A city defined by its numbers
Two official descriptions of Santa Fe agree on one figure. The City of Santa Fe's "Why Santa Fe" page describes the city as "all at 7,000 feet elevation," and Santa Fe County's introduction places the City of Santa Fe, in the center of the county 60 miles northeast of Albuquerque, "at an altitude of 7,000 ft." The county's introduction adds a set of climate averages: average annual rainfall 14.4 inches and average annual snowfall 17.3 inches in the city, with an average high in July of 86 °F and an average low in January of 18 °F.
This page uses those figures as they're stated and doesn't add to them. What follows is how a painter reads averages like those when planning a house.
Reading the averages like a painter
- The July average high. Most exterior paints list a maximum surface temperature as well as a minimum. A wall in afternoon sun can be far hotter than the air, so crews often paint each side of the house after the sun has moved off it.
- The January average low. An average low of 18 °F is well under the minimum most exterior coatings allow, so exterior finish coats wait for warmer weeks. The label tells you the floor; ask the painter which product they plan and what its floor is.
- Rainfall and snowfall. A modest rainfall total doesn't mean the walls stay dry. Snow piled against a wall, or melting off a parapet, can wet the bottom of stucco and the base of door frames. Those spots deserve a close look before anyone paints.
Stucco and plaster surfaces
Painted stucco and smooth plaster need different care from wood. Cracks should be assessed: hairline cracks can often be filled and bridged with an elastomeric product, while wider or moving cracks may point to a repair a painter shouldn't simply cover. Chalky or powdery paint must be washed and primed so the new coat has something firm to hold. Patches need to cure before paint, or they can show through as a different texture or color. Ask which coating the painter recommends for the wall, and why. Our exterior painting page has more on preparing masonry and stucco.
Wood doors, trim, beams and gates
Exterior wood usually loses its finish first on the faces that get the most sun and weather, often doors, window trim and the tops of rails. Clear finishes and stains usually need renewing more often than solid paint. Before a recoat, the surface needs cleaning and a light sanding, and any bare or gray wood should be brought back to sound fiber. For gates, fences and other stained wood, see our page on deck and fence staining.
Inside the house
Interior painting runs all year. Dry indoor air helps paint dry, but some products skin over fast in very dry air, so lap marks are a risk on big walls and ceilings. A good crew keeps a wet edge, works one wall at a time and doesn't stop halfway across. Patching and sanding before paint, explained in our drywall repair and surface preparation guide, decide how smooth the finished walls look when light rakes across them from a window.
Questions to ask
- Which surfaces are stucco, plaster or wood, and what product goes on each?
- How will cracks be handled, and which ones are outside a painter's job?
- What are the product's lowest and highest application temperatures?
- How will doors and trim that get full sun be prepared and protected?
See the pricing guide for what moves a painting price, and paint sheens and finishes for choosing a finish.