Q: About six years ago, I put in patios and stucco-covered walls in my yard. Now the front wall has a narrow crack that runs between the concrete blocks underneath the stucco from the bottom to the top of the wall. It’s a very thin crack about the thickness of the lead in a mechanical pencil. What’s happening and how can I fix this?
A: If the crack is that thin, there’s probably nothing structural going on with your wall. Just clean out the crack thoroughly, while removing any loose material and dirt. Then you can fill the crack with latex caulk mixed with sand. Feather in the mixture with your finger and then use a damp sponge to smooth out the area. After the area thoroughly dries, you can use regular paint on the wall to cover up the caulking — not elastomeric paint.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and from 9-11 a.m. on KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
