Understanding the primary causes or paint failures will help you preent future paint problems. The primary causes of paint failures are moisture, inadequete surface prep, the improper application of paints, the Sun, and weathering. You should be aware that most paint failures are related to below in alphabetical order with reommendations for their prevention.
- is cracked paint that resembles alligator skin, and is generally found on wood surfaces.
- Alligatoring occurs when paint can not adhere to a glossy surface, when a second coat of paint is applied over an inadequately dried first coat of paint, weather aging, excessive coats of paint, or when the finish coat expands and contracts at a greater extent that any underlying coats.
- Paint must be completely removed when alligatoring has occured to ensure an even and uniform finish.
- Wood surfaces should be primed with a top quality alkyd primer and acrylis latex finish.
- is an unsightly surface discolouration commonly found on exterior wood surfaces and hardboard siding, ceilings, repainted wallpaper, or when light coloured paint is applied over dark coloured paint.
- The causes o bleeding are moisture and water soluble dyes located within wood caused by wax.
- The removal of any excessive water source is essential before any surface preparation can be completed.
- Exterior wood surfaces should be primed with top quality aklyd based primers and finished with top quality acrylic latex paints.
- Interior surfaces should be primed with either a top quality alkyd based or acrylic latex based stain blocking primer, and finished with a top quality acrylic latex finish paint.
- Fresh paint applied in direct sunlight, and moisture, causes paint to blister.
- Surfaces that are heated by the Sun and become hot can prematurely dry new paint, causing blistering.
- This is more common with dark or dramatic colours because they, in addition to surfaces, absorb heat.
- Heat blistering will have a layer of paint under the blister if the surface is being repainted.
- Trapped moisture in walls or behind surfaces will eventually try to escape through painted surfaces, also causing blistering.
- Moisture blistering will reveal a bare surface under the blister.
- Blitering surfaces should be scraped and sanded smmoth, primed with a top quality alkyd or acrylic latex primer, and finished with a top quality acrylic latex finish paint.
- If moisture blistering occurs on a repainted surface, spot priming of bare spots will be necessary to ensure a uniform and even finish before the final priming and painting is completed.
- is the weathered powder found on exterior painted surfaces and is a normal way for paint to weather away.
- However, premature chalking can be caused by inadequate priming or thin paint.
- Homeowners should be aware that chalking on siding located above masonry will run during rainy weather causing the masonry to stain.
- Once a chalked surfaced is pressure washed clean and prepared for painting, one coat of a top quality alkyd primer and one coat of a top quality acrylic latex finish paint is highly recommended for the prevention of future excess chalking.
- Checking is an early form of cracking and occurs when paint begins to loose elastiity, forming narrow breaks on the painted surface. These breaks later swell and become cracks.
- Checking and cracking are found on wood surfaces with multiplie layers of paint, or plywood.
- Checked or cracked paint should be completely removed form surfaces before repainting.
- Properly prepared wood surfaces should be primed with a top quality alkyd primer and finished with a top quality acrylic latex finish paint.
- is a white salty substance that forms on masonry and plaster due to moisture migrating through the surface. If left untreated for long periods of time, it will become hard and crusty.
- Any source of excessibve moisture must be eliminated and the surface must be cleaned by scraping or wire brushing, and surfaces must be repaired where applicable before priming and painting.
- Surfaces can be painted with top quality akyld or acrylic latex based primer sna paints that are alkaline resistant.
- is caused by the natural weathering due to the ultraviolet rays of the Sun. Chalkin pigment, alkali from masonry, and tint intended for interior based paints but used on exterior surfaces, will cause paint to fade prematurely.
- is caused by the over cutting in of interior wals, ceilings, and trim corners, and the use of excessivly long roller naps.
- it occurs when wet paint is applied over dry paint.
- Hatnamding is very noticeable with dark and dramatic interior colours and sheens.
- Using small nap rollers and aplying a thin brush coat or paint will help eliminate hatbanding.
- are due to the inadequte application of coatings. They are mostly seen on exterior surfaces.
- If a homeowner or contractor is brush painting siding, the paint must be applied horizontally from one end to the other without stopping.
- If the homeowner or contractor stops in the middle or the paint dries to fast, when the application of the paint to the surface is continued, a lap mark froms where the paint overlapped.
- This is a major reason why coatings should never be applied in direct sunlight.
- Coatings should be applied in shade areas in warm months and homeowners and contractors whould stay ahead of the Sun in cooler months.
- Staying ahead of the sun will allow it to come around and dry the area most recently painted.
- is a fungus that growns best in a warm humit climate and is often found in shaded areas, but not limited to shaded areas.
- Mildew can appear in a variety of colours and prefers painted surfaces because of the nutrients that paints provide.
- These same nutrients float through the air and land on painted surfaces and become food.
- Mildew grows faster on flat surfaces than on glossy surfaces, and is attracted to linseed oil based products that contain no mildewcide.
- Most paints and stains that do not contain one.
- Mildew can be effectively cleaned with a 3 to 1 ratio of water to bleach.
- A much stronger solution maybe necessary in extreme cases of neglect.
- Proper surface preparation and cleaning are cruicial for mildew prevention, in addition to using a top quality primer and acrylic latex finish paint.
- Acrylic latex inish paints are the most mildew resistant.
- Painting contractors who perform quality surface preparation and painting are a homeowners best ally in preventing the growth of mildew.
- Occurs on a variety of surfaces and is directly linked to moisture and inadequte suface preparation.
- Understanding different surfaces and how they react to moisture and coatings will greatly reduce the risk of this common paint problem .
- Occurs on a variety of surfaces and is direclty linked to moisture and inadequate sruface preparation.
- Understnading different surfaes and how they react to moisture and coatins will greatly reduce the risk of this common paint problem.
- Can occur when paint is applied over glossy surfaces, excessive thinning, too much paint, or paint being applied to a dirty surface.
- Proper applicatino of paints and surface preparation will eliminate sags and runs.
- Is caused when thick paint is not brushed out and the under part rematins wet, but the surface layer dries.
- Avoid covering surfaces with one thick coat when two are required.