The room that was painted two years back. Maybe less. Now, near the window, the wall is lifting at the edge, or there is a crack running down the ceiling or there are bubbles on the wall in the bathroom that seem to be pushing up. It’s frustrating, particularly if things seemed perfect when it was finished!
Paint doesn’t fail randomly. Every peel, every crack, every bubble has a particular cause, one that tends to stem from something that has been happening before the paint was applied, but rarely from a fault in the paint itself. Knowing what caused each failure gives you insight into how to fix it now and how to change it to avoid it repeating in another 2 years. Typically the paint is the last culprit suspected.
Peeling
Peeling is an adhesion failure. The paint has separated from the surface underneath, indicating that the bond was broken somewhere during the process.
The most consistent cause is moisture. A broken bond between the paint and the substrate is created when water penetrates the paint film. This is the most commonly occurring failure in bathrooms and kitchens throughout Summerland and Penticton. A bathroom that has poor ventilation will continually trap steam against the walls and ceiling throughout the week. This moisture seeps through the film over time until the film gives way, typically at the ceiling corners and edges where the condensation might collect and not evaporate.
The other common cause is to paint over a glossy surface without preparation. Gloss resists adhesion. When a new coat is put on over an existing gloss finish without scuffing and priming, there is nothing to stick, so when the old coat begins to fail, it will peel off, sometimes in large sheets with the old coat underneath.
Peeling along the edges, around trim and wall-ceiling joints typically indicates movement. The changes of temperature and humidity over the seasons cause some expansion and contraction of the substrates. If the paint is too rigid and cannot expand or contract with the surface underneath (the substrate), the paint will crack where the surface moves. Once cracks form, the paint can start peeling away from the surface.
Cracking
The pattern of the cracks is typically a good clue to the cause of the cracks.
Very small surface cracks that form a network throughout the wall, otherwise known as crazing or alligatoring, usually indicate that the paint dried too quickly. This pattern is caused by excessive heat, wind, and/or the direct sun on a freshly painted surface before the film could be properly formed. It’s a surface problem; it does allow moisture to seep in over time.
Single cracks following joints, the line between wall and ceiling, or a previous repair are almost always movement cracks. The substrate moved and the paint film couldn’t flex with it. This happens in rooms with significant temperature variation, on surfaces where different materials meet, and anywhere previous repairs weren’t done with the right filler for the application.
Wider cracks that go through the paint and into the plaster or drywall beneath are a different category. Those aren’t paint failures. They’re substrate failures that were painted over and repainting on top adds another layer to an issue that will come back to the surface with the repaint in a season.
Bubbling
Bubbling almost always signals moisture trapped beneath the surface.
Moisture beneath the paint film converts to vapor and pushes outward, lifting the film away from the surface and creating a bubble. The source varies. It might be painting over a wall that wasn’t fully dry after cleaning. It might be condensation on an exterior wall that isn’t insulated adequately. In older homes across the Okanagan, it’s sometimes moisture moving through the wall assembly from outside during the wet season, finding its way in through gaps that weren’t sealed properly before painting.
Bubbles appearing shortly after a fresh paint job almost always mean the surface wasn’t dry enough when the paint went on. Bubbles appearing months or years later point to an ongoing moisture source that wasn’t dealt with before painting.
Popping the bubbles and repainting over them doesn’t fix anything. The moisture source is still there and new bubbles will form in the same place. The repair requires finding where the moisture is coming from and eliminating it before any new paint goes on.
What the Three Have in Common
Whether they are visible on the surface or not, most paint problems in Summerland, Penticton, Peachland and West Kelowna are caused by the same issues.
- Preparation was rushed or completely skipped. Surfaces must be cleaned properly, as dust, grease and residue will all reduce adhesion. Repair must use an appropriate filler depending on the type of damage, and should be feathered to blend in with the surrounding surface, not standing proud. If the surface is glossy, it should be scuffed. The primer should be compatible with the situation, as what works on a dry, bare wall is different from what is required on a stained wall or one that has adhesion issues in the past.
- Moisture that was not handled initially. Simply painting over the moisture just temporarily covers up the problem. The problem continues to chase behind the film and works its way back through. Whether or not the new paint lasts depends on finding the source before painting it.
- Wrong product for the conditions. A paint applied on a bedroom doesn’t mean that it is suitable for a bathroom or kitchen. High-humidity environments require a paint system that is designed for such use. If leftover flat wall paint was used in a bathroom just for convenience, it is very likely that it will start to peel within a year.
How We Approach Paint Failure Repairs
When Evolved Contracting team is called in to deal with a paint failure, the first step is to determine the cause, not just repaint the symptom. This involves a surface assessment and an understanding of the room’s history, checking ventilation, and observing what is going on in the areas around the failure before touching anything.
Once the cause is identified the repair will directly address that cause. Any moisture problems are addressed first. Failing sections of the surface are stripped back to a stable surface. The correct primer is applied before the top coat as it relates to the requirement of the surface, not the previous application. The product selection is not only suitable for the color, but also the room conditions.
For 20+ years of painting throughout South Okanagan, the tasks that are often rescheduled are the ones that were not properly prepared. Those that don’t are the ones that have been adequately treated before the finishing coat is applied.
If you are unsure of the cause of peeling, cracking or bubbling, please reach out to Evolved Contracting at (604) 966-4449 or email us at evolvedcontracting@proton.me before repainting over it. If the cause isn’t understood, repainting will almost always yield the same outcome in a shorter period of time.