Introduction

There are a many common things that can impact paint film on the exterior of your home. Each year your home takes a beating from the elements, and depending on your location it can be extreme sun, hail, or snow.

What is fascinating is how many homes there are in the Pacific Northwest that get a beating from constant rain, where moss can begin to form.

*Prolonged and consistent exposure to these elements will eventually lead to your paint failing and will inevitably lose beauty and freshness.* Our goal for this blog is geared towards deciphering the causes of these issues, and addressing the proper solutions so as a homeowner you can preserve your home’s investment value.

As we proceed, I will highlight the more commonly experienced exterior house painting issues then elaborate the best ways to fix them.

Peeling

No Primer

Dependent on the most recent coat of paint that was administered over bare wood or a very glossy surface where a loss of adhesion between the paint and the substrate it’s being applied to occurs.

Old Paint

A fresh new coat of paint will only stick as well of a job as the old coat of paint that has been applied over, and this probably is the most common situation where peeling is because of insufficient scraping of the old coat of paint, before applying new coat of paint.

Moisture

If water can fill its way behind the paint film, this can easily create peeling as moisture is looking for a way out.

Peeling solution

Dryness

One way to minimize peeling is to double check and make sure there are no leaks present both in the gutters and roof.

Pressure-Wash, Scrape, and Sand

Best practice will include a clean pressure wash on the surface and to remove loose or peeling paint. Then begin to scrape remnants of peeling surfaces and feather the edges with sandpaper or an electric sander.

Primer Before Paint

Some situations can arise where primer is important, despite this, primers are not always vital to every painting project. To know when primer is necessary first understand the types of primers available and their intended use .

Blistering

Moisture

The main issue here is exposure of paint coating to dew, high humidity, or rain shortly after the paint dries.

Contamination

When painting over top of a surface contaminate such as dirt, grease, etc. can cause a loss of adhesion and cause this symptom.

Heat

Excessive heat can cause problems with freshly applied paint when it’s put over a surface that’s too hot, usually due to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Blistering Solution

Scrape and Sand

Hand scrape the blistered areas to remove paint that is not adhered to the surface., afterwards feather the edges with sandpaper or an electric sander.

Don’t Push It

Don’t give into the idea of painting late into the evening when the dew will soon be settling in, or too close to the time when rain is expected. Play it safe and paint alongside earlier portions of the day, without any precipitation involved in the weather forecast.

Clean It Up

Consistently clean the surface tediously with a stiff-bristled brush or a pressure washer, also use a good pre-paint cleaner/degreaser.

Use Good Judgment

When painting the exterior of your home, try to focus on the sides of the house that are not in direct sunlight. If the surface feels extremely hot to the touch, skip it and go to another side of the house.

Alligatoring

Oil-Based Paint

This is a condition that’s unique to oil-based paint. Although the use of oil-based paint is not as common these days, at one time it was widely used. Oil-based paints are not nearly as flexible as their commonly used brother, acrylic latex. As the oil coating ages, it often will split and crack because of the inability to expand and contract with the surface beneath. Sometimes this condition happens quickly when new oil-based paint is applied over a flexible coating.

The Solutions

Out With The Old

Remove as much of the old oil-based coating as possible by whichever method you prefer. (hand scraping and chemical paint stripping)

In With The New

Replace the oil-based coating with a 100% Acrylic Latex paint.

Be cautious when applying latex over oil as adhesion of the new to the old can at times be an issue. If the old coating is glossy consider creating a “profile” on the surface for the new paint to stick to by **scuff-sanding it** with sand paper or an electric sander, and/or consider the use a primer that will bond well to the old coating.

To learn about more exterior house painting problems contact us today.

Exterior House Painting Problems