Troubleshooting Common Painting Problems: Quick Fixes

Whenever you have to get the paint job done there may be a few problems that might arise during or after the paint job is done. In this article, we will see that what steps can be taken to deal with various paint job-related problems and also we will be aiming to see that what precautions can be taken for a pre-paint job in order to reduce the chances of problems that may come up.

Let’s discuss the problems in detail that might come up:

BLISTERS:

Blisters, as the name specifies is the bubbling up of the paint which may occur due to the moisture or the gas particles which may be trapped in the paint layer. The gas bubbles so trapped in the paint will not go away when the paint dries, rather it will be there permanently. Therefore it is advisable to smoothen the surface and then apply the paint over the walls.

How to prevent this?

The problem of blisters can be dealt with ease only if we keep the following things in mind:

• We must remember that the surface is well made before we start off with the paint job. If there is unevenness or if there are some gaps then the occurrence of the blisters is very common.
• One must see that the topcoat of the paint is not too thick. It must be always kept as the finishing coat and hence, it must be very smooth and thin.
• One can also prevent blistering if a specified recoating time is followed.

BRUSH MARKS:

This problem is mostly found in new paint jobs. It happens when the paintbrush strokes are really visible or the paint is so thick and viscous that the paint strokes are visible. Usage of poor quality brushes also leads to such problems. It may also happen if the paint is applied in any sense which does not meet the norms of application of paint, which means the paint is applied abruptly anywhere without taking care of the steps to be followed.

How to prevent this?

The problem of brush marks can be dealt with ease only if we keep the following things in mind:

• Usage of high-quality brushes is recommended. This will ensure that no fibre of the brush comes out while painting the wall and hence will not make any marks with the wet paint.
• Secondly, one must ensure that the paint must be relatively thin so that the smooth application of paint leaves no chance of complaint about the brush marks.
• Also, the surface before the paint should be sanded well so that there is no unevenness.

CHALKING:

Does it happen that when you lean against the wall your black shirt or your blacktop gets paint coming off as a dusty white powder? If it happens with you then it is probable that there is the problem of chalking. It may occur due to a number of reasons which includes the following: it may happen that you are applying the paint on loose particles like dust etc. It may also happen that you have not sanded the previous layer of the paint applied over the walls and this may result in chalking problems. Also, other reasons that might result in the chalking of the paint are the Application of paint over oily, greasy, or very smooth surfaces and also Application of paint over a partially dried coat

How to prevent this?

• You can prevent this by preparing the surface very nicely. This will ensure that no chalking problem takes place.
• Secondly, if this problem has occurred then it can be corrected by repainting the wall all over again.

KISSING:

This happens when there may be some impurities present in the paint or it may also happen if there are some impurities present over the surface of the wall. If you see craters over the wall with an uneven surface that probably means that the wall surface prior to the painting work was not properly cleaned. This can be corrected by removing paint completely from affected areas and repainting the walls.

LOW COVERAGE:

This might happen at times that the paint you’re applying over the walls is not covering enough area. There may be a number of reasons for this. It may happen that the thinning of the paint that you’re doing is not proper. It may also happen that there is some mistake on the part of the application of paint over the walls. The wrong application of paint also leads to low coverage of the paint over the walls. it may also happen that the surface on which the paint is being applied is highly absorbent and thus leading to low coverage problems.

How to prevent it?

• Read the instructions about the thinning of the paint in the correct ratio.
• Apply the paint in the proper manner. You can also refer to the application process that might be mentioned in the instructions.
• The surface should be well prepared so that the paint does not get absorbed in the walls.

CRACKING AND FLAKING:

It may happen that the paint on the walls gets flaked or comes out of the wall. There are various reasons that might cause the flaking of the paint.  They include the application of matte finish paint over a glossy undercoat finish paint. Doing it this way might result in the flaking of the paint. If you apply the finish coat before drying the undercoat then it may also result in the plaster coming out of the walls and last but not least applying quick, hard dry coats over a soft one also results in cracking and flaking of the paint.

How to prevent it?

• The undercoat so applied over the walls and the topcoat that you have to apply over the walls that act as the final look of the walls should have similar properties. This will ensure no flaking of the paint. As the undercoat will adhere to the topcoat.
• Secondly, it is recommended that there should be a proper gap between the applications of the two coats of paint. Let the undercoat dry completely and after that only you must apply the second coat.
• If this problem has occurred in your house then it is recommendable to remove the whole later of the paint and to sand the surface well. Apply primer and repaint the surface.