Preparing block house for stucco

[Denny]

I purchased a block house in Daytona Beach that is 47 years old. Because it has settlement cracks, and because the 4"x16" blocks are unattractive, I would like to stucco it. What is the best way to prepare the blocks?

What kind of stucco should I use? Synthetic or regular stucco?

Is there a way to determine the cost?

I'll stop here, but I have lots of other questions regarding the repairs and refurbishing the house.

[Rich]

I'm no mason/plasterer but I would imagine some type of metal lath would need to be attached to accept a browncoat. Wonder how regular and synthetic stuccos adhere to each other? Would think synthetic would weather the elements better.

[Denny]

I'm hoping that I get responses from someone who has had experience covering block siding with stucco. I was told by a contractor that sandblasting or power washing were used to prepare painted block. One of the forum posts suggested using a metal brush to rough up the paint? What is the best way for a good bond?

[Tom R]

Just roughing up the paint isn't good enough. You definitely need to sandblast it. You only want to do this job once, right?

[Denny]

Thank you, Developer, for your suggestion about preparing the stucco by sandblasting. A building supply person, who sells the stucco directly to installers, said that power washing, followed by a bonding agent on the blocks, would be enough. Does anyone else have input regarding the process or steps involved when stuccoing over old cinder blocks? Should I replace the old windows, before or after the stucco project? I am meeting with a contractor today. I'll pass along his suggestion. By the way, I have found that building supply stores are a great resource for getting names of contractors.

[Tom R]

Power washing and a bonding agent work well for a 'block' wall. Trouble is, you're talking about a 'painted' block wall. If you don't remove the paint completely, your stucco WILL stick to the paint, but the 'job' will only be as 'strong' as the paint bond (with the weight of the stucco added). Think about it.