Renovated Beach House Gets a Bright Facelift
Jim had a beach house that he intended to rent out, but he wanted it to be more than the standard white or gray. Here’s what he did:
“For my Santa Cruz beach house project, I conceptualized and designed the house and back courtyard with the assistance of a local contractor, who totally rebuilt the home and courtyard in about 8 months’ time.
“To get the ideal home exterior protection near the ocean, I chose stucco. We used one of your standard concrete pigment colors added to the final concrete mix or “color coat” in a small motorized concrete mixer which is applied (sprayed from a gun) on top of the grey scratch coat and lathe. We loved the results.
“We used a 10-1 concrete stucco to concrete pigment ratio (about 9-10 lbs. concrete pigment for each 90 lb. bag), which was mixed in a portable motorized mixer and sprayed directly onto the house with a stucco gun. We used the ratio that you suggested, and we added no other coloring. It was the stock color you provided. The base color of the concrete was grey.
“The stucco guy did not charge anything extra for mixing the color in. They always do a color coat of some kind; grey and white are just more common.
“The house took about a week to complete (each coat of concrete had to dry) start to finish. The backyard was done later, and took about three days.
“A few days after the initial application we applied (with a roller) a clear waterproof sealant. That was it!
“We saved almost $4,000 by not having to paint the exterior. Also, if the stucco gets chipped, it is the same color underneath.
“I highly recommend your products and your service. You guys are the best!”
- Jim G.
Santa Cruz, CA
Also, Jim was kind enough to offer a 10 percent discount to Direct Colors customers. Just visit him over at www.beachhouseforyou.com!
Jim’s Shopping List!
175 pounds of 1311 (Tarnished Brass) Concrete Pigment
10 gallons of Sprayable Satin Finished Sealer
My concrete is brand new, how long do I let the concrete cure before I can stain it?
Mr. Duran.
If you’re planning to acid stain a concrete slab, I recommend you wait 30 days before staining or until the concrete is a consistent light gray color across the slab. If you are staining a concrete countertop, two weeks is usually long enough to wait before acid staining.
Thank you,
Direct Colors Inc.