How to Get Rid of Stucco

Lay out a canvas tarp across your work area. Make sure one side of the tarp edges up to the bottom of the wall. Breaking up the stucco will create a mess, and the tarp will make cleanup much easier.

Use a 3 lb. sledge hammer to tap the stucco gently. Start at the top corner of the wall and tap until the stucco in that area begins to break into pieces and fall onto the tarp. Continue across the wall until you reach the other side and then down until all the stucco is removed. If any pieces of stucco cannot be tapped free with the hammer, use a flat pry bar to pry the pieces from the wall.

Position a cat's paw, or crowbar used to pull out nails, so the rounded part faces away from you. The metal mesh, which held the stucco to the wall when it was installed, should now be visible. Use the cat's paw's rounded end to slip under the nails adhering the mesh to the wall, and lift up to pull out the nails. If a nail proves difficult to pull up, use a carpenter's hammer to tap the cat's paw to help loosen the nail first before pulling it out.

Pull off the metal mesh. Then, remove any protrusions on the wall, such as leftover nails, staples or other items, to create a smooth and clean working area.

Install a vapor barrier, if the wall does not contain one, by positioning a layer of tar paper across the wall and stapling it into place with a staple gun. A vapor barrier will prevent moisture from seeping into the wall.