Peeling Paint: Common Defect in Paint

Paint is the colour on walls, metal, bricks, timber or outside or inside surfaces of the house. It is used as the final finish to surface and as a coating to protect or decorate the surface. After some time, there is several paint defects are observed, i.e. chalking, blushing and blooming, peeling, sagging, etc. Peeling paint is one of the most common paint defect observed on the painted surface.

Peeling is a loss of adhesion where the paint film peels away from the surface like from wall, wooden, metal, etc. Peeling of paint is mainly caused by moisture on the surface, poor surface preparation, using an incorrect painting system. It is the swelling of a paint film caused due to loss of adhesion between one or more coatings or between primer and parent surface and moisture on the surface.

Peeling Paint

Peeling of paint occurs due to two reasons, moisture on the surface and poor surface preparation and in most of the cases, poor surface preparation by the previous painter. Applying the new paint film may not improve the adherence of the old paint film. Somewhat it might make it worse due to the already imparted stresses when new paint film dries out.

Peeling paint occurs due to other various reasons such as;

  • Peeling of paint film occurs in non-porous coatings, i.e. oil-based paints, enamels
  • Due to the moist air, oily or greasy surface, or imprisoned gases between the painted surface and the paint film, which expand under the influence of heat.
  • Peeling paint is also occurred due to poor adhesive quality of paint.
  • Too much varnish in the paint is also caused the peeling of paint.
  • When paint applied in the wet condition (especially painting carried out during monsoon), it will cause peeling of paint.
  • Oil based paint naturally ageing and losing the elasticity the paint film originally had. Therefore it peels because of fluctuations in temperature.

Identify the previously painted area of the home and ensure more layers will not cause the peeling of paint. Therefore you need to take care while application of paint so that this type of paint defect cannot occur on the painted surface.

Also Read:
Precautions & Repairs for Common Home Painting Defects
Difference between Interior and Exterior Paint

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