Is Your Paint Blistering?

Do your buildings look terrible because of paint blistering? This occurs when newly applied paint detaches from the surface beneath for any number of reasons. Paint peeling and blisters happen all the time, even if you’ve hired professional painters. The high humidity and frequent rain are typically the prevalent conditions.

Blistering occurs when the topcoat of paint begins to separate from the coat beneath, sometimes taking multiple coats with it. It can happen if the surface that was painted was not properly dried before it was painted, but there are other reasons as well:

• Loss of adhesion and lifting of the paint from the underlying surface
• Heat blistering due to painting in direct sunlight on a surface that is too warm
• Moisture blistering that pushes paint off the surface due to a high moisture content in the surface being painted (think excessive rain, plumbing issues, water leaks, etc.)
• Application of an oil-based or alkyd paint over a damp surface or latex paint film that become exposed to high humidity shortly after the paint has dried
• Insufficient surface preparation

If left untreated, the water that accumulates in the blister can absorb back into the wall and cause other issues, such as water stains, mold and even drywall damage.

All of these should be investigated and repaired by a professional painting and/or waterproofing company to ensure the cause is quickly repaired.