Peeling paint can be more than a cosmetic concern. It can be a warning that your home is vulnerable to moisture, poor surface preparation, aging paint, or weather elements. Professional residential interior and exterior painting can solve the underlying issues and give your home a fresh and more durable coating, along with increased protection of exterior surfaces.
If you’ve seen any bubbling, cracking, flaking or peeling of your exterior paint, you should find out the reasons behind this problem.
Residential Interior and Exterior Painting
Interior and exterior painting of your house includes both the living spaces inside the house and the exterior surfaces. Interior painting puts special emphasis on appearance, atmosphere, cleanability, and everyday durability. Exterior painting has one additional purpose – protection of properly prepared surfaces.
Your siding, trim, doors, shutters, fascia, and other painted exterior surfaces are exposed to temperature fluctuations, sunlight, humidity, rains and other contaminations. That’s why the exterior painting requires thorough preparation and proper products.
An average professional residential painting service may include:
- Surface evaluation
- Surface cleaning and preparation
- Removal of loose and peeling paint
- Minor surface repairs, where necessary
- Caulking the appropriate gaps and joints
- Priming of bare and problem areas, when necessary
- Proper exterior coating application
- Painting of trim, doors, shutters and other details
- Final surface evaluation and touchups
The main idea is not just to cover the peeling paint. The successful painting project discovers the possible reasons of paint peeling, prepares the surface appropriately and provides suitable conditions for the new coating.
Why Is My Exterior Paint Peeling?
Peeling of exterior paints occurs due to poor adhesion of the coating with the surface it is applied to. In some cases the problem is developing gradually due to the aging process of the paint. In others, the peeling happens very quickly after painting.
Here are several possible causes of peeling paint.
Moisture Behind the Paint
One of the main issues to consider when the exterior paint fails regularly is moisture. Water may penetrate the siding or trim through leaks, faulty caulking, overflowing gutters, poorly sealed openings and other building envelope issues.
Sometimes the moisture comes from the interior of the home.
If moisture stays behind the surface, it may prevent proper adhesion of the coating and cause bubbling, blisters or peeling. Simply covering the affected area with the new paint without solving the underlying problem may result in the repeated paint peeling.
Poor Surface Preparation
Proper exterior paint requires a stable and clean surface.
Painting over dirty, chalky surface, mold or mildew, loose paint and deteriorated surface prevents the new paint from proper adhesion. Surface preparation may take more time than the actual painting but it is a very important step.
Painting of the Wet Surface
The surface can look dry but still contain moisture. Painting before the siding, trim or other materials are dry enough may trap moisture and interfere with paint adhesion.
The weather conditions prior and during the painting are important.
Incompatible Paint or Primer
Not every paint or primer can be used with every surface and existing coating system. The usage of the inappropriate coating can cause the early failure of the paint.
The professional painter evaluates the substrate and the existing coating to choose the right primer and paint.
Aging Paint
The properly applied exterior paint will inevitably wear over time.
Continuous exposure to ultraviolet rays, temperature fluctuations, moisture and other weathering processes will slowly deteriorate the coating performance. Fading, chalking, cracking, and peeling can indicate that the old paint has aged to the point of its maintenance or repainting.
Features of Professional Residential Painting Services
Professional painting is about much more than applying a new color.
Well planned painting project requires preparation, material selection, application and consideration of environmental conditions.
Detailed Surface Assessment
Before starting, the exterior surfaces should be assessed for peeling paint, cracks, damaged areas, moisture related issues and other conditions that may affect the painting project.
Appropriate Preparation
Depending on the condition of the home the following steps may be required during the preparation of the surface:
- Cleaning the exterior surface
- Removing loose or failing paint
- Sanding of appropriate areas
- Addressing minor surface defects
- Caulking of appropriate joints and gaps
- Priming the exposed or problem areas
The preparation steps may vary depending on the substrate, so the same steps shouldn’t be automatically applied to all houses.
High-Quality Application
Uniform coverage is important for both appearance and durability. The professionals use the right methods of application for each substrate, coating and project.
Attention to Details
Trim, corners, transitions, windows, doors, and other architectural details have a great influence on the final appearance of the project. Professional painters pay attention to these details to make the result more perfect.
