I have an exterior wall plastered in Graffiato. Unfortunately after just two years, it developed hairline cracks. So I went to a hardware shop and he gave me a bag of stucco. It has written on it that it is good for both internal and external walls.

After I repaired all the cracks with the stucco and let it dry, I threw a little bit of water before I started painting and the stucco melted once again. I went back to the hardware store to ask him how that happened and he told me that is normal. However I am still concerned since once the paint gets old, then the plaster will melt and the cracks will appear once again.

Can anyone advise me whether I should keep on doing the work with stucco or should I use another plastering material?

 

Welcome to the forums!

What little I know about stucco stems from having painted a lot of it and I've never seen dried/cured stucco dissolve with water How did you mix the stucco? Did the bag said it was ready to go, just add water and mix? or did you get the kind that needs to have sand mixed in with it?

 

Tell us more specifically what's material you got. A link to it would help. It's been so long since I posted a picture that I am not sure I remember how. Marksr will tell up I now to post a picture. I can think of a couple of things that might cause what you describe. It should not happen. How hot was it when you did the work? Haas your stucco been painted? Tell us a bit more about your mixing and application technique,

 

Thank you for your response. The bag does not have any directions. It only has the following written in italian;
Stucco per interni ed esterni tipo no 2
I could not find a link.
According to the man at the hardware store, I only had to mix it with water. I used it in the evening when the sun went down and I guess the temperature was around 80 degrees.

 

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

I have attached a picture of the stucco bag, a picture of the stucco itself and a picture of the extra stucco I had after it was cured.

 

Now that it has had a couple of days will the lump of stuff you have left still dissolve? How hard is it? Can you crumble it in your hand? Under foot? And how about the stuff on the wall? Will it still dissolve? If so scrape it off. Maybe you are trying to bond to paint and e stucco came loose because it did not bond. Also how thick a coat did you put on? If it was too thin it might have dried it before it set and washed off when you got it wet.
To summarize: If the stuff on the wall is still soft take it off and report back.

Also one more thing put up a picture or two of what you are trying to repair and the repair before you scrape it off and afterward.

 

The lump of staff still dissolves. It is very hard and I had to crumble it under my foot. The stucco on the wall bonded very well with the graffiato. However when in contact with water the stucco still dissolves. I haven't painted the stucco yet. I was going to paint it once I confirm that the stucco is okay.

 

Most strange. When the stuff dissolves does it completely disintegrate and maybe leave some clear or semi clear water with maybe some sand in the bottom of the container? Suppose you put it in a liter jar of water and shook it up then let it settle. What would happen.

In the States stucco refers to Portland cement plaster made with Portland cement and sand mixed with water perhaps with some lime or plasticizers to make it more workable, It can be finished in various textures and colors also with a Portland cement based material.
In Italy can perhaps stucco refer to the texture regardless of the material? In other words do you perhaps have drywall joint compound made to give it a "stucco" texture? this is not made for exterior uses. I am puzzled that a material like this would be labeled for exterior use, however
If it still thT soft and still dissolves get it off then we can tell you what to look for in a more suitable material. Please put up a picture of what you are repAiring and what you have done.