How To Fix Common Problems with Exterior Paint

Exterior paint is your home’s first defense against the elements. While some issues will require professionals and a full paint job, some can be fixed. Use these quick and easy exterior paint fixes to prolong the life of the paint on your home.

High Paint Performance

Before you settle on paint for the exterior of your home, consider the importance of your paint to stand up to bright sun, soaking rain and radical temperature differences. With that said, choose a paint that is manufactured specifically for exterior painting projects.

Most high quality brands today will be able to guarantee their paint for quite a long time, with some lasting a decade or more before they need repainted. Still, sometimes problems will crop up that need repairing.

Blistering Paint

When paint blisters, you will see small or medium sized bubbles form under the paint. Usually it’s seen on wood or trim. The causes of blistering are varied, but normally it’s because the surface was painted when it was hot, or there was moisture in it when it was painted.

To repair these blisters, first scrape the blisters away with a putty knife. Next sand the area down to the bare wood, and let it dry completely before you paint.

Chances are, the first time it was painted, it was wet, so you want to be careful to avoid the same problem again. Once it’s completely dry, sand, prime and paint in dry and shaded conditions.

Sagging or Running

If your paint looks like it’s melting off of the house, you have sagging and running. Chances are, when it was painted last, the coating was put on overly thick or the temperatures were too high. If the paint is showing this issue, you’ll have to be careful when reapplying. Remove all of the sagging paint. It’s best to catch sagging paint as it happens and correct before the paint dries.

To correct this issue, sand the area completely flat. When you repaint, make sure you do multiple coats that are all very thin. If you apply too much paint at a time, you could be facing another round of saging paint.

Alligatoring and Checking

Alligatoring, or checking, is noted by deep cracked patterns in the finish of the paint. This can be caused by applying a second coat before the first had fully dried. Natural aging and loss of elasticity within the paint can also cause checking to occur. While it’s not indicative of problems underneath, it typically continues to get worse until you address it.

To repair alligatoring and checking, you’ll need to remove the old paint completely. Then, sand and prime your paint the area with flexible, latex-based paints.

Efflorescence

Efflorescence is a problem that happens when masonry has been painted. It is identified as a crusty, white deposit bubbling through the paint. Normally, the cause of this is salts in the brick or concrete dissolving with water and leaching through.

Find and eliminate the source

Repairs for efflorescence requires finding and eliminating the source of the moisture. If there are cracks or missing mortar, it will require a patch. If caulk is missing, or gutters are backed up, take necessary actions to correct the issues before you move on. Next, remove the chalky build up with a wire brush or by power washing. It is important to clean the area – it’s recommended to use trisodium phosphate (TSP) – and rinse clean. Once it’s completely dried through, paint it with high-quality latex house paint.

Chalking

Chalking is a natural reaction from the paint self-cleaning. When there is excessive sun and rain, chalking can occur. In dry climates, chalking is often more frequent and severe. Causes could include low-quality paint, paint that was thinned too much, or other paint issues.

To correct the issue, you have to remove the chalking completely. Power wash or scrub the area with TSP solution and rinse thoroughly with clean water. When you paint, make sure it’s fully dried and use a latex-based paint.

Mildew

Mildew is when dampness sits against paint for too long and then creates dark and discolored spots. Fungus can thrive with poor ventilation and sitting moisture. The first step in clearing up mildew is to find the root cause of it and correct the problem.

To fix the problem, clean the areas with TSP or a bleaching solution made with 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Make sure you use protective eyewear and gloves. You will need to scrub vigorously and let the solution sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse it clean with water and repeat the washing and rinsing process again. Let it dry completely and use a high-quality latex paint to paint the area.