Stucco shower walls design guide including the different types of stucco shower finishes and some tips on how properly clean your shower walls.
The first thing you need to know about opting for stucco shower walls is that it’s an ambitious attempt for a bathroom upgrade. It is worth it if you like the style, however it does come with some pros and cons.
Stucco alone is water resistant by design but it isn’t waterproof. It can have cracks or imperfections over time that will let the water in. The best way to use stucco for your shower walls would be to make sure that you lay out a waterproof barrier after you lay the stucco on. This can be done with some waterproof paint or some sealant applied over it.
Can You Use Stucco In A Shower?
You can create anything from an industrial look or design to something smoother and more luxurious, depending on what your preference is for the finished look.
By default, it provides a white smooth finish that can make your shower area look bigger than it actually is. However, if you prefer some color in your walls, the stucco can also be tinted, making it easy to make your stucco shower walls cohesive with the rest of your bathroom design.
Stucco Shower Finishes
Stucco textures and the finishes that they come along with are widely varied though and before opting for it, it would be best for you to know what they are.
Here are the different types of stucco shower finishes to help you pick that perfect type for your bathrooms at home.
Cat Face Finish
This is interchangeably called as the Montalvo or California finish. As the name implies, it has a texture that tends to look like cat faces, with a little bit of imagination.
It has a smooth surface with certain rough patches scattered all over. They can be small or large or irregular, depending on how closely or widely spaced they are from each other. It really all depends on your personal preference.
Dash Finish
This finish is also regarded as roughcast finish. It’s a highly textured type of stucco finish. It has a very rough texture and is usually sprayed on, which gives it its gritty or textured appearance.
There are several variations to the dash finish, depending on how rough you want your shower walls to be. They can be in roughcast, fine dash, pebble dash, heavy dash, or in “knockdown” finish.
Lace Finish
Sand Finish
Smooth Finish
It’s very similar to what you see in the pictures of Santorini, Greece. It’s typically white and extremely smooth. Out of all of the finishes, this is the most technical and difficult one to achieve so it would be best if you hire out a skilled contractor to get the job done.
Santa Barbara Finish
This is an extremely elegant stucco finish. It comes with a natural looking mottled pattern that’s often left unpainted for added effect.
It’s best suited if you’re going for a Spanish villa type of design or look for your shower walls. Although it can technically be categorized under the smooth finish type, it stands out because of its semi-smooth texture with irregular patterns appearing here and there.
Worm Finish
This is one of the most common finishes seen in most homes. Staying true to its namesake, this finish has grooves that form patterns that look as if there are worms that have been pressed against the wall. It is also nicknamed as Swirl or Putz. This comes in 3 variations in its texture: fine, medium, and heavy.
Smooth Stucco Shower
This typically includes sanding the surface down to make it as smooth as possible. The surface is then washed off with a hose to get rid of any loose particles and dust.
Then, there’s a coat of primer applied. A smoothening filler is added to take care of any uneven surfaces. The wall is then sanded one last time before applying the final finishing coat.
Diy Stucco Shower
Here are the steps you need to take to achieve a flawless stucco finish that will last you for a long time.
Start off by applying a water resistant substrate. This helps keep your stucco from cracking, keeping it waterproof. Go for a fiber reinforced plaster for your first coat, paying special attention to the areas around the faucets and other fixtures.
Once it dries, apply a polyester or fiberglass mesh on the faucet and tap areas for added reinforcements. Apply your second coat and lay over another layer of the same mesh this time to the enter shower wall. Once it dries, finish off with a third coat.
Next, is waterproofing the walls. Apply a solvent based paraffin wax. Keep in mind that this treatment needs to be repeated a few times every few months just to maintain its waterproof traits.
Another option is for you to opt for a polyurethane varnish. Start off with a universal primer, keeping a ratio of 1 part primer and 14 parts water. Then proceed with applying 2-3 coats of the varnish.
Create a shadow gap between the wall and the shower tray and fill it with anti mold silicone as this can be a weak point in the shower wall since water tends to penetrate through it if left unchecked.
Merlex Super Shower Finish
You can opt to add dry color pigments if you have a specific color that you’d like to achieve for your bathroom walls. This shower finish is great as a standalone but is also great when paired with tile or stone options for the bathroom. See the popular types of bathroom tiles here.
Eco Stucco Shower
It offers long lasting protection to your shower walls and is highly known for its easy application as well as for its durability.
Eco stucco is considered as the eco-friendly and sustainable choice because it can come in white or in naturally tinted colors that isn’t toxic compared to its other counterparts. Check out more ideas on the best tile for shower walls here.
How Do You Clean A Stucco Shower?
Seal off any cracks. It’s important that you repair any cracks in the stucco walls before washing. Go for an exterior acrylic caulk that matches the color of your stucco walls. Sand off any gritty areas to smooth out the surfaces right after.
Rinse. Rinse the wall surfaces down with water. This will wash off any dust particles or debris. If you’re opting for a pressure washer, keep it at a level of 1,500 PSI or below so as not to damage the stucco and make sure that you maintain a distance of 24 inches.
Apply your cleaning solution. If it’s just for basic cleaning, any regular bathroom cleaner or dish soap will do. If you have to clean off molds and mildew, you are going to need something slightly stronger such as some bleach.
Scrub. Make sure that you use a soft bristle brush when scrubbing your stucco walls. Do them in sections and make sure that you go about it gently as stucco can be very delicate when not handled the right way.
Finish off with a last rinse. Make sure that you do it thoroughly, getting rid of any substances that might stick to the walls. Again, keep a 24-inch distance from the hose and if pressure washing, keep the pressure low at 1,500 PSI or less.
For more related ideas visit our guide to quartz shower walls pros and cons page.