How to Paint Stucco in Florida: Primer, Coats and the Order That Lasts
There is no single right way to paint stucco. New stucco, chalky stucco and sound painted stucco each need a different start. Here is what goes on yours, straight from the paint maker's data sheets.
Search “how to paint stucco” and most answers give you one recipe. Stucco does not work that way. What goes on first depends on what the wall is right now: brand new, bare, chalky, cracked, or sound paint that just needs a fresh coat. Get the start wrong and the best paint on the market peels.
Find your wall in this table
Every primer and coat count here comes from Sherwin-Williams’ own product data sheets.
| Your stucco right now | What goes on first | Then | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand new, under 30 days old | Wait, or after 7 days, Loxon Concrete and Masonry Primer | 2 finish coats | Fresh stucco runs a pH of 13 to 14 and attacks ordinary paint |
| Bare or patched, cured | Loxon Concrete and Masonry Primer or Loxon Conditioner | 2 finish coats | The SuperPaint sheet calls for this system on stucco |
| Previously painted, chalky | Wash off the chalk, then Loxon Conditioner | Finish coats | New paint will not hold on loose powder |
| Previously painted, sound, similar color | Nothing, with a self-priming paint | 1 coat repaint | The Emerald and Duration sheets call for 1 coat on a repaint |
| Big color change | A primer coat | Finish coats | The SuperPaint sheet says primer improves hiding on a drastic change |
| Cracked, efflorescence or mildew | Fix that first | Then the row that matches | See the links below |
Three lines from the data sheets do most of the work here:
- SuperPaint Exterior: “Brick, Stucco, Cement, Concrete: 1 coat Loxon Concrete & Masonry Primer or Loxon Conditioner; 2 coats SuperPaint Exterior Latex.”
- Duration Exterior: “Surfaces with a pH greater than 9 must be primed with a high pH-resistant coating such as Loxon Concrete & Masonry Primer.”
- Emerald Exterior: “Self-priming (2 coats new construction, 1 coat repaint),” and “Allow new stucco to cure at least 30 days before painting.”
Why new stucco is the trap
New stucco looks dry long before it is ready. Sherwin-Williams explains that fresh cement materials run a pH of 13 to 14, and that new surfaces should cure “usually about 30 days.” Paint on it too soon and the alkalinity attacks the film from underneath, or water carries salts out as efflorescence.
If the job cannot wait, Sherwin-Williams’ path is at least 7 days of cure and a pH under 13, then Loxon Concrete and Masonry Primer, which is built for high-pH masonry.
What Loxon Conditioner is for
Loxon Conditioner is a different product from the Loxon primer. Sherwin-Williams describes it as a “100% acrylic emulsion conditioner that will penetrate and seal interior and exterior surfaces and bond light chalk to the surface.” That makes it the usual first coat on old, slightly chalky painted stucco. Note the word light: heavy chalk still has to be washed off first. See chalking paint.
The order on a Florida repaint
- Wash. Chalk, pollen, salt film and mildew come off first. Paint bonds to clean stucco, not to what is sitting on it.
- Let it dry. Stucco is porous and holds water after a wash or a rain.
- Scrape and treat. Loose paint comes off, and any mildew is treated, not painted over.
- Fill and texture cracks with a flexible patch. See stucco cracks before painting.
- Prime where the table says to: bare spots, patches, chalky areas, or the whole wall.
- Finish coats on a dry day, with the surface at least 5 degrees above the dew point and no rain expected for 2 to 3 hours, as the data sheets ask. See how long paint takes to dry in Florida humidity.
That is the same order we use on every exterior: wash, scrape, treat mildew, caulk and prime before any color goes on.
How much paint stucco takes
Stucco is textured and porous, so a gallon goes less far than on smooth siding. Sherwin-Williams lists 250 to 300 sq ft per gallon per coat for Emerald and Duration Exterior, and 350 to 400 for SuperPaint and A-100. Our Florida paint calculator does the math for your walls.
Which sheen on stucco
Sherwin-Williams’ sheen guide says flat or eggshell finishes are best for hiding imperfections and lists flat for textured walls. Satin is easier to wash. See exterior paint sheen for Florida homes.
When it is not a paint job yet
If cracks are wide or stair-stepped, if one side of a crack sits higher than the other, or if the wall stays wet, fix the cause first. No primer or paint holds a moving or wet wall together. For when a thicker coating helps, see elastomeric paint on Florida stucco.
On a Sarasota or Manatee repaint
As a family painting company in Sarasota, we paint with Sherwin-Williams, and the free estimate is where your walls get matched to the right row of that table. Every exterior job is backed by a one-year warranty with free touch-ups. See exterior painting.
01 In their words
What customers said about this kind of work.
Absolutely wonderful experience working with Zsolt! He was a recommendation from a friend for exterior house painting. I had already met 4 other painters and gotten their bids, so I expected that he would be similar, but he was by far the most professional, most responsive and most reasonable price. He included power washing the entire property which turned out to be a much larger project than expected, but not once did he pass that burden on to me. The finished job exceeded my expectations and I quickly hired him for another project. In total Zsolt power washed and painted the exterior of our rental house, washed and painted our pool deck with non-slip paint and stained a newly build wooden outdoor lounge area. I would recommend him to anyone in need of painting or staining or power washing.
Silver Painting and Cleaning painted the exterior of my house and did great work for a very reasonable amount. Thereafter, I had them wash my windows on the outside and inside. Another great job for a reasonable amount. I highly recommend them.
02 Questions
Questions homeowners ask.
Do I need a primer to paint stucco?
On new, bare or patched stucco, yes. Sherwin-Williams' SuperPaint data sheet calls for one coat of Loxon Concrete and Masonry Primer or Loxon Conditioner on stucco, then two finish coats. On sound stucco that was painted before, a self-priming paint like Emerald Exterior can go straight on.
How long does new stucco have to cure before paint?
Sherwin-Williams says at least 30 days. If painting cannot wait, its Emerald data sheet allows 7 days of drying followed by Loxon Concrete and Masonry Primer, which is made for high-pH surfaces.
How many coats does stucco need?
Two finish coats on new or bare stucco. On a sound, previously painted wall in a similar color, Sherwin-Williams' Emerald and Duration data sheets call for one coat for a repaint.
Sources
- Sherwin-Williams, Emerald Exterior Satin, product data sheet (3/2026)
- Sherwin-Williams, SuperPaint Exterior Flat, product data sheet (9/2023)
- Sherwin-Williams, Duration Exterior Flat, product data sheet (3/2026)
- Sherwin-Williams, Loxon Conditioner sell sheet
- Sherwin-Williams, Alkali burn: curing new masonry before paint
- Sherwin-Williams, Paint sheen guide
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