A few years ago we heard of “Feng Shui”. This is the eastern philosophy that things must be aligned in a certain manner to be pleasing and comfortable. I think that natural materials and colors used in nature make us feel more comfortable and create spaces and structures that are most pleasing to the senses. Cement, lime, stone, and masonry are basic materials “from the earth”. I believe the use of these building materials have become more popular over the last decade because of our developing knowledge that these products help our psyche. When I am asked about painting stucco I usually comment on vapor permeability and how paint can trap moisture. When stucco is painted it also shortens the product life cycle. Stucco can last many years with very little maintenance. When we paint stucco it only lasts as long as the paint. The other reason not to paint is due to aesthetics not functional. Since real stucco is made of sand, cement, lime, and natural iron oxide pigments our brain is more comfortable with the finish than paint, siding, or synthetics. When you think of it most natural products take less upkeep than synthetics by their very nature. I have also seen a trend towards natural colors in stucco. Deep rich hues are most desirable but the most popular colors are earth tones. Deep oranges and yellows, rust colors, and dark browns are most widely used on high end custom homes. Lime is also more often used now and I believe it is for the same reason. Lime was first used as a binder for building long before cement was discovered; mixed with volcanic ash lime would harden and was used in much of the building in ancient times. Lime is a wonderful material having incredible character as it cures and ages. Lime is slaked to make a workable material and then used in mortar and colored for use on interior and exterior walls and ceilings. Visit the Vero website, www.vero-rialto.com to read more on the lime process that enables this material to be so versatile.
I believe that stucco was sort of thrusted on us by the building community because it was so inexpensive. However, with improvements in materials, basecoats, and workmanship we see smooth colored materials both cement and lime based being some of the most beautiful finishes available. It is fortunate that the most beautiful materials are also naturally made from abundant resources and with the right design intent can make our structures more beautiful and functional than ever.
