What Makes House Paint Fail?

As homeowners, when we put the necessary time, money and effort into a new paint job, we naturally want to make sure it lasts. However, sometimes paint seems to fail unexpectedly, sooner than we would have imagined, or in ways we hadn’t pictured. What causes house paint to fail like this? And more importantly, what can be done to prevent it? Here are some important concepts to remember.
Using the Wrong Product
If you use interior paint on an exterior surface, paint failure is a likely result. Similar things will happen if you use a metal paint on vinyl, and so on. Make sure you use the type of house paint that is designed for your application. On interior paint applications, that also includes choosing the right sheen for the surface.
Improper Surface Preparation
The biggest culprit for paint failure is generally a lack of preparation. In exterior painting, you need to clean the surface thoroughly, wait for it to dry, and prime any bare surfaces prior to painting. If you fail to do this, the surface contaminants will keep your paint from performing as it should.
Additionally, if the substrate is failing, the new paint is bound to fail. That means that wood rot, rust, or peeling paint must be addressed properly in order to avoid failure in the new paint layer(s).
When it comes to interior painting, the same is true. If you don’t clean your walls first, grease or dirt can cause poor paint adhesion, leading to bubbling, cracking, peeling, and other problems. Also, bare drywall and any patched spots need to be primed before painting.
Heat or Moisture
If there is too much humidity in the room where you are painting, this can cause poor paint adhesion, leading to bubbling on the surface. The same can happen if there is moisture trapped inside the walls, which could be from plumbing leaks or rainwater intrusion. Make sure you deal with any water problems properly before applying new paint. Excessive heat is also bad for paint, especially before it has cured, and this can lead to unsightly results as well.
Poor quality materials
Is it worth taking the time and money to paint? If so, it’s worth the little bit of extra money to paint with good materials. Cheap paints use inferior pigments and binders, meaning they are not going to perform as well or hold up as long.
Long-lasting House Painting in the Washington, D.C. Area
For optimal house painting results, trust a professional painter. At Williams Professional Painting, we make sure to address all the common (and uncommon) causes of house paint failure, to make sure your painting project looks amazing and lasts a long time. We are meticulous about proper surface preparation, knowledgeable about what kinds of products to use where, and we always use high-quality house paints.
Williams Professional Painting serves northern Virginia, Maryland, and the Washington, D.C. region. Contact us for a free estimate for interior painting, exterior painting, cabinet refinishing, carpentry, popcorn ceiling removal, and more!