Advantages of Professional Exterior Painting
The exterior painting can give your house a brand-new appearance, but this is not all.
Correctly maintained coating creates a protective layer over properly prepared paintable exterior surfaces. This may reduce exposure to the weather conditions and help the homeowner to assess the condition of the surface during the preparation stage.
Other advantages of professional exterior painting include:
- Improved curb appeal
- Appearance maintenance
- Protection of properly prepared surfaces
- Ability to detect visible surface problems
- Updated exterior colors
- Consistent coverage of the surface instead of patchwork
- Professional surface preparation and application
- Reduced need of handling ladder, equipment and preparation steps
Exterior painting may be particularly valuable when the existing paint is deteriorated.
Exterior House Painting Services: More Than Color Change
Professional exterior house painting services pay attention to the condition of the house as well as its color.
Peeling paint shouldn’t be covered up and left alone. Loose paint should be addressed so the new coat has a stable surface to adhere to. Depending on the condition of the home additional cleaning, sanding, caulking, repairs or spot priming can be done.
Professional painters can help the homeowner to choose the appropriate exterior colors. Colors of the exterior paint look differently on the natural light than indoor samples. Color of the roof, bricks, stones, landscaping, neighboring homes and architectural design can all influence how paint looks.
Paint color test on the exterior surface may help to make the right decision.
Uses and Applications of Residential Interior and Exterior Painting
Residential painting service can address various surfaces and home improvement needs.
The following surfaces are typically included in the exterior projects:
- Siding
- Fascia and soffits
- Exterior trim
- Front and side doors
- Shutters
- Porches’ components
- Garage doors
- Other properly prepared exterior paintable surfaces
The interior painting may include walls, ceilings, trim, doors and other appropriate surfaces.
Some homeowners combine interior and exterior projects when preparing a home for selling or doing a larger renovation. Some of them start the exterior project after having found that the exterior paint shows the signs of aging.
Whatever the scope of your project, the important thing is to match the preparation and the coating system to the appropriate surfaces.
Exterior Painting Contractors in Suwanee: Why Local Weather Is Important
When you compare exterior painting contractors in Suwanee, GA, you should take into account whether the contractor is familiar with how the local weather may affect the exterior painting project.
Heat, humidity, rains and strong sunlight are challenging for exterior coating. That’s why timing and application conditions become an important factor.
The contractor should consider such factors as:
- Application temperature
- Temperature of the surface
- Recent and upcoming rain
- Humidity
- Direct sunlight
- Recommended application conditions of the paint manufacturer
- Required drying and recoat times
Instead of selecting the contractor on the lowest cost, you should ask about the included preparation, proposed products, how the weather delays are going to be handled and what the contractor plans to do with the problematic areas.
Peeling or cracking paint on your exterior surfaces? Let Campione Painters help you to evaluate your exterior painting needs and discuss your project. Call us now at (404) 341-4382 to learn more.
How Professionals Solve the Problem of Peeling Paint
Permanent solution starts with identification of the condition of the surface instead of quick paint coating.
Step 1: Identify the Pattern
Where is the paint peeling?
Peeling near the gutter, around the window or roofline may indicate that there is moisture problem. Widespread peeling may indicate aging paint, wrong preparation or some other underlying reason.
Pattern can help to find the clue, although the real reason may require more research.
Step 2: Address Underlying Problems
If there is a leak, moisture problem or damaged building component causing the paint failure, this problem should be addressed before the repainting.
The paint shouldn’t be used as a replacement for building repairs.
Step 3: Remove Unstable Paint
Loose, peeling or poorly adhered material should be removed with the right methods for the substrate and paint.
Older houses with old coatings may need additional precautions if lead-based paint is present. Appropriate testing and lead-safe practices should be taken into account when it is necessary.
Step 4: Clean and Prepare the Surface
When the failing paint is removed, the surface should be clean enough for the appropriate coating system. Contaminants, dirt, chalk, biological growth can interfere with the adhesion.
Step 5: Prime When Necessary
Bare areas and certain substrates may require a primer before top coating. The choice of primer should depend on the substrate and recommendations of the coating manufacturer.
