What workarounds did people try for "How do I fix peeling and flaking stucco?"?

Community members documented 14 workarounds: 1. Patching the base layer first then retexturing the top 2. Chipping it off down to a stable surface and building back up 3. Finding a plasterer to come take a look in person 4. buying stucco patch material, mixing it, stuffing it into the holes, and letting it cure 5. sanding down high spots after the patch dries 6. taking a paint chip to a paint store to try to find a matching color and finish 7. applying caulk 8. slapping more stucco into the gap 9. Using premixed stucco patching compound applied with a putty knife 10. using specialized plaster repair systems for broken keys 11. hiring a professional contractor 12. Use a store-bought tub of stucco patch, pack it in, and feather the edges. 13. Apply the stucco patch in multiple layers and let them dry between coats. 14. Use mesh tape for deeper holes and apply a spray texture to match the existing finish.

How do I fix peeling and flaking stucco?

Stucco exterior walls can begin to flake, peel, or crack due to age or damage, sometimes requiring patches or repairs after hardware removal. Fixing these surface issues involves patching the base layer or rebuilding it back to a stable surface so the damage disappears. Matching the original paint color is often a final step to ensure the repaired area blends seamlessly.

Overview

Last updated Oct 29, 2026

People affected7 accounts across 3 forums

Workarounds found14 items attempted

Community agreement29 total upvotes

What the numbers show

Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count

The most recent one is from October 2026.
This comes up 20.6× more often in r/homeowners than across the site as a whole.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

14 items+ Contribute

Found another way around this?

Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.

1
Patching the base layer first then retexturing the top
Did this help you?
2
Chipping it off down to a stable surface and building back up
Did this help you?
3
Finding a plasterer to come take a look in person
Did this help you?
4
buying stucco patch material, mixing it, stuffing it into the holes, and letting it cure
Did this help you?
5
sanding down high spots after the patch dries
Did this help you?
6
taking a paint chip to a paint store to try to find a matching color and finish
Did this help you?
7
applying caulk
Did this help you?
8
slapping more stucco into the gap
Did this help you?
9
Using premixed stucco patching compound applied with a putty knife
Did this help you?
10
using specialized plaster repair systems for broken keys
Did this help you?
11
hiring a professional contractor
Did this help you?
12
Use a store-bought tub of stucco patch, pack it in, and feather the edges.
Did this help you?
13
Apply the stucco patch in multiple layers and let them dry between coats.
Did this help you?
14
Use mesh tape for deeper holes and apply a spray texture to match the existing finish.
Did this help you?

Tried another approach not listed above?+ Share your workaround ↑

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/homeowners3 people · September 2026

“I installed these 4-in bolts through the stucco to hold a little canopy in our balcony. Now that I have removed the canopy and the screws, I have these holes left over. How do I patch this so it looks like it never happened.”source ↗

_ItsProvocative_ · r/homeowners · 17 upvotes

“How do you match the paint color on stucco? I have some that I need to repair too.”source ↗

techmaster242 · r/homeowners · 1 upvotes

“Recently we had a problem with ants getting in and I found a line of them coming in under the stucco.”source ↗

“Should I just slap more stucco in there or caulk it or anything else?”source ↗

LetsRaidTogether · r/homeowners

r/HomeImprovement2 people · October 2026

“I have some cracks in stucco that I am concerned might result in water getting into when it rains.”source ↗

“Is there an easy way to patch the cracks to prevent water and even bugs from getting in during the short term, with a long term plan of having someone break the stucco and patching it and replacing the paper the correct way?”source ↗

torpedolife · r/HomeImprovement · 5 upvotes

“Our stairwell has these cracks in it. Some of it is loose and a little crumbly behind the paint. Otherwise just cracks, some hairline and some a bit more substantial.”source ↗

“I can tell they tried to just fix it cheaply and it didn’t do anything but make it ugly.”source ↗

“Is this a good candidate for Plaster Magic or something similar? Or do we suck it up and pay a professional?”source ↗

lovessynn · r/HomeImprovement · 1 upvotes

r/HomeMaintenance2 people · September 2026 – October 2026

“Anyone know if there would be concerns on how hard it would be to patch this hole and what materials will be needed? I had a painter do a paint job on the home and they left this hole after power washing”source ↗

Alarmed_Bottle · r/HomeMaintenance · 3 upvotes

“the outside of my house seems to be peeling away at some points.”source ↗

“Looks like the stucco is starting to flake off. Hope this is an easy fix. How can I fix this?”source ↗

Radiant_Speaker_5944 · r/HomeMaintenance · 1 upvotes

“I wanted to make sure I’m not missing anything important because the painter advised against getting a handyman to repair this which had me confused.”source ↗

“Also, wouldn’t mesh tape not be strong enough for this job and you’re need galvanized mesh?”source ↗

Alarmed_Bottle · r/HomeMaintenance · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

r/HomeImprovement r/HomeMaintenance r/homeowners diy diy repair exterior maintenance exterior repair exterior repairs home improvement home maintenance home repair maintenance renovation repair stucco waterproofing