Home Up

Here are photos of our front wall "restoration" from September-October 2010.  The wall has a brick core stuccoed and scored to look like randomly coursed stone.  It is exposed on all sides and years of rain had done a number on it.  I chipped off the loose stucco and then patched with mortar mix.  

(Click on a photo to get a larger image.  Hover pointer to get a description of the picture.  Photos are in chronological order from top to bottom.)

The wall to be restored (2503480 bytes)

Chipping off the "loose" mortar was a delicate task as I could've pried it all off if I really tried.  I settled for leaving mortar that was "well attached."

The wall after the loose stucco has been removed (4263806 bytes)Top of wall after loose stucco removed (3998403 bytes)

I used a regular mortar mix for my stucco as I believe was done originally.  I did not use a hard mortar, as I wanted it to have a little flex since it's a fairly large span.

Dave applying the mortar mix (4007699 bytes)

I applied the mortar in two fairly thick layers to reach the existing surface.  I matched the "mortar joints" as closely as I could as the mortar quickly set up.  With the excess mortar, I built a small buttress at the base of the wall to shed water away from the wall a bit.  

Dave applying the mortar mix in two layers (5282829 bytes)Second stucco coat applied and scored (7169394 bytes)

CIMG0558.JPG (4902837 bytes)Second stucco coat applied and scored (4046821 bytes)

After the mortar mix had cured for three weeks, I applied two coats of Zinsser WaterTite.  I had good success with Zinsser in my basement.  

Wall half painted with Zinsser Water Tite (4269766 bytes)Wall coated in Zinsser Water Tite (4071816 bytes)

After letting the Zinsser cure for ten days, I applied a oil-based primer coat.  After the primer coat, I applied two coats of Miller oil-based porch enamel.  It's a semi-gloss but is actually quite glossy.  Good for repelling water and providing a durable finish.

Dave applying primer coat (4064796 bytes)Porch paint going on over primer (1737648 bytes)

Finish coat (1948986 bytes)

The wall weathered a wet winter nicely.  The stucco work and paint job seem to have kept water out of the wall.  This spring, I will paint the grout lines a shade darker than the body to make them pop just a little bit.

I also scraped, primed and painted our original light fixture and reinstalled on the corner.  Here's a shot of the finished wall with the house for some context.  The wall is in the lower right quadrant.

CIMG0787.JPG (2950750 bytes)

Modified: 08/19/2015