windows. Now I’m wondering how long I’ll have to wait before I can repaint the new bare stucco. I was told to wait four to six weeks, but does it have to be that long?
A: Four to six weeks is about right. But you can also buy a kit at the hardware store and test the moisture levels in the stucco to be sure it’s thoroughly dry. When you do paint, put a good primer on first; then apply the paint. That fresh paint will help your stucco shed water. After you paint the new areas, the fresh paint color will probably look very different from the paint already on the house. Eventually, you may want to repaint the entire house because it’s too easy to see where the new paint stops and the old begins.
Window flashing, of course, is material installed around the windows to keep water from entering gaps between adjoining surfaces. Wind-driven rainwater can find its way through even tiny spaces between the frame or casing of a window and the trim.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
