Common Exterior Paint Problems and Causes

Painting a house can be a grueling task. You can either hire it to be done for a lot of cash, or do it yourself. Usually the whole family is involved when homeowners decide to paint a house themselves. The summer is the best time to paint a house because the heat allows the paint to dry quicker. Unfortunately, this means a lot of hard, sweaty work for your family. You want to make sure that you work isn’t for nothing. To make sure your exterior paint job lasts as long as possible, you must be aware of the common paint problems and their causes.

Alligatoring

Alligatoring paint is when the paint cracks in a checkerboard type pattern. They call it this because it resembles an alligator skin. The reason this happens is because the top coat was applied before the bottom coat had time to dry. Make sure you aren’t in too much of a hurry and paint right over wet paint. You might want to get the job done quickly, but don’t make a big mistake.

Blistering

Blistering paint usually occurs when there is water or water vapor beneath the painted surface. This usually happens when painting directly onto bare wood, or wood that is slightly damp. To prevent this from happening, be sure to paint your house on a hot, dry day.

Chalking

Chalking is something high quality paint is supposed to do when it rains. This allows dirt and dust to wash away. However, chalking should never occur by merely rubbing against the surface of the dry paint. Usually this occurs when the surface is unprimed.

Peeling

Peeling occurs typically when a surface is improperly prepared. Usually this means that there is grease, dirt, loose paint, or moisture below the paint surface. Be sure any area you paint is properly cleaned and dried before applying the first coat.

Wrinkling

Wrinkling is not a problem that happens often. It usually occurs when paint is applied much too thickly. The outside of the paint begins to dry and the inside does not. This causes the inside to begin to droop downward. Again, wrinkling doesn’t usually happen because people usually use expensive paint sparingly.

Painting a house yourself can be very rewarding. Once the work is accomplished, it looks spectacular. However, you should know the common issues with exterior paint before beginning. This will ensure that your first paint job is the last one for years.