Step 6: Apply Exterior Paint Under Appropriate Conditions
The paint should be applied within the temperature, moisture and weather conditions recommended by the manufacturer.
Unwanted rains, inappropriate temperature and excessive moisture can interfere with the results.
Step 7: Evaluate the Result
Once the painting is done, the surfaces should be checked for uniform coverage and touched up if necessary.
Summer Exterior Painting Projects: Is Summer a Good Time?
Warm months are good for exterior painting projects because there are more daylight hours and other convenient time frames. But warm weather doesn’t necessarily mean good painting weather.
Very hot surface and direct sun can affect the way of application and drying of the paint. Also humidity and summer rains may affect the schedule.
The professional painter plans his work around the conditions, not the calendar.
For instance, different sides of the house are receiving the sun at different times. Sometimes it is possible to organize the work in order to avoid painting hot surfaces. Also weather forecast and coating requirements should be controlled during the project.
The ideal weather conditions are those that are within the recommendations of the coating manufacturer.
How Can You Prevent the Peeling of the Exterior Paint Again?
There is no way to make exterior paint eternal, but the proper preparation and regular maintenance of your home can reduce the avoidable paint failures.
Here is what you can do:
- Keep your gutters and downspouts in good working condition.
- Repair leaks and moisture problems as soon as you notice them.
- Inspect the exterior caulking and painted surfaces periodically.
- Pay attention to cracking, bubbling or peeling paint.
- Keep your exterior surfaces clean.
- Don’t wait until the paint deteriorates.
- Use coatings that are appropriate for the substrate and exposure.
- Follow manufacturer instructions for preparation and application.
It is especially important to act timely. Small areas of deterioration are easier to assess and fix than widespread coating failure.
Why Choose Professional Residential Interior and Exterior Painting?
The DIY painting can be a good option for small and accessible projects. Full exterior of the house brings extra challenges.
There are ladders and elevated areas to consider, there is also extensive preparation, weather planning, product compatibility, surface repairs and consistent coverage of the big area.
Professional painters use the well-coordinated process of performing these tasks.
For homeowners this means that they spend less time on preparation and application and have more confidence that the project is managed systematically.
When choosing the painting contractor, you should ask him about preparation, materials, project planning, cleanup and the way he handles the surface problems. Well-coordinated discussion before the work will help you to set the right expectations.
When Should You Repaint Your Home Exterior?
There is no universal repainting schedule for every house. Longevity of the exterior paint depends on the substrate, previous preparation, paint system, weather exposure, color, environmental conditions and maintenance.
Instead of relying on a certain number of years, you should inspect your home for any visible signs that the attention is needed.
Those signs may include:
- Peeling or flaking
- Cracking paint
- Significant fading
- Chalking
- Bare or exposed areas
- Failed caulking
- Blistering
- Deterioration of the trim
If you notice isolated peeling, it is worth to find out why it happened. If the deterioration is widespread, then probably the exterior painting project is required.
Choosing Campione Painters for Your Exterior Painting Project
The appearance of your house’s exterior gives an immediate impression, but good exterior painting project is also about the preparation and protection.
Campione Painters perform residential painting paying attention to the steps that should be done before the finishing coat is applied. Assessing the condition of the surface, solving problems of failing paint, selection of appropriate products and working under suitable conditions – all of this contributes to the quality of the project.
Whether you need to repair peeling paint, change the color or consider the larger painting project, professional consultation can help you to decide the next step.
Conclusion
Peeling paint is trying to tell you something about the condition of the surface or coating. Moisture, improper preparation, incompatible products, aging paint or wrong application conditions can all cause the failure of exterior paint.
Professional residential interior and exterior painting solves much more than the visible problem. The well-thought exterior project takes into account surface preparation, product compatibility, weather conditions, application and ongoing exposure of the house.
If the exterior of your home peels, cracks, fades or needs refreshing, then the assessment of the surface before repainting can help you to make an informed decision.
Ready to refresh your home’s exterior? Contact Campione Painters at (404) 341-4382 to discuss our professional exterior painting services and start your next residential painting project.
