If the stucco on your home is badly falling into disrepair, then it is a good idea to hire professionals to repair it. However, if you have just a few chipped or damaged areas, and they are small, you might be able to repair them on your own. Here are the basic steps you can follow to repair a small, damaged, or dented area on your stucco siding.

Step 1: Prepare Your Mixtures

To repair stucco, you really need two mixes. The first one will be stiffer and will be used to fill the actual hole. The second one will be looser and will be put over top. The looser texture will make it easier to smooth and blend into the rest of your stucco. You can generally find stucco mix at a home improvement store. You'll need to dilute it by adding water according to the instructions on the package. You want your first mixture to be about the texture of cookie dough — tough but workable. The second mixture should be more like frosting — thinner and spreadable. Don't make the second mixture just yet. You won't need it until day two.

Step 2: Chip Out Old Stucco

Make sure all of the loose or chipped stucco is free from the hole. You may need to use a paint scraper or pick to remove some loose pieces. You want to see the exposed lath beneath the stucco. If you can't, you need to chip more away.

Step 3: Fill the Hole

It's best to do this during the day when your home and the stucco mix are the warmest. Take a trowel, and pick up some of your thicker stucco mix. Work it into the hole, pressing on it as needed to ensure it is very packed in with no air bubbles. Make sure it sits just a little lower than the rest of the stucco. Scratch the surface to create some texture for your next layer to cling to. Then, let it dry for a full day.

Step 4: Apply Your Finish Coat

Take your trowel, and dip it into your thinner stucco mix. Spread it over the patched hole, bringing the patch up to the level of the existing stucco. Once the patch is covered with the new mix, use your trowel to create texture in the stucco, blending it with the old. Don't worry if it is darker than the old stucco; it will lighten as it dries.

If you follow the steps above, you should be able to patch small holes in your stucco in an attractive, effective way. To learn more about stucco repair, reach out to a local contractor.