Free tool
Stucco crack checker
Walk outside, find the crack that worries you, and answer three questions. You get a plain read on whether it is cosmetic, needs repair soon, or should be looked at right away.
Three questions about your crack
Pick the answer that fits best in each row. The result updates as you go.
Pick one answer in each row
Answer the three questions and this panel tells you whether the crack looks cosmetic, needs repair before the next rainy season, or should be looked at right away.
Not sure? Call (813) 471-5995 and describe it, or text a photo during the call.
This checker gives a general read, not an inspection. If something looks like it is moving, call and we will look at it in person.
Reading the pattern
The three cracks we see most in Wesley Chapel stucco
Map cracking
A fine web of short cracks across a wall is usually shrinkage from when the stucco cured. It is cosmetic, but it lets rain soak in a little, so it gets washed, filled and coated with a crack-bridging finish at repaint time.
Cracks from window and door corners
Corners are stress points. A crack that starts at a window or door corner and runs out at an angle often needs to be routed, filled and sealed, and the window perimeter checked so water is not getting behind the frame.
Horizontal cracks near the slab
A straight crack a few inches above the ground often sits where the stucco meets the slab or the weep screed. Water collects there. It needs a proper repair and a clear path for water to drain, not just paint.
Ready for the fix? See our stucco repair and elastomeric wall coating pages.
Straight answers
Stucco crack questions
Why does almost every stucco house here have some cracks?
Stucco over concrete block shrinks as it cures and moves a little with heat and moisture every day. Fine cracks are normal. The ones to watch are wide, long, offset, or letting water in.
Can I just caulk a stucco crack myself?
For a hairline crack, a paintable elastomeric patch is fine as a stopgap. Plain caulk over a wider crack tends to show as a shiny line and often cracks again. Wider cracks need to be opened up and filled properly.
Will a new coat of paint hide the cracks?
Regular acrylic paint will not bridge anything wider than a hairline, so the cracks come back through. An elastomeric coating can bridge fine cracks, but wider ones still need repair first.
Crack still bugging you?
Call any hour. We will look at it in person and tell you straight whether it matters.