Gretchen has a 1950s house with water intrusion issues around the windows, cracks in the stucco sills, and wall cracks on the west-facing side of the home. Given the harsh Florida sun and frequent rainstorms, she's looking for advice on repairing these issues and ensuring the home is properly sealed and protected.
Question from Gretchen:
Hi Ryan! House built early 1950's with new windows in 2009. Water coming into house from 3 windows attributed to compromised caulking around windows and cracks & areas missing of stucco on sills (also some cracks in exterior walls).
This is gable WEST side of house and is exposed to direct hot Florida sun all afternoon until sunset let alone heavy rain storms typical through our hot and humid tropical summer climate. Though not seen in pictures, it wouldn't take much effort to crack/break and pull off much of sill stucco. Guessing has become loose from water intrusion for quite some time. Could use your advice on fixing.
Do I scrape off sill stucco completely? If yes, not sure once taken off, do I use a patching type mix to apply, let dry and then paint? On cracks zig zag down wall, wondered about using an elastomeric paintable caulk product that would seal out water/moisture and be highly flexible for varying weather conditions?
My plan thinking to address stucco sills and wall cracks first. Then caulk around windows in two places - first, where glass molding meets wood frame and second, where wood frame meets masonry followed by priming /painting wood frame as well as outer masonry frame area. Eventually whole house will be painted. Your help would be greatly appreciated!



Thanks for sharing the details and photos, Gretchen! Based on your description and the images, here's a step-by-step approach tailored to your situation:
Stucco Sill Repair...
Given that the sill stucco is loose and compromised from water intrusion, removing and replacing it is definitely the best option.
- Scrape Off Loose Stucco: Use a scraper or chisel to remove all loose or crumbling stucco from the sills. Take it down to the solid substrate to ensure the new material bonds well.
- Clean the Area: Remove all debris and dust using a wire brush from the area and etch it a bit. If there's exposed masonry or concrete, lightly dampen it before applying the new mix.
- Apply a Patching Mix: Use a stucco repair mix or a sanded patching compound suitable for outdoor use. Apply in a single layer, your finish is not that thick and a single coat should do but if you need to apply another coat on top, make sure the first coat is dry.
Cracks in the Walls
For the zig-zag cracks in the walls, sealing them properly is critical in Florida's hot, humid, and storm-prone climate.
- Clean the Cracks: Remove any debris, loose stucco, or dirt from the cracks with a brush or a pressure washer (if safe for the structure).
- Use Caulk: Fill the cracks with a high-quality, paintable caulk. These products are flexible and can expand and contract with temperature changes, ideal for stucco cracks, which tend to expand and contract too.
- Smooth and Cure: Use a putty knife or your finger to push the caulk into the crack and then use a wrung out sponge to blend it the caulking with the wall's texture. Allow it to cure as per the product instructions.
- Paint the Areas: Once cured, you can paint over the repaired areas with paint, which adds an extra layer of water resistance.
Caulking Around the Windows
Water intrusion around windows is oftentimes due to poor or deteriorated caulking, and your two-step plan sounds spot-on.
- Remove Old Caulk: Scrape out all old or damaged caulking where the glass meets the wood frame and where the wood frame meets the stucco.
- Apply New Caulk: Apply new caulking around the entire window in these areas and again, use a sponge to feather out the caulking into the stucco texture. Ensure you apply it evenly to create a watertight seal.
- Prime and Paint: Prime and paint the wood and stucco areas once the caulk has cured to provide additional protection and a more seamless finish.
Gretchen, your plan is well-thought-out, and with the added steps above, you should have a durable and watertight solution. Let me know if you have any other questions or need clarification on any of the steps. Good luck with your project!