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What are the Main Causes of Exterior Paint Problems in Poway, CA? Alligatoring & More

There are several issues that can be noticed with paint on the exterior of your home. To help you identify them we at Jeff the Painter would like to share a quick guide on these common issues that develop in the exterior of your paint.

Paint Alligatoring

Resembling the hide of an alligator, alligatoring looks like wide, crisscrossing cracks in the paint layers.
Causes – Poor paint adhesion to the exterior surface is the cause for the any of the reasons below.
– For the paint to stick to the coat beneath it, the surface temperature may have been too cold.
– The base coat was a glossy sheen or wasn’t dry.
– Incompatibility with paint products, such as a hard oil enamel, which is best used for front doors or trim, was painted over a softer base.

Blistering Paint

Being that it can lead to cracks in the paint, bubbles under the surface of a paint coat are known as blistering.
Causes – Barriers to adhesion of the paint that causes blistering are typically moisture or heat. Before repainting, repair interior and exterior moisture issues.
– A damp or wet surface is painted over.
– In direct sunlight on hot surfaces are painted.
– Migrating through an interior wall to the exterior is moisture.

Paint Cracking

Beginning as hairline cracks and eventually flaking off the surface is one or more exterior house painting layers that split over time.
Causes – Generally, temperature, humidity, low quality paint products, or poor surface preparation causes cracking.
– Paint coats spread too thin.
– Lower quality paint that lacks flexibility to handle shrinking and swelling due to the New England weather.
– Improperly prepared surfaces or painting over bare wood without priming.

Paint Fading

When exterior paint loses pigment, the part of paint that provides color fades.
Causes – All paint fades over time. Due to the effects of the sun, fading happens slowly and almost entirely as dark colors are usually more noticeable.
– Color is lost faster with low-quality exterior paint products.
– Interior paint product is used for exterior projects.
– Direct sunlight.

Peeling Paint

Paint pulls away from the exterior, leaving bare patches of exposed wood or previous paint layers when a paint layer is peeling.
Causes – Before the exterior is repainted, peeling is commonly due to moisture issues that should be addressed. Ensure there are no leaks in the roof, your gutter system is performing efficiently, and repair gaps around windows and doors.
– Under one or more coats of paint, water or moisture seeps.
– The surface is damp or wet when it is painted.

Chalking Paint

Seeing a fine powder or dust on the exterior surface is chalking.
Causes – As the paint releases pigment, chalking occurs. All paint chalks due to weathering and wears normally over time to some degree. To help resist chalking, use higher-quality acrylic coatings.
– An exterior house painting project uses interior paint.
– Exterior paint coats are spread too thin.
– Moisture and pollution factors.
– Low-quality, highly pigmented paint product use.
– Exposure to sunlight long-term.

Mildew

Mildew is not caused by paint. Being a natural fungus, mildew looks black, gray, green, or brown spots on any surface.
Causes – Mildew is prone in a wet, shady, unventilated area.
– Poor ventilation.
– Moisture.
– Lack of direct sunlight.
With a cleaning solution of 1-part liquid bleach and 3-parts water, wear proper protective gear and scrub the surface to remove existing mildew. Never add detergents or ammonia to the bleach/water solution. Rinse thoroughly with plain water after about waiting for 15 minutes. Allow the surface to dry completely. Use a top-quality paint product that contains agents that inhibit the growth of mildew.

Interior & Exterior House Painting & More in San Marcos, Temecula, Vista, Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad & Escondido, California

Exterior painting projects can be more complex than you might think, especially when considering long-term results. To ensure the project is done efficiently, contact Jeff the Painter.

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