So, you finally want to give your home an upgrade with a fresh coat of paint. And, thanks to all the latest renovation shows you’ve been watching, you think it’s a job you can do successfully. Well, don’t be fooled; painting your home’s interior is a lot more complicated, as specific problems may arise that only a house painter can fix.
Painting a home’s interior can be quite as challenging as painting the exterior. A professional painter knows how to get the job done and ensure painting problems don’t occur. But, if you want to do the painting yourself, some common painting problems you’ll experience include:
1. Cracking and Flacking
This problem is often characterized by splitting the dry paint film, which often leads to a total failure of the entire painting job. It can also be described as vein-like lines that appear through one coat of paint that are initially faint, but these cracks end up deepening and growing into irregular and dry flakes.
The primary culprit behind clumping, cracking, and flacking is insufficient surface prep. It can also be caused by applying a thin layer of paint or over-thinning your paint. Also, the use of substandard paint with inadequate adhesion and flexibility can cause flaking and cracking.
Solution
If the extent of the damage is too much, then you’ll have no other option than to repaint the entire surface. But, if it isn’t, you can repair the damaged area quite easily using the following tips below.
- Remove all the flaking and cracked paint with a wire brush, heat gun, scraper, or chemical application. However, the tool you choose depends on the severity and extent of the problem.
- Sand the entire area and edges to help give the surface a feathered appearance. Once that’s done, proceed to clean and prime the surface.
- Repaint the problem areas, ensure that you load your roller or brush properly to avoid too-thick or too-thin application. You may also have a filler if there are many layers of paint flaking. Also, ensure that you use a high-quality topcoat to prevent the cracks or flacking from recurring.
2. Blistering
When paint film fails to adhere to a surface properly and lifts off a particular area, the result is multiple rounded bumps. These bumps are commonly referred to as blisters or bubbles. They can appear on exterior and interior painted surfaces like wood, drywall, plaster, and metal. Blistering occurs due to loss of adhesion, heat, moisture, or applying an oil-based or alkyd paint over a damp or wet surface. Other causes of blistering include improper technique, a dirty surface, and an eschewing primer.
Solution
- Start by bursting a few blisters to examine the backside of the blistered surface. It allows you to determine if the blisters appeared because of too much heat or moisture.
- If the bubbles contain coats of paint, busting them will reveal a bare substrate indicating that moisture is the issue. You can address it by replacing caulking, repairing plumbing, or/and increasing your home’s ventilation. Once that is solved, remove all the blistered paint, sand the surface, clean, prime, and then repaint.
- If heat is the culprit, the blisters will only affect the previous coat of paint. Remove the bubbles and underlying primer or paint, sand the surface, clean, prime, and then repaint.
- Also, ensure that you stir the paint briefly and slowly with a drill attachment or wooden stirrer. Stirring paint for too long or too fast can introduce bubbles that can be transferred to the surface.
- Be patient when painting. If you happen to detect blisters during the application process, make sure you slow down your stroking speed. Also, avoid painting under high dew or extreme humidity conditions.
3. Blocking
One undesirable and unexpected result of interior painting that most people often experience is blocking. This problem usually arises from two surfaces sticking together like a door sticking to the jamb. The reason this painting problem arises is primarily because of the use of substandard gloss. It can also be caused by not allowing painted surfaces to dry thoroughly before closing doors or windows.
Solution
The best way to prevent blocking is by using top-quality semi-gloss or gloss acrylic latex paint. Also, ensure that you carefully follow the given direction regarding the drying time. But, if you do continue to experience persistent blocking, you can relieve it using talcum powder.
4. Burnishing
Paint burnishing is the increase in gloss or sheen of paint film because of rubbing or scrubbing against objects. Some possible causes of burnishing include the use of flat paint in high sheen level areas with high traffic. It can also be caused by frequent spot washing and cleaning, furniture rubbing up against the walls, or the use of low-grade paint.
Solution
One of the ways you can prevent burnishing is by using gloss or semi-gloss paint in high-traffic areas. For surfaces that require regular cleaning, like doors, utilize top-quality latex paints. These paints can withstand cleaning. However, ensure that you use a soft cloth, sponge, or non-abrasive cleaner when cleaning painted surfaces and then use water to rinse.
5. Chalking
This is a white, fine, and powdery substance that forms on the exterior of painted surfaces. This problem occurs mainly in arid and sunny climate areas and tends to be quite visible on pale-coloured flat paints. When the paint is exposed to weather changes, it naturally releases its pigments, which form chalking over time. However, if a chalking issue is severe, the problem might arise from using the wrong product. Also, over-thinning the paint before the application can cause chalking.
Solution
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- Treat or power wash the surface with a TSP solution to eliminate the evidence of chalking. Once that’s done, rinse the area.
- Allow the surface to dry completely before painting it with high-quality exterior paint.
You don’t have to go through all these problems. With the help of a professional painter like Surepaint, you can receive help, advice, or even schedule a professional interior paint job. For more information, visit our website at:
http://surepaint.com.au/
Surepaint,
22/47 Park Road Brisbane Queensland 4064,
0449846744
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