Black, gray or brown areas on the surface of paint or caulk.

Possible Cause:

• Forms most often on areas that tend to be damp, and receive little or no direct sunlight (walls with a northerly exposure and the underside of eaves are particularly vulnerable).
• Use of a lower quality paint, which may have an insufficient amount of mildewcide.
• Failure to prime bare wood before painting.
• Painting over a substrate or coating on which mildew has not been removed.

Solution:

Test for mildew by applying a few drops of household bleach to the discolored area; if it disappears, it is probably mildew. Remove all mildew from surface by scrubbing with a diluted household bleach solution (one part bleach, three parts water); wear rubber gloves and eye protection. Power washing is also an option. Rinse thoroughly, prime any bare wood then apply one or two coats of top quality exterior paint, which typically contains mildewcide.

Bubbles resulting from localized loss of adhesion and lifting of the paint film from the underlying surface.

Possible Cause:

• Painting a warm surface in direct sunlight.
• Application of an oil-based or alkyd paint over a damp or wet surface.
• Moisture escaping through the exterior wall (less likely with latex paint than with oil-based or alkyd paint).
• Exposure or latex paint film to dew, high humidity or rain shortly after paint has dried, especially if there was inadequate surface preparation.

Solution:

• If blisters go down to the substrate, try to remove the source of moisture. Repair loose caulking; consider installing an exhaust fan. Remove blisters.
• If blisters do not go all the way down to the substrate, remove them by scraping, then sanding; prime any bare wood and repaint with a quality exterior paint.

Low VOC Paints are paints that have low or no volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), are categorized as environmentally friendly because the emission of VOC’s into the air is a type of air pollution. Generally, non-flat paints with no more than 150 grams of VOC’s per litre (g/L) of product are considered low VOC, regardless of any lack of certification, such as one from the United States Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org), which rates and certifies projects. The USGBC follows the requirements for paint in GS-11, a regulation of Green Seal, Inc. (www.greenseal.org), a non-profit that provides science-based environmental certification standards.

What is one of the benefits to using Low VOC Paints?

Environmentally responsible products can save you significantly more than the extra cost they may require. In even the smallest commercial job, product cost is a fraction of labor cost – especially if you need the work to be performed after hours or within a tight deadline. Many property owners and managers elect to have work done after hours to avoid affecting the air quality and odor in a confined space. The schedule constraints are often multiplied when late night/early morning or weekend work is limited to a short duration such as a holiday weekend or school vacation.

Paint that has lost its adhesion to a galvanized metal substrate.

Possible Cause:

• Improper surface preparation, such as inadequate rust removal.
• Failure to apply a primer before application of an oil-based or vinyl latex paint.
• Failure to sand baked-on enamel finishes or glossy surfaces before painting. 

Solution:

Any rust on the metal should be removed with a wire brush; then, an acrylic latex corrosion-resistant primer should be applied (one coat is usually sufficient). New or previously painted galvanized metal that is completely rust-free can be painted with a top quality acrylic latex paint without applying a primer; however, a metal primer should always be applied to unpainted galvanized metal before applying an oil-based or vinyl latex top coat.

Source: Paint Quality Institute

Alligatoring is patterned cracking in the surface of the paint film resembling the regular scales of an alligator. 

Possible Cause:

• Application of an extremely hard, rigid coating, like an alkyd enamel, over a more flexible coating, like a latex primer.
• Application of a top coat before the undercoat is dry.
• Natural aging of oil-based paints as temperatures fluctuate. The constant expansion and contraction results in a loss of paint elasticity.

Solution: 

Old paint should be completely removed by scraping and sanding the surface; a heat gun can be used to speed work on large surfaces, but take care to avoid igniting paint or substrate. The surface should be primed with a high quality latex or oil-based primer, then painted with a top quality exterior latex paint.

Source: Paint Quality Institute

Welcome to The Arch Painting blog! We are very excited about our new blog and look forward to sharing our ideas and experience on a variety of industry topics. We will add regular blog posts discussing everything from various paint applications to how-to topics to industry trends.

Arch Painting History

Arch Painting was founded in 1997 by Joseph Giacalone, who sought to apply his decade of residential painting experience to launch a full-service painting company focused on providing exceptional service in a distinctly professional manner. Today, Arch Painting’s management team employs a collaborative approach to provide affordable, efficient, and durable painting services. We aim to build client relationships that are as long-lasting as our applications.

New England’s Leading Residential and Commercial Painting Contractor

Arch Painting is the leading provider of painting and wallcovering services for owners of fine homes and businesses in Eastern Massachusetts, Southern Maine, