Stucco over block retaining walls

White Stucco over block retaining walls.
White stucco by Hansons or by Eisenwall.

FYI, folks, here are all the basic tools we use and recommend on Amazon's website.
Kirk Giordano Plastering Inc.

Send pictures to Jay or myself at our sites below for immediate bids.


If you mix a white stucco such as Lehigh's White cement with tan sand, the color is Tan. This will never have to be painted again.
That's correct. The color lasts hundreds of years as it's integrated into the finish like a brick.
One never needs to scrape primer and paint bricks, and they retain their color for hundreds of years.
Think about that saving?😉

Home Depot, Loews, and other smaller hardware stores carry their user-friendly version called "rapid set Stucco," where you, as homeowners, add water. The mix is the same for 3 to 5 minutes and then applied for patchwork.

FYI, this video was filmed in 2012. So the methods of application we are using here have been used for over a hundred years and will continue to be applied this way forever.

[MrBurkdaddy]

This is an old video but I hope you're still responding. I'm using this as a guide to skim coat the cinder block walls on my foundation. I have a walk out basement so this will be a pretty big project. Here's my question: What if the cinder blocks are painted?

[barnvarmint]

Kirk is my NEW HERO!!!!  As a woman you have given me the pragmatics to interact with my contractors and feel confident to tell them if the job is not right.   What a relief,  

[StuccoPlastering]

Hey Ruben, thanks for the bone.
Best wishes, and have a good evening,
Kirk Giordano plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Hey Scott, no worries, glad the video helped.
Best wishes and have a groovy evening
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[davidbrogan]

Thanks you so much. I've been building in the landscape about 30 years. Generally I build dry, but from time to time I have to do wet work. Now I am rebuilding a set of stone topped concrete steps that had been parged. I watched about 30 of your videos, observing your technique. Today I got the rapid set and used your advice. It was 60 degrees and a bit rainy. I thought it might be a good time to apply the parging. It worked out great. The client is really happy. You made me look like a hero.

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy username, I prefer the heat to the cold, We did a 3 level fish pond a few years ago in 105 degree heat for about 15 solid days. Working with stucco in this kind of heat was a drag but we were working the stucco on the ground not on a wall.
Best wishes,
Kirk Giordano plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Man, I had a great time on this project with my sons. Like a vacation except we all earned some cash and had a good workout while listening to music and right on the lagoon. Of course when Jason filmed we turn the music off. Heck my sons even knew some of the girls next door. They had a blast and got some phone numbers.
Have a great day!
Kirk Giordano plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Hey Deri Brown, I somewhat partially to the use of the pool trowel myself.
But I have to keep a regular trowel or margin trowel in my back pocket.
Have a groovy evening.
Kirk Giordano plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Hey Scott, whenever possible pressures wash the walls, if this is not a possibility, wire brush and apply a bonding agent. The base coat is only as good as it's applied to. Lowes and Home Depot sell rapid set stucco and the regular Portland cements.
Best wishes,
Kirk Giordano plastering

[XxjoeynumberxX]

very very professional. I've been laying brick and block and finishing concrete for a few years now and I was always interested in stucco and plaster work. i'm going to start practicing this with sand and lime mud to get the technique down. Thank you Kirk and Jason for posting these videos

[StuccoPlastering]

Hey Yipster, you’re spoiling me and giving me a big head.
Thanks!
The real talent is in the mix, also. My son, Jason happens to be a master of that part and a skilled plaster as well.
Have a groovy evening!
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy stucko, rapid set has psi strength of 4, 000 or more in 30 days twice as strong as white Portland cement. The homeowner was o.k. with gray or tan, I gave him the option at no cost. Yes, Hanson’s white cement is 15 dollar’s cheaper. (I am aware of this) Finally, grout lines don’t show with a skim coat, while adding colors to skim coat material is a simply guessing, if we want an exact color we use a color coat material, after a skim coat.
Have a groovy day!
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy Scott, thank you. We get allot of pleasure out of showing and explaining what we do for a living. Jason and figure since we‘ve got to do the project anyway why not show it done.
Best wishes with your project.
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Hi Scott, I would recommend Weld Create by Larson’s. But any cement bonding agent that Lowes or Home Depot sells will do, apply it full strength. On painting the new stucco a good acrylic primer and paint system should work. The oldest and best would probably be the Kelly Moore elastomeric paint system.
Best wishes with this project.
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy Lowell, thank you for the kind words, glad you enjoyed the show.
Best wishes and have a good evening
Kirk Giordano plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Morning John bone's, As a rule most fellas go 3 to 1, which means for every 100 pounds of cement plaster 300 pounds of sand.
I don't use the cement plaster from Home Depot or lowes that you just add water, but you can.
 I buy in bulk as in a ton or 2 at a time and buy the 93 pound bags of cement plaster, as this is the way plastering professional's mix only what they need.
 Best wishes,  
 Kirk & Jason Giordano's DIY plastering network

[StuccoPlastering]

Morning David Brogan, thank you,
but you made yourself look like a hero and a genius, My dad used to say a genius is simply a fellow who does his research above and beyond the call of duty.
Best wishes and thanks for watching.
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy skeleman, thank you.
Have a great day!
Kirk Giordano Plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy Chicarony, Thank you. Stucco or plastering like any trade simply takes practice and a liking for your trade, fortunate for me I am past the liking and must admit I love doing this stuff.
Have a groovy day and BTW we are uploading 4 more this evening. In all the new video’s Jason and do, I use a mike to keep the wind noise down and so folks can actually here what I am saying!
Kirk Giordano plastering

[StuccoPlastering]

Howdy James, Thank you.
Cute avatar picture too.
Thanks for watching and have a great day!
Kirk Giordano Plastering