05 Feb Prevent key factors resulting in paint failure

Premature paint failure results in cracking, bubbling or peeling of paint on your home. No matter who has applied the paint this is the last thing you need on your house.

The average New Zealand exterior paint finish last no more than seven years before cracking, peeling or bubbling starts to occur. If you or your painter can not avoid these pitfalls listed below the paint may last much shorter.

Common mistakes by painters and home owners are outlined below

1. Not stripping off the right amount of old paint. As much as homeowners and budding young brush-hands  like to think they can make this decision only an experienced painter can make this decision with a high degree of accuracy. Inexperienced painters may take off too much but more likely too little. This then results in paint flaking off as older layers or paint start to let go of the substrate.

2. Choosing a colour that is darker than recommended by paint and timber manufacturers. This is one of the most reliable ways to ensure that paint will fail before its time. Ask your painter or paint company whether the paint you choose is too dark. You can still choose this colour but in some cases paint only lasts a year or two.

3. Painting over glossy paint without sanding or de-glossing. A key (a rough surface) needs to be created to allow the new paint o adhere well to previous layers of paint when painting over existing paint.

4. Painting directly over transport primer (new homes or renovations). Weatherboard suppliers usually supply timber profiles with transport primer. This primer is not designed as a permanent primer (don’t ask me why). The TP is only there to protect the timber prior to painting. A good water or ideally oil based primer sealer soaks in and is needed to provide a base for future coats. Many painters and home owners paint two top coats over the transport primer resulting in paint failure within a few short years.

5. Using the more commonly used sealer / primers where specialised sealers, etchers or primers are required. With paint companies pushing for a green image they are often quick to recommend standard products which they know about. There are a few situations where an oil based, spirit based primer sealer or an etcher sealer is the only correct answer. In such cased the substrate or previous layers of paint require and special product to create a strong bond between the substrate and top coats.

When choosing a painters the Master Painter logo is a great place to start. It is not quite a guarantee that the painter is highly skilled particularly if subcontractors are used but you may think of this as being the equivalent to wearing a seat belt in your car. Choosing a masterpainter will dramatically improve your chances of success.