Stucco has been around for over nine-thousand years.

People used it to build everything from castles to pyramids. And, despite its ancient roots, it remains a popular building material today. A fact that proves once again that sometimes old-fashioned ideas are the best ideas.

But where exactly did this material come from, and when did humans first start using it?

We’re going to go over how stucco first came to be and why it is still one of the greatest building materials you can use for your home.

What is Stucco?

Stucco, in the most basic sense, is a material made of rock, a binding agent, and water. This mixture creates a protective and often decorative cover for construction.

It usually goes on as a sort of soft, wet clay, that will dry and harden into a very dense and durable coating.

Originally, people used stucco on their interior and exterior walls. The usually lime-based building material covered brick, wood, masonry, or even stone walls.

By covering walls in stucco, builders were able to create durable and weather resistant structures.

The base ingredients of stucco have varied over the years due to location, available materials, technology, and style.

Some ancient versions of stucco contain varying aggregates. People used marble and even brick, and additives such as wine and animal blood to make stucco.

A lot of ancient stucco buildings have proven strong enough to stand for hundreds of years. But that doesn’t mean there wasn’t room for improvement.

Modern stucco is even more durable thanks to the introduction of synthetic materials.

The History of Stucco

The earliest record of humans using stucco dates all the way back to around 7500 BC.

Builders in Ain-Ghazal, Jordan used a mixture of lime and limestone to make a plaster they then used to coat the walls and floors of homes.

Stucco was also used in ancient Egypt to cover the walls of tombs.

During the Renaissance in Europe, Italian artists used stucco, also called plaster, to create ornate designs.

As stucco spread across the globe, people began crafting their own variations. People made these variations out of whatever was available to better suit their local needs.

Modern Stucco

Stucco remains one of the most popular building materials available today.

Some modern stucco still relies on the same all-natural ingredients found in those historic buildings. But, most stucco now contains synthetic materials which only help enhance what made stucco so popular in the first place.

No matter what it’s made of, modern stucco is still prized for being durable and low maintenance.

Caring for Your Stucco

If you already have a stucco home, odds are you’re already aware of all the benefits stucco has to offer. Because of that, you probably want to keep your stucco in tip-top shape.

Painting your stucco can help seal your stucco and in turn extend its lifespan. On top of that, you can pick any color you want. Just because the build material is old-fashioned that doesn’t mean it has to look that way.

If you’re interested in getting your stucco painted, we can help. Contact us today for more information.