Stucco supplies range from the basic tools for mixing the stucco, such as a wheelbarrow and shovel, to the ingredients for the stucco itself and the tools needed to apply it. The most expensive part of making stucco is obtaining the ingredients. Other stucco supplies are often found around the homeowner's garage already. Creating a proper stucco mix is the key to quality results, and high-quality ingredients will provide the best results.
Before mixing the stucco, a homeowner should gather the stucco supplies she'll need for applying the first coat. A wheelbarrow paired with a shovel or trowel works well for mixing the stucco in, as it allows the homeowner to easily wheel the mixture wherever she needs it. The trowel also doubles as a handy tool for applying the coats of stucco. If the homeowner needs to repair existing stucco before applying the new coats, she'll need a hammer or chisel for chipping away the cracked or broken stucco along with builder's paper and wire mesh to attach to the wood lath underneath the existing stucco. This provides a surface for the stucco to stick to, but isn't used on brick or rock homes.
The stucco mixture itself requires Portland cement, sand, hydrated lime, and water. For a solid surface, like brick, the homeowner will need to mix in a bonding agent to help the stucco stick to the wall. When applying over a paper-covered frame, such as the builder's paper over the wooden lath, the bonding agent isn't necessary. The same stucco mixture can work for both the base and finishing coats but many homeowners prefer to add a coloring agent to the final mixture. A variety of choices exist and the agent will determine the color of the finished stucco.
A trowel works for applying the stucco mixture to the wall and a flat finishing trowel is required to smooth the coat out once it's applied. Other stucco supplies for finishing the job include a tool known as the stucco scratch rake. It is necessary to use after the base coat, also referred to as a scratch coat, to give the stucco some texture for the next coat to adhere to. Once the final coat of stucco is applied, the homeowner may wish to create a specific texture in the stucco. While a trowel can create many textures, a number of other stucco supplies can create textures ranging from choppy waves to swirls.