Stucco is a popular choice for exteriors in Utah. If you’re building a home and are narrowing down the many exterior options or looking to renovate your current stucco, you may be struggling to pick a style for your stucco’s finish. Here’s a quick low down of the different finish options to help you make your decision:

Dash Finish: This finish is also called Roughcast. It’s one of the most popular options throughout Utah, and a great choice for any style of home. It looks a little like textured, small gravel and you can choose from light to dense in terms of coarseness depending on your preferences.

Skip-trowel Finish: This finish is also called Spanish Lace. It’s another popular finish found throughout Utah and looks lovely with the two-coat process with a forgiving texture. It hides imperfections well and ranges from fine to coarse in pattern.

Santa Barbara Finish: This is a smooth-style finish that is a little difficult to apply but looks amazing. It’s highly customizable and is easy to clean. Adding color to this style can be done directly to the wall and gives it a mottled look. Maintenance is a bit higher with this stucco finish, but the beautiful finished look may be worth it.

Cat Face Finish: This finish is also called Montalvo or California. You will recognize this finish by its overall smoothness with patches of rough areas that can range from small to large. The method is done with two layers—the first layer is a rough coat and the second is the smooth coat that is applied in a way that allows the rough undercoat to randomly show through.

English Finish: This is one of oldest stucco techniques and it’s easy to pick out. The look is a heavily brushed finish and shows like large paint strokes. This style looks great on older, historic homes and is a very durable, classic option.

Sand Finish: This finish is also called Float. It is slightly similar to dash finishes but it’s more delicate, creating a finer textured look. You’ve likely seen this finish on businesses because they repair well and hide imperfections, but they’re also great on homes with large areas of stucco sections.

Worm Finish: Worms may not sound appealing, so let’s call this groove or swirl finishing. These indentations create a unique look on your home and pairs well with siding. It’s not the most popular choice, but that doesn’t mean it looks bad—stand out from the crowd with this option. It’s done by hand and is time consuming, but with a professional service like RAM Builders and Stucco, you can be sure the job is done right.

Smooth Finish: This creamy and beautiful finish style is the most complex of these options. You’ll want an expert to complete this task. Color choices are endless and look beautiful on the smooth surface. It’s a high-end look that will turn heads. However, it is difficult to patch when cracks occur, so you’ll want to be prepared for maintenance needs for this one.

For any stucco task, our experts can help. Reach out to us for a free estimate.

Trends may come and go, but you can still be “trendy” while also staying timeless and classic. This year, a lot of the great trends we’re seeing around the country are just that—timeless. Some trends are better left undone, and the “go big or go home” mentality is not always the best when it comes to such an expensive and large item as a home. You can still pack a beautiful and current punch with an exterior remodel while also feeling secure that you won’t want to redo everything in just a few years.

Let’s talk colors. The color of your home is a huge deal, whether it’s brick, stucco, siding, or a combination of materials. White has been huge for a while; you’ve seen it everywhere – maybe you even live in it! White is going stay, but this year it’s going a bit softer. Think warmer whites and light creams (not beige or tan though) this year instead of the stark whitest of whites. The contrast with a dark or even black is also looking like it’ll stay. It’s a classic look that is pretty on basically every style from farmhouse to contemporary and French country to colonial designs. If you love the contrast but are worried to get in too deep, go for a color blocking method, which allows you to experiment with your contrasting desires without going too much. Other color options that will likely remain popular include neutrals that are soft and blend into nature, such as subtle greens and blues. If you’re in an older home, simply painting the brick, siding, or stucco will completely transform your home. Bring your ideas to us—we have lots of experience and can provide great advice.

How about textures? Adding some texture to your exterior is a great way to bring a classy and expensive look to your home. Wood trims, stone sections, or brick accents are great options. This year we’re seeing a love for copper which is beautiful on the eyes but not so much on the pocketbook. There are many options even if you’re on a tight budget. Faux accents are readily available and when applied correctly, they can look just a gorgeous as the real thing. If you want to mix textures, this is a great year to do it. You’ll want a builder you can bounce ideas off of to make sure you don’t get too much going and to help you find materials that go well together. Adding cosmetic textures is a relatively inexpensive way to update your home.

The modern minimalist. Minimalist design has been a popular interior design trend for a while. We’re seeing a desire for a similar look on homes’ exteriors. We know this design can get very bold very quick, but don’t be afraid to add in elements somewhere on your home’s exterior. Think monochrome lighting, more windows, simple and clear geometric lines, and simple yet elegant features.

