While paint and wallpaper are the most common, textured wall finishes like knock-down, plaster, and microcement are on the rise. One such finish, stucco, has as much rich history as it does design ...

Walk around your house and assess the stucco. Look for cracks, chips and flaking paint. Note any cracks you can fit a credit card into (about 1/8 inch or larger). You'll fix these before painting.