Home About Us Hire The Right Painter Custom Work Commercial Residential Restorations FAQ Testamonials Common Problems Sanderson’s Painting Kingman, AZ 86409 P:928-692-0001 F:928-692-0016 E: sandersons@citlink.net Business Hours: Mon – Fri 7:30am-4:00pm We Welcome Evening and  Weekend Appointments   Owners Glen Conley Renia Rohlfing   License #ROC 235788 Bonded & Insured   Member of the Chamber of Commerce   Member of NFIB

Symptoms: Alligatoring and Checking "Alligatoring" is a failure in the paint film where it takes on a cracking pattern of deep relief resembling a reptile's skin, such as that of an alligator. "Checking" is a similar failure but is less severe and is characterized by long, fairly evenly spaced cracks in the paint film having shallow relief or depth. Occasionally checking may become severe in some areas and a deeper crack or split in the paint will occur.   Potential Causes (Alligatoring): A second coat of paint was applied over a first coat of primer or paint base coat before it dried. A second coat of paint was applied over an incompatible paint such as a glossy paint or a hard oil enamel over a latex based paint. Oil based paints naturally aging and losing the little elasticity the paint film originally had, therefore it cracks due to fluctuations in temperature. Symptoms: Blistering Blistering paint is identified by small to medium sized bubbles or blisters under the paint film and is most common on wood siding and trim.   Potential Causes: Painting in direct sunlight on a hot substrate (surface being painted) which traps solvent vapor as the paint dries too quickly. Painting when the wood is damp causing trapped moisture to expand the paint film. Dew, rain or very high humidity after latex paint has dried if the latex paint is of lower quality or the substrate surface preparation was inadequate. House moisture escaping through the walls due to improper house ventilation. Symptoms: Mildew Mildew is a fungus feeding and growing on the paint film or caulk and is identifiable by its gray, brown, green or dark black "splotchy" spots.   Potential Causes: Combination of moisture, poor ventilation and lack of direct sunlight. Underside of soffits and eaves are especially prone to mildew. Painting over a surface or prior paint film that still had mildew. Use of lower quality paint having inadequate mildewcide. Not priming bare wood before painting. Symptoms: Peeling Paint Due to Exterior Moisture Under Paint Film As mentioned in the previous section, peeling paint is a very common paint problem that can be caused either by moisture or poor adhesion. Peeling due to moisture is recognizable by large peeling sections of paint exposing bare wood underneath. Unlike peeling due to adhesion problems where peeling may be spotty, with moisture related peeling larger areas peel away often around windows, doors and gutters.   Potential Causes: Moisture getting behind paint film from failing or missing caulk, leaks in roof or wall systems or being too close to the ground. Faulty guttering or missing ventilation causing ice dams or water back up. Painting when the surface being painted is wet from condensation or rain. Symptoms: Peeling Paint Due to Poor Adhesion Peeling paint is a very common paint problem but can be caused either by moisture or poor adhesion. Peeling due to poor adhesion is characterized by the paint peeling and separating from an earlier paint layer (inter coat peeling) or from the substrate leaving some paint behind. Sometimes portions of earlier paint layers are visible under the curling, peeling paint layer.   Potential Causes: Painting over an surface with poor paint surface preparation such as being dirty, wet or shiny. Substrate had poor adhesion prior to being repainted. Applying an oil based paint over a wet surface. Blistering paint allowed to progress in failure. Lower quality paint was used. Symptoms: Rust Discoloration This problem is characterized by rust colored reddish-brown to black stains on the paint surface.   Potential Causes: Non-corrosion resistant nails were used instead of galvanized zinc plated or stainless steel nails. Steel nails became in contact with the air. Steel nails popping from surface. Excessive weathering or sanding has worn away galvanized coating on nail heads. Tannic acid from moist wood (e.g., oak) has reacted with steel nails creating a black stain. Symptoms: Efflorescence A problem of painted masonry construction, efflorescence is identifiable by crusty white salt deposits that bubble through the paint film from a masonry structure. Salts in the brick or concrete become dissolved with water and then leach to the surface as the water evaporates.   Potential Causes: Poor paint surface preparation where prior efflorescence was not entirely removed and washed before the surface was repainted. Heavy moisture migrating through exterior masonry walls from inside the home. Inadequately waterproofed basement walls allowing ground water penetration. Painting masonry construction before the concrete or mortar had adequately cured and dried out. Cracks in masonry wall or poor tuck pointing is allowing water to get behind masonry wall. Symptoms: Peeling Paint Due to Interior Moisture Under Paint Film Peeling of interior paint due to moisture is characterized by cracking and gentle peeling away of the paint from the substrate as it loses adhesion due to the moisture. Moisture originating from behind the paint film or in front and forcing its way through the paint film can create this type of paint failure.   Potential Causes: High humidity areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, hot tubs, wet basement areas and the like can create humidity that penetrates the paint film from the front. Leaking flashing around a chimney or other exterior wall / roof intersection can allow water to seep into the house and wet the plaster from behind the paint film causing the paint to separate from the substrate. Symptoms: Sagging or Running This paint failure is easily identified as a dripping or drooping look to areas of the paint film.   Potential Causes: Application of a coat of paint that was too heavy or overloaded. Heavy handed paint application. Paint thinned too much at time of application. Paint was applied in poor environmental conditions such as too cool or when humidity was too high. Paint was applied without primer to a high gloss vertical surface preventing the paint substrate from having the "tooth" necessary for the finish coat to adhere. Painted surface was not clean or properly prepared at the time of application. Symptoms: Chalking Chalking is identifiable as a fine chalky powder that forms on the surface of a paint film. Although some chalking is a normal way paints self clean when exposed to the sun and rain, excessive chalking can be a paint failure. In dry arid climates where there is little rain, chalking can become excessive. Chalking is actually the paint pigment released by the paint binders which have been broken down by exposure to the weather. Chalking is especially typical of very light colored flat paints, especially lesser quality oil based paints containing high levels of pigment extenders. When chalking gets severe it may run off onto and stain surrounding construction as in this photo.   Potential Causes: Use of cheaper quality exterior paint containing high levels of pigment extenders Improper paint was used in an exterior application (such as an interior paint). Lower quality factory finished aluminum siding. Over-thinning paint. Not properly sealing a porous surface before painting. [Home] [About Us] [Hire The Right Painter] [Custom Work] [Commercial] [Residential] [Restorations] [FAQ] [Testamonials] [Common Problems]