You take pride in maintaining the exterior of your home. However, the environment is always working against you. Over time, rain, sun, snow and hail can deteriorate the exterior of a home. You have a few choices – delay the repair, replace with new siding or restore and protect it with a fresh coat of paint.
Problem: Peeling
This is a common exterior painting problem if the old paint was not scraped properly before coating the new paint, causing the new paint stick to the old paint and resulting in the paint peeling off. Another cause of peeling is moisture, where any water comes in contact with the behind of the paint film. The third cause is that the paint was applied directly over bare wood or a glossy surface without any primer.
The solutions are straightforward. First, make sure to pressure-wash to clean the surface, and scrape any loose or old and peeling paint. You can then use a sandpaper to feather the edges and scrape any further paint that is peeling. Also, to prevent the presence of water, ensure that the surface is clean and dry, there are no leaks in the roofs or gutters, and all the cracks and joints in the siding are well-caulked. And remember, apply primer if necessary. You can consult with a painting professional to advise you on this.
Problem: Chalking, Fading and Cracking
Excessive moisture and prolonged exposure to sunshine can cause a white, chalky powder to form on the surface of your painted exterior surfaces. This problem is called chalking. It can erode the paint film, lighten the color of the paint, and deface the appearance of the surface. It is important to remove chalking before repainting the affected area.
Paint fades over time as the sun beats down on it, breaking down the resin in the paint. Resin is the hardener in the paint. So the side loses its protection and can lead to boards beginning to warp if not treated properly and in a timely fashion. We power wash to get the chalking paint off the house to have a good surface to paint on. Then, use a specially-formulated exterior liquid vinyl paint to give it a thick coat to protect it from the sun. Typically the South and West sides get the most sun. Since these sides get the most sun, a second coat or a coat of primer will increase the longevity of the paint job.
Contractors sometimes use an inexpensive caulking. As temperatures change, your house moves and can crack the caulking. Once there is a crack, moisture gets into the crack, and runs down the back of the board where it is unprotected. This leads to the board warping away from the side of the house. Re-caulking the crack using a higher quality caulking (35-year siliconized acrylic caulk). will stop moisture from getting behind there. Higher quality caulking means it will flex with the house and not crack.
Problem: Blistering
Blistering is caused by the constant exposure to high humidity in the air, dew and when it rained shortly after the pain is dried. It also happens when the paint is painted over a surface that contains oil and grease, as these bacteria cause adhesion, leading to blistering. Lastly, if the paint is coated on a surface that is very hot, excessive heat can cause blistering.
Before you start painting, make sure you scrape and sand the surface to remove any peeling paint. Then, clean the surface with a stiff-bristled brush or a pressure washer and a pre-paint degreaser to remove any oil or grease. Try not to paint in the evening to avoid dew, or when the weather is forecasted to rain.
Problem: Alligatoring Paint
Old painted surfaces may crack in a pattern that resembles an alligator’s scales. The solution is to scrape off the old paint, sand the surface and use a high-quality primer. Finally, apply an acrylic latex paint that is specially formulated for exterior surfaces.
Contact Sunbow Painters for Professional Painting Services
If the above solutions sound too time-consuming for you, Sunbow Painters is available to do the job for you. We are experienced and versatile in different painting situations. From restoring old painted surfaces to repainting your whole house, we can get the job done right.