A Comprehensive Approach to Handle Common Exterior Paint Issues

Overview of Common Paint Issues

Getting the exterior of the house painted is no cakewalk. Most often, the first reaction after its done is usually not a happy one. And yet, with the passing of each year, you begin to enjoy the benefits that a newly painted house offers.

Before you embark on the process of getting the exterior of your house painted, you need to watch out for and fix some issues before they worsen. The paints used to coat exterior trim and siding surfaces are subject to some of the most difficult conditions imaginable, including scorching sunlight, frequent rains, and abrupt temperature changes.

The building surfaces that previously needed repaint after every three or four years can now be left as is for even upto ten years. All this has been possible, thanks to the quality of paints available today. However, there are several typical issues with exterior paintwork that happen under specific circumstances—or whenever the preparations or execution is less than desirable.

Let’s explore the top five common issues that you are likely to face as well as quick fixes for each.

Challenges with Exterior Painting and Solutions

Here are top 5 typical challenges one faces while getting the exterior of the house painted. Knowing the causes and the solutions to these issues helps you fix them and prevent them from recurring.

1. Flaking, clumping, and cracking

Although the vein-like lines that show through after a single layer of paint may initially be faint, they have a tendency to thicken and widen into harsh, rough flakes. Plaster, wood, and siding are just a few of the surfaces that can become unattractive, both inside and outside due to these flakes.

You should start taking the necessary steps to address the issue as soon as you see little cracks appearing on your exterior walls so that it doesn't end up spreading and getting worse to the point where you have to paint your entire house again.

The primary cause of crack attacks is inadequate surface preparation. Splitting can also occur when paint is overdiluted or applied too thinly. Another possible explanation is that you didn't give the paint enough time to dry before adding a second layer. Paint becomes brittle with time due to ageing, continual temperature and humidity changes, or both.

You might have to paint the whole of the surface area again if the damage is severe. If not, you can easily fix a spot that was painted incorrectly by using the proper approach. Use the advice provided below to find solutions.

• Use a scraper, scrub brush, chemical application, or heat gun, to remove all peeling and broken paint
• After cleaning and priming the surface, sand the edges while smoothing them to blend
• Repaint troubled areas, be careful to load the roller or paintbrush appropriately to prevent an application that is too thin or thick
• If using a brush, to apply paint, dip it in until up to one-fourth length of the brush is covered. Don't drag the brush down the edge; instead, lightly tap it on both sides
  When using a roller, load the roller tray half to uniformly disperse the required amount of paint. Rremove any lint from a fresh roller cover, dip it into the tray's well, then roll it over its ribbed surface

2. Peeling

Peeling paint is one of the most frequent issues you could run into while working with exterior paint, and if left ignored, it can grow to be quite a significant issue. Your outside paint may begin to peel with time for a number of reasons. These include, among others, use of cheap paint, applying paint on an untreated surface, continuous exposure to the elements—such as rain, wind, and sun—as well as abrupt changes in temperature.

Here’s what you need to do to resolve the issue and even prevent it from taking place at all.

• Remove any stray paint by scraping it off with a putty knife
• Sand the edges to create a smooth surface for working
• Use a moist rug to remove the dust and debris from the area
• First apply primer, then paint the surface

All brands and types of paint, regardless of their quality, have a limited lifespan and can only be used for a short period of time until they begin peeling off. There are ways to delay this problem even though you can't stop it from happening.

Also Read: Pleated Mosquito Nets: How are they helpful?

3. Blistering Paint

Small blisters or bubbles  underneath the coating film serve as tell - tale signs of blistering paint. It can be found most frequently on wood trim and siding. Blister gremlins include both heat and wetness. Heat bubbles can form while painting in direct, hot sunshine or on very warm surfaces. Latex paint that has just dried and is prone to rain, mist, or high relative humidity could also blister.

Interior walls can become damp from kitchens, bathrooms, and basements, which can cause paint to flake off the top. When put over a wet surface or over water-based (latex) paint, oil-based paint can also blister. Other factors that contribute to blistering include using poor technique, skipping primer, and painting over an unclean surface. Use premium latex paint and adhere to the instructions below to avoid this problem:

• Sand the wood until it is bare and remove any blistered paint. Paint wood when it has totally dried.
• Ensure to prime, sand, and paint in areas are not directly in the sun and are not humid
• Make use of premium latex paint
• Appropriate renovations must be undertaken to adequately ventilate the eaves, home's walls, bathrooms, roof, etc. if there is a ventilation problem
• Check the caulking around doors and windows for any missing pieces and fix them
• Consider adding ventilation to the siding

4. Alligatoring

A typical exterior paint issue known as "alligatoring" occurs when the paint's surface begins to develop a pattern of cracks that resembles the body of an alligator. There are several potential causes for this.

The two most common ones include painting over unsuitable surfaces, such as lustrous paint over latex-based paint, or painting over the first coat before it has completely dried. The formation of fractures is also typical of oil-based paints that have weathered and lost their flexibility.

To avoid this problem:

• Remove undesirable scales through scraping, sanding, by using a heat gun or by spraying chemical removers
• Rinse to get rid of any dust after that, and then let it dry completely. Repaint after allowing the primer to dry

5. Chalking

When a dusty and chalky coating forms on the paint's surface, this is known as chalking. Although some chalking is very normal because that is how painting cleans itself, an excessive amount of it indicates a more serious issue. Chalking is actually paint pigment that has been liberated by paint polymers that have degraded due to weather exposure. It is particularly prevalent with flat paints that are very light in colour, particularly inferior oil-based paints that contain a lot of pigment extenders.

To avoid and resolve this problem:

• Get rid of any traces of chalking by scrubbing with TSP solution, subsequently rinsing it
• Before repainting using the best exterior paint, give the surface plenty of time to dry

Conclusion: Using Solutions to Get Rid of Exterior Paint Problems

The majority of external paint issues and painting errors can be fixed. However, certain paint flaws are more obvious and challenging to ignore. In order to repair the painted surface and look into potential underlying difficulties, such issues must be treated as soon as possible. Consult FastHelp, the best painting contractors in Chennai for all your painting related issues and solutions. Make an appointment right away!