When the paint no longer manages to sufficiently adhere to its support, flaking occurs. It is the phenomenon by which the paint peels off and comes off in the form of scales. Immediately, the painted surface appears unsightly, aging and poorly maintained, yet sometimes only a few days or weeks after the coat of paint. Why does this phenomenon occur and how to solve the problem? Here are some explanations and tips.
Why is my paint peeling?
You put your heart into it and yet, after only a while, your paint is peeling. It is very often matt paints that undergo this phenomenon, because they are more permeable than satin or glossy ones. This is why ceilings, which are generally painted matt, often bear the brunt of chipping. To be able to remedy this, it is important to know the causes and they can be multiple.
What elements cause chipping?
To answer it in a very general way, we can say that a paint peels or blisters because of a lack of preparation of the support and of taking into account the surrounding elements.
Poor substrate preparation
Before applying a paint, an undercoat is always necessary. Its purpose is precisely to “coarsely” cover the current color so that the color of the new paint gives off all its shine, but also and mainly to promote its adhesion. But before applying any layer or undercoat, the substrate itself must be prepared. If it is a piece of furniture or shutters already painted or stained, sanding will be essential. In general, to ensure a quality final rendering, paint only on clean, degreased, dry, uniform and dust-free surfaces.
Too fast drying
It is not possible to paint all the time. For the application to be perfect and the rendering to be optimal, the paint must be able to dry slowly. If too much heat causes it to dry too quickly, then its good resistance over time will be altered. Above 25°C, it is better to postpone your work.
High humidity
Too high ambient humidity in a room will cause the blistering or bubble effect which will also lead to peeling. If the humidity is explained, for example in a piece of water, it will be necessary to choose a water-repellent paint. If the choice of paint did not take this element into account, the blistering is explained, it is then necessary to sand and repaint with a suitable paint. On the other hand, if the humidity is not justified, then it is probably due to a larger problem (lack of ventilation, infiltration, poor insulation).
Poor quality paint
There is no shortage of paint brands in DIY stores, and making a choice is often more difficult than you think. Choosing the cheapest, which will generally be at the bottom of the range, is not always a good deal. On the one hand during the installation, this type of paint is often too liquid, which does not give hope of a final rendering worthy of a professional, and will cost you some hair pulling and names of birds in passing, and the promise to make quality a priority for your next work. On the other hand, these too liquid paints are in fact more loaded with humidity, and quickly lose their elasticity so risk blistering and flaking quickly. If you want the work to last and not be undertaken too often, it is better to invest in quality products.
Bad choice of paint
You can opt for a quality paint, but if it is incompatible with the support or the environment, it will risk flaking quickly. For example, if you apply a water-based paint of the best quality on an oil paint, the grease of the latter will prevent your paint layer from adhering correctly and it will tend to slip on it. rather than cover it. So take the time to make the right choice, and don’t hesitate to seek advice.
Pay attention to underlying issues
You know what they say, it’s better not to neglect the small problems that can hide real flaws. In the case of a wall that peels repeatedly and always in the same place, it’s a safe bet that an infiltration problem is the cause. Humidity being a classic factor of flaking, a simple sanding and new coat of paint will not be enough, especially since hiding this type of problem which affects the solidity of the structure of the frame is certainly not the best solution. solutions. Depending on the age of the structure, the ten-year guarantee can cover this type of defect.
What solutions to fix it?
Solutions exist and it all depends on the extent of the phenomenon, targeted or widespread.
- A peeling on a targeted area : If the paint is slightly flaking in a particular place, it will suffice to proceed with a light scraping of the zone, then with a sandpapering using an abrasive paper such as sandpaper to even out the surface as well as possible. If the chipping is too encrusted and the equalization is not possible, it will be necessary to apply a smoothing coating with a spatula. Then, an undercoat and one or two coats of paint adapted to the support and you’re done!
- Peeling over a large area : On the other hand, in the case of significant flaking on the entire surface, it will have to be sanded or stripped completely and then repainted with a quality paint, adapted to both the support and the environment. The process is the same as previously mentioned, on larger proportions, so sanding with a giraffe ideally before painting.
Do not neglect the preparation
In the case of an underlying problem of infiltration, for example, a treatment of the surface will probably be necessary before proceeding with the installation of new paint. Before starting the work, remember to protect your soil from scales that you will drop by laying down a construction tarpaulin. Do not forget that the scales in this case can be loaded with mold or even lead if it is an old paint. So be vigilant about the preparation precautions to take upstream, especially if it is a bedroom. Wearing goggles, mask and gloves is also recommended in case of mould.
Call a professional
If your paint is peeling, it may not have been applied correctly or the necessary surface preparation was not followed. If you can of course get busy with the task to catch up with this miss, if the surface concerned is too large and scares you, or if the chipping occurs on a very old frame whose quality of support and paint does not is not proven, it may be better to call a professional painter who will be able to identify the problem and remedy it, or refer you to a qualified professional to restore the support and thus prevent it from happening again. Some professionals accept that the customer provides the paint himself and only charge for the labor. Be careful, however, to make the right paint choices. Calling on a professional also means making sure to have the appropriate paint applied and of optimum quality.