Redesigning or remodeling the exterior of your home is a big project that can change the whole look of your home. Our professionals can deliver whatever new look you want for 2022.

Stucco is a common exterior finishing in Utah due to its ability to withstand the high heat in the summer and the extreme cold in the winter and with its high resistance to water damage. Stucco is also very affordable and looks amazing for years when installed by a professional. There are numerous color options for stucco exteriors, and because it’s so affordable, it’s easy to update later on if you want to try a new look as trends come and go.

Real estate in Utah is booming with new homes being built all over the state. If you’re building a home or renovating, you can’t go wrong with a beautiful stucco exterior. There are several finishing options to choose from such as worm finishes with tiny indents and grooves, smooth finishes that have a clean European look, sand finishes that are simple and familiar, or lace finishing, which is the most common style you’ve most likely seen before, and even more.

Warm wood tones, creamy whites, dark grays, and bronzes are predicted to be hot choices for home exteriors throughout 2021 and 2022. Whether you have the gorgeous Wasatch Mountains as your backdrop or the stunning red rocks around central and southern Utah, a classic black or dark gray trim with white stucco is one very popular option right now, yet also timeless. The high contrast in this finishing is eye-catching and can be especially appealing on a new home. On the contrary, a white on white can be just as stunning. There are a million shades of white that can be beautiful when paired together appropriately. Combining two different shades of white with your stucco and trim creates a soothing look for your exterior style.

With stucco, you can easily showcase your bold and artistic flare with numerous color choices. Navy with a bright white trim can be truly elegant. By pairing a dark color such as navy or green with a thin neutral white trim will keep the attention where you want it while also creating clean lines and finishes. Red shades pair very well with wood elements and darker trims, creating a welcoming, warm exterior that is also eye-catching. In Utah, a rich red stucco looks especially amazing against the greenery in the spring and summer as well as the white snow in the winter. Our team of experts can help you decide on what color combinations speak to you while also informing you of what’s trending.

RAM Builders has your back when it comes to your home’s stucco exterior anywhere in Utah. We keep up on current trends and understand the importance of a timeless look, which allows us to proficiently assist you from the initial color and finishing style selection process to the final application. Our crew consists of employees rather than mostly subcontractors, so you can trust that we are highly trained and committed to our projects. Our employees are clean, efficient, and knowledgeable about everything stucco (and more!).

Repairing stucco might seem easy, but the work has to be done right or it won’t last.Nothing lasts forever, least of all stucco, no matter how skillful the original craftsman was who installed yours in the first place. You will need repairs, the question is when.

If your stucco is compromised, be it from cracks, buckling or other issues, you are going to want to address the problem right away, because the longer you wait, the worse it will get.

Experience Required

When you hire someone to repair your stucco, it should be a company with a history of experience in working specifically with this material. A handyman may be able to mix up some stucco and patch a crack or two, but stucco is not like plaster, and if mistakes are made, they are much more costly with exterior walls than interior ones.

With stucco repair, it’s critical to remove all the loose pieces before applying fresh product, just as you must scrape peeling paint before putting on a new coat. Any stucco that’s not securely adhered to the lath beneath it should be removed, not just crumbling or cracked areas.

The area to be repaired also should be adequately covered with builder’s paper and lath.

Weather Is Key

Repairs should be done in only optimal weather. Freezing temperatures are the enemy of fresh stucco. The material gains its strength in the hardening process, as the water evaporates from the mixture. If the water quickly freezes, the drying process is disturbed. It’s important that temperatures stay above 40 degrees, even overnight, during the drying time.

Applying stucco in freezing temperatures causes other problems as well, as the cold makes it difficult for the material to remain pliable, and it tends to stick to itself more than the structure. This can result in a dry, crumbling finish.

Excessive heat is almost as bad, robbing the mixture of its moisture too quickly. If repairs must be made in extreme heat, its best to wait for some shade, if possible, or cover the work area in plastic to help retain moisture.

Mix it Right

If the weather’s right and the surface is prepared properly, it’s safe to mix and apply the stucco. The mixture has to have just the right proportions, however — it can’t just be eyeballed. If it isn’t mixed right, it may look OK at first, but it will be more vulnerable to cracking sooner.

Ram Builders can diagnose and quickly repair any problems you are having with your stucco exterior so your building is once again properly protected. When you need stucco repaired correctly, rely on us to do the job right.

STUCCO REPAIR OR EXTERIOR REMODELING QUESTIONS? PLEASE GIVE US A CALL.

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