The 5 Most Popular Types of Stucco Finishes With Pictures

Key Takeaways

  • Top Stucco Finishes: The five most popular stucco finish styles are the Sand Finish, Cat Face Finish, Lace Finish, Smooth Finish, and Santa Barbara Finish.
  • Texture Variations: Finishes range from the grainy appearance of the float/sand style and the semi-smooth irregular look of Santa Barbara to completely clean, elegant smooth textures.
  • Hiding Imperfections: The Lace Finish (also known as lace and skip or skip and trowel) serves as an effective option for concealing surface flaws.
  • Architectural Matching: Certain finishes align naturally with specific home designs, such as the Santa Barbara Finish frequently being selected for Spanish-style homes and typically left unpainted.
  • Professional Guidance: Selecting the right siding texture requires weighing your home’s architectural style alongside contractor expertise for custom application.

Stucco is a timeless, versatile siding material. There are seemingly endless ways to apply stucco that result in different, unique finishes that enhance your home’s overall curb appeal.

At Builder Boy, we are a licensed general contractor and full-service home remodeling company that has been perfecting the art of custom stucco finishes for over 20 years. 

To help narrow down your choices, we have compiled the top 5 most popular types of stucco finishes to use for your home siding to help you decide which is best for you.

Traditional Stucco

What Are The 5 Most Popular Types Of Stucco Finishes?

  1. Sand Finish
  2. Cat Face Finish
  3. Lace Finish
  4. Smooth Finish
  5. Santa Barbara Finish
sand-finish-stucco

Sand Stucco Finish

The sand stucco finish, also known as float, is arguably one of the most popular types of stucco finish. The name “sand” comes from its grainy appearance as actual sand is mixed in with the stucco to achieve its texture. The end result can be more fine or coarse depending on the type of sand you use.

Cat Face Stucco Finish

Cat Face Stucco Finish

The cat face finish, also sometimes referred to as the California finish, features a smooth surface with rough patches throughout the design. These rough patches vary in size and spacing depending on how you want the end result to look.

Lace Stucco Finish

Lace Stucco Finish

Lace finish, also known as lace and skip or skip and trowel, is one of the most popular types of stucco finishes as it’s a great solution for hiding imperfections.

Smooth Stucco Finish

Smooth Stucco Finish

As one of the more time consuming finishes to achieve, the smooth stucco finish has a clean and simply elegant appearance.

Santa Barbara Stucco Finish

Santa Barbara Stucco Finish

If you are looking for an elegant finish, look no further than Santa Barbara stucco. Also known as the Santa Barbara Mission finish, this finish is often used on Spanish style homes and is usually left natural and unpainted. The finish features two coats that result in a beautiful irregular finish that is semi-smooth.

Choosing The Right Stucco Finish For Your Home Siding

When choosing your stucco finish, consider the overall design style of your home. Each stucco finish will work with most styles, but some are better than others.

If you are ready to hire a professional to guide you through choosing each step of the stucco process including picking a finish, find a quality contractor like Builder Boy that will go above and beyond to make sure the vision you have for your home design becomes a reality. Take the first step to starting your project by requesting a free estimate today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Also known as a float finish, it mixes actual sand into the stucco mixture to create a grainy visual texture that can be fine or coarse depending on the sand grade used.

Sometimes referred to as the California finish, it consists of a smooth overall surface dotted with intentional rough patches that vary in size and spacing.

The Lace Finish is widely favored because its skip-and-trowel pattern easily masks underlying wall irregularities.

Often utilized on Spanish-style residences, the Santa Barbara Mission finish involves two coats that produce a semi-smooth, irregular texture that is typically left natural without paint.