Is there an easy and affordable method for repairing cracks in stucco and drywall? The other day I was out inspecting a house with a buyer client of mine, who also happens to be a general contractor. This home was about 45 years old, with a stucco exterior. Unsurprisingly, there were a few cracks in the stucco – but not many, especially considering the age of he property.
I mentioned that my own home had a lot of cracks in the stucco, mostly where the stucco had been cut and patched over the years as the house had undergone various modifications. I casually asked my client how much he thought it would cost to re-stucco my home. His answer? Don’t bother. Just fill in the cracks, and re-paint with elastomeric paint.
I had never heard of elastomeric paint before. It turns out, it’s a special paint designed for exterior applications on stucco and brick, and it’s formulated to expand and contract. It does cost a bit more than typical exterior paint, and cannot be applied by a paint sprayer (it goes on with a brush or a roller). It sounds pretty awesome, and when I do go to re-paint my house in a year or two, I’ll be sure to use it.
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As it happens, I also have a number of cracks in the drywall of my house – another common issue for homeowners. I probably have more cracks than most, due I think to the fact that my house is built on expansive soils. I thought that perhaps there might be some kind of elastomeric interior paint – but I couldn’t find anything when I searched on-line.
What I did find was that there are a number of products out there to fix cracked drywall, such as elastomeric caulk, elastic spray-on crack preventer, and elastomeric patching compound.
Repairing cracks on the inside and outside of your home is a good idea before putting it up for sale, as it makes your home look closer to new – and remember, new sells! Of course, the fact that you have covered up cracks in your exterior and interior is an important disclosure issue. Make sure that the buyer is fully informed that you have had these cracks and how you took care of them. For the most part, buyers won’t care, but the fact that there were cracks is definitely a material fact.
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