How to Install Stucco Mix

When you’re certain the bonding agent is no longer wet, apply a base coat of stucco mix. This layer should be 1/4 of an inch to 1/2 of an inch thick. Next, you’ll need to use a hand trowel to scratch grooves in the surface to make it easier for the next coat to adhere. For this reason, this layer is often referred to by pros as a scratch coat. Allow the layer to fully dry.

Add the next layer of stucco mix, which is called the brown coat. This layer should be around 1/8 of an inch thick, and it will need to harden slowly to ensure strength. To slow the drying process, mist the layer occasionally according to the manufacturer’s instructions, so the material won’t become brittle. Allow to harden for at least 36 hours before moving on to the next step.

Once the brown coat is dry, apply the final coat of stucco mix approximately 1/4 of an inch thick. At this point, texture can be added to the surface using a grooved trowel or the surface can be smoothed with a flat trowel. You can also add a tint if desired. The finish coat should be allowed to set for 36 hours, during which time it should be misted to prevent it from drying too quickly, just as with the brown coat. Once the finish coat has completely cured — which can take up to several weeks — you can paint over it.

Apply a scratch coat of stucco mix over the netting. This layer should be anywhere from 1/4 of an inch to 1/2 of an inch thick. Allow the layer to dry partially, then use a trowel to scratch the surface in a crisscross pattern. Allow to dry for at least 36 hours, misting the surface occasionally according to the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure it doesn’t dry too quickly.

Add stucco mix evenly over the scratch coat to the recommended thickness, then smooth it out. This layer is sometimes referred to as the leveling coat. Allow to dry again for 36 hours, misting it occasionally.

After the leveling coat is set, apply the final coat of stucco on top of it with a finishing trowel to the recommended thickness. A tint can be added to the final coat if desired. Once complete, mist the layer occasionally and allow it to harden for several days. Once the final coat has fully cured for up to a couple of weeks, it can be painted over, if you choose.