How much does it cost to apply a coloured integral stucco finish versus painting after in Ottawa?

This is a great question because the choice between integral colour and paint-after affects both your upfront cost and your long-term maintenance budget in Ottawa's demanding climate. Let me break down the real numbers for you.

Integral Colour vs. Paint-After: Ottawa Pricing

Integral colour stucco — where the pigment is mixed directly into the finish coat — typically costs $9.50 to $13.50 per square foot installed in Ottawa. That's roughly a $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot premium over a standard grey base coat that you'd paint afterward. For an average 1,500 sq ft of exterior wall area, you're looking at an added cost of about $2,250 to $4,500 for the integral colour upgrade.

Paint-after stucco starts with a standard base application at around $8.00 to $11.00 per square foot, but then you need to budget for the paint job itself — typically $3.00 to $5.50 per square foot for a quality elastomeric or acrylic masonry paint with primer. That brings your combined total to $11.00 to $16.50 per square foot, which is often more expensive than integral colour upfront.

Where the math really favours integral colour is the long-term picture. Ottawa's freeze-thaw cycles — we regularly swing from -25°C to +5°C in January and February — are brutal on painted stucco. You'll need to repaint every 5 to 8 years, each time costing $4,500 to $8,000+ for a full house. Integral colour penetrates the entire finish coat, so fading is gradual and uniform. Minor touch-ups blend far better than paint patches.

That said, paint gives you more colour flexibility. Integral stucco pigments are limited to earth tones, tans, terracottas, and muted shades. If you want a bold navy or deep charcoal, paint-after is your only practical option. Also, if you ever want to change your home's colour, painted stucco is far simpler to update.

My recommendation for Ottawa homeowners: If you're choosing a natural or earth-tone palette, integral colour is almost always the better investment. If you want a specific designer colour or plan to sell within 5 years and want maximum curb appeal flexibility, paint-after with a high-quality elastomeric coating is perfectly reasonable. Just budget for that first repaint around year 6.

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• Luxe Painting and Renovations
• JC Carpentry
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• Best Hand2Hand moving company
• M.O.T. CONSTRUCTION INC.

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