Commercial and Residential Exterior Painting and Staining

To ensure a quality finish LM Construction will follow some crucial steps to get the job done right. Many do-it-yourselfers don’t realize that using the wrong products can damage their home or business, or that quality is lacking due to starting the painting, staining or varnishing process without proper preparation or tools. When you work with the painting, staining and varnishing specialist at LM Construction, you can expect our Five-Step Exterior Process to give your home or business the protection it deserves.

Our Exterior Painting Process

Power Washing

All buildings will have layers of dirt, mildew, algae and/or cobwebs that require removal prior to the application of any products. This is especially true with the dirt and dust in Santa Fe and Taos. Power washing is one of the most important steps in preparing the home for exterior painting and is crucial in ensuring that the paint will adhere properly. We power wash with the right cleaners and nozzles for the job, then allow the time necessary for surfaces to dry properly. LM Construction will never power wash and paint in the same day.

Scraping and Minor Wood Repair

Loose paint must be removed after power washing so that the paint adheres correctly and will last longer. We do this the old-fashioned way which is generally the best way by scraping, by hand, with knives and wire brushes to remove peeling, bubbled, or loose paint. This tedious process will ensure a smooth and tight surface for painting. Loose boards are nailed down, and our expert team can handle most repairs. LM Construction will always clean up the mess when we are done!

Priming

When the preparation work is completed, your home will have a tight and clean surface ready for priming. Our painting professionals treat all exposed surfaces with high quality bonding primers that will seal surfaces and provide a solid foundation for proper adhesion of the new finish-coat products. Bare wood, metal surfaces, water stains, rust and new carpentry are primed. Under certain conditions our painting team may recommend full primer coats on new or substantially weathered wood.

Caulking and Glazing

LM Constructions team of Santa Fe painters and Taos painters will caulk seams, joints, cracks, nail holes, and major wood joints. Any loose glazing is removed and replaced in order to ensure a tight seal and reduce air leaks and moisture entry points in vulnerable areas. We use siliconized latex caulk on all exterior entrances, structural joints, and wood windows.

Painting or Staining

Color samples are recommended to ensure that you will like the colors on your home. LM Constructions field managers carry fan decks of colors for you to review or check out the Sherwin Williams AR ColorSnap Visualizer App to see how any color will appear on the exterior of your house. Want the exterior of your home to match your Starbucks mocha? ColorSnap can match colors from the real world! LM Construction uses only premium paints and stains from Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, BEHR, as well as other high-end paint products. It is important to please be aware that colors displayed on your computer screen will almost certainly be different from the actual colors. Any approvals for color changes required by Homeowners’ Associations are the responsibility of the homeowner.

Our Exterior Staining and Varnishing Process

Inspecting The Wood

Before preparing any exterior wood for staining or varnishing, we inspect the wood for any damage and make sure the wood is sound. The wood must be inspected for any popping nails, broken screws or broken or warped boards. Any wood in direct contact with the ground of the house is susceptible to water damage. Any rotting wood or soft wood needs to be replaced before applying exterior stain or varnish. It is vital to properly inspect the framing materials and make sure the frame is properly attached with latches.

Preparing The Wood

Prepping the wood is vital to a long-lasting, flawless finish. It is crucial to achieve a uniformly smooth surface removing all blemishes and imperfections so the wood is burninsh and residue free so that the stain or varnish will absorb evenly. In order to get the wood prepped properly we sand the wood in the same direction of the grain and cover every square inch - whether it looks like it needs sanding or not, and use the proper sanding materials - sanding sponge for flat areas, a sanding pad for curves, and a folded or doubled sided sand paper for crevices.

Testing The Wood

If the wood has been stained before we tested to determine if the wood is oil-based or water-based. Water-based stains need to be completely stripped before applying new stains. Oil-based stains recoated after proper cleaning.

Prepping For Staining Or Varnishing

Once the wood has been inspected, cleaned and sanded - we properly cover the area around the house to protect surrounding plants and landscaping from cleaning solutions and power washing.

Cleaning The Wood

It is important to properly mix the cleaning solution based on the cleaning material, type of wood and condition and age of the wood. Once LM Construction properly mixes the solution, the cleaning solutions needs to sit. This amount of time is all dependent on the state of the wood. During this process, we check the wood for any mill gaze (or water beading). If mill gaze is detected we go back and re-sand the area and scrub until the wood is able to absorb. Then we scrub the wood thoroughly to remove all residue. After cleaning we power wash with the right cleaners and nozzles for the job, then allow the time necessary for surfaces to dry properly. LM Construction will never power wash and stain or varnish in the same day.

Staining or Varnishing the Wood

Once the area is prepped, clean and dry, LM Construction will apply to new stain or varnish. After staining and varnishing, we apply sealer and allow the area to cure. Once cured, LM Construction will make sure the area is cleaned up and debris free!