Use a power washer for extra cleaning power. If you don’t own one, see if your local hardware store has one to rent. For tough stains you can’t quite remove by hand, mix 1 cup (240 mL) of trisodium phosphate in about 1 US gal (3,800 mL) of water. Scrub it into the stains with a brush before rinsing it off with clean water. The chemical is strong, so cover up with long-sleeved clothing, gloves, goggles, and a respirator mask. [2] X Research source
Shop online or visit your nearest home improvement store for cement and all the tools you need to apply it. With surface bonding cement, you don’t need to apply a concrete bonding adhesive. If you wish to use another type of cement or concrete, also get a bag of adhesive. Mix it with water and spread it on the wall first.
The wall needs to be well-soaked in order for the cement to bond to it. Always work on one part of the wall at a time to avoid any problems with the cement coating.
A hawk is a flat tool used to pick up and hold lots of concrete, mortar, or other material. Normally you would have to dip into the mix many times. Using a hawk reduces this, making the application process much easier. For a faster way to cover wall sections, take advantage of a concrete sprayer. Load the concrete into the sprayer, then hold it close to close to the wall to avoid spraying the areas you aren’t ready to work on yet. If you need to check the cement’s thickness, try using a tape measure on an open part of the wall.
If you make a mistake, scrape off the cement right away with a trowel or another tool. Cement is much easier to take care of before it hardens!
Cement can be painted over by coating it with a concrete primer. Another option is to mix colored concrete pigment into your wheelbarrow of wet cement to give it some color.
To repair damage, mix mortar. Fill in the gaps to level out the wall as much as possible.
Concrete bonding agents, tools, and the ingredients you need for the stucco mix are all available online and at home improvement stores.
You can also mix in a concrete pigment to color the stucco if you don’t plan on painting it later.
The scratch coat is like a second base for the outer layer of stucco, so don’t skip it. Applying a large amount of stucco all at once is a recipe for an unappealing finish.
A scratch coat is a rough initial layer. You create scratch marks on it to create a base for the final layer to bond to, leading to a stronger wall covering. The scratch marks don’t have to be perfectly horizontal or even. Simply drag the tool across the wall a few times. As long as you have marks along the entire wall, you can create a much stronger finish. If you don’t have a scarifier available, use the edge of a trowel or another tool. Make the scratches about 1⁄8 in (0. 32 cm) deep.
Stucco is similar to concrete and needs to be treated the same way. Always let the first layer cure before applying a second one.
For example, some designers sweep a trowel across the stucco to give it an uneven, ridged design. You could also use a scarifier to give it a scratched design or leave it flat if you wish. If you wish to use concrete pigment, don’t forget to mix it in with the fresh batch of stucco. Otherwise, you can apply wall paint to the stucco after it finishes drying.
Look for furring strips at your local home improvement store. Some places sell pre-cut strips, but you can also ask to have treated pine boards cut to the size you need.
Consider marking the installation points with chalk first. Check the line with a level to ensure the furring boards will form a straight row when you install them. If your wall has windows, doors, and other obstructions, keep the furring strips away from them. Install separate furring strips around each of these components, basically framing them. For soffits and fascia, you can get separate pieces of vinyl designed to fit these wood components. Slide the vinyl into a top strip or J-channel and nail them as needed to hold them in place.
Have a helper on hand to hold the boards in place while you attach them to the walls.
Remember to install vertical boards around each door and window to complete the furring “frame. ” These components need to be framed in order to waterproof them properly.
Remember to wear goggles, earmuffs, and a dust mask to keep yourself safe while operating a saw.
Look for vinyl siding kits online or at your local home improvement store to get all the components you need. Alternatively, buy the parts separately to suit your wall. If you’re working around doors and windows, get more vinyl starters. You need corner pieces and J-channel pieces to connect them together. They attach to the furring boards the same way the starter does.
Look for labels on the nail slots in each panel. These slots are often marked with letters to help installers line up rows of panels properly. The vinyl panels are pretty thin, so don’t put the nails in too tightly. Pound the nails in so they’re about even with the upper lip of each panel. That way, the panels can expand and contract as the weather changes.
These are the only nails visible in the siding. Consider adding some primer and then painting over them with water-resistant latex paint.
Another way to remove tough stains is by attaching a wire brush to a right-angle grinder. Use the brush to scrub off the stains.
You can get bonding agents, along with any other tool you need, online or at most home improvement stores.
Make your own mix by combining 1 part masonry cement with 3 parts masonry sand. Put an acrylic polymer in a separate container to mix with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Combine all of the ingredients in your wheelbarrow to finish the mortar.
Keep the layer of mortar the same depth throughout the wall so the stone veneer fits evenly on the wall. Consider scratching the mortar with a scarifier, a metal rake, or another tool to improve the finished bonding.
There isn’t much extra work needed to fit the panels together. The manufacturer cuts them into shapes meant to fit together. The only exception is when you need to trim the stone to fit along the edges of your wall, which you can do with a diamond blade.
Dampening the stones with a spray of water from a hose can help the mortar stick to them. If you need to cut the stone panels to fit on the wall, use a circular saw with a diamond-tipped masonry blade.
Try to avoid getting mortar on the stones. If you need to clean the stones, let the mortar dry, then remove it with a dry whisk brush.
Grout protects the stone veneer from moisture and anything that might grow inside the joints. Some people prefer the way the veneer looks without grout, but keep in mind that it may not last as long as a wall finished with grout.
