“The north wall had faded two shades from the south. They painted a square, we looked at it over supper, and we chose from there.”
Nelida V.North Valley homeowner
Albuquerque exterior painters
Paint that matches the plaster you already have.
A family crew for adobe and stucco homes. We paint a test patch on your own wall, so you see the color in morning, noon and evening light before we do the rest.
Our signature step
The test patch is how we match.
Old plaster is never one color. Sun fades the south wall, shade keeps the north one, and a repair sits a shade off. So we paint a square on your wall and let you watch it.
- 1
The old coat, as it is
We start at the wall that has faded most, because that is the color you see from the street.
- 2
A square of new color
About three feet across, painted on your wall beside the old coat, using the chips you picked.
- 3
Where new meets old
That edge is what you judge. Look at it in the morning, at noon and in the evening, and tell us which hour you care about.
What we paint
Four kinds of wall work
Exteriors only, and the wood and plaster that go with them.
Stucco
Cement stucco, washed, repaired and painted in a color that holds in strong sun.
Adobe and stucco
Cracks and patches
Filled, textured to match, primed and painted so the repair does not show.
Cracks and repairs
Which wall is yours?
Adobe, or stucco that looks like it?
Many Pueblo-style homes in Albuquerque are cement stucco over frame or block, not adobe brick. The two take paint differently, so the first thing we do is find out which one you have.
Ways to tell
Rub a dry spot: mud plaster leaves soft dust on your palm
Press a thumbnail in: cement stucco is hard all the way through
Look at a window: adobe walls are often a foot or more thick
How a job runs
From first visit to final walk-around
Step 1: Walk-through
We tap, measure and write down what each wall needs.
Step 2: Test patch
A square of color on your wall, and a day to look at it.
Step 3: Wash and repair
Dirt and chalk off, cracks filled, patches textured to match.
Step 4: Prime and paint
Bare spots sealed first, then the coats in your estimate.
Step 5: Final walk-around
We walk the house with you and fix anything you point to.
What homeowners say about the patch
“They patched the stucco where the old cooler vent came out, and I cannot find where it was.”
Mindy L.Nob Hill
“The estimate named every wall: south, east, the garden wall. I could check each line against what they did.”
Zane H.Sandia Heights
“The beam ends were stained the same week as the walls, and nothing got splashed on the tile.”
Simon T.Barelas
Sample reviews.
Where we paint
Albuquerque, from the river to the foothills
We drive to these neighborhoods and towns every week. If yours is not on the list, call and ask.
Bernalillo County
- Old Town
- Nob Hill
- Barelas
- Martineztown
- Sawmill
- Sandia Heights
- Paradise Hills
- Westgate
- Mesa del Sol
Torrance County
- Moriarty
- Estancia
- Mountainair
We do not take jobs outside Bernalillo and Torrance counties.
ZIP codes: 87102, 87104, 87105, 87106, 87107, 87108, 87121, 87114, 87123
Before you call
Can adobe take ordinary exterior paint?
Not any paint. A mud-plaster wall has to let moisture out, so a coating that seals it can trap water behind the surface. We ask what is on the wall first and pick a breathable coating, and we say so if it is not the one you expected.
Can you match the color I have now?
We get as close as the wall allows and show you before we paint the rest. Old plaster has faded unevenly, so we paint a test patch on your wall and you judge it in your own light.
What is on the written estimate?
Each wall by name, the repairs, the number of coats, the products and sheens, the colors, cleanup, the schedule and how you pay. You can hold it next to another firm's.
How does weather change the schedule?
Dry air dries paint fast, and heat and wind can dry it too fast. In warm months we start shaded walls first thing and finish sunny ones later. Afternoon storms from July through September can move a day, and we call you before they do.
What about homes built before 1978?
The EPA's lead-safe rule applies to paid work that disturbs paint in homes and child-occupied buildings built before 1978. If your house is that old, tell us when you book. Our firm certification is listed under Credentials, and the work follows the rule's containment and cleanup steps.
Tell us about the wall
The more we know about the wall, the closer the first conversation is to a number. A photo helps most.
Phone(505) 555-0104
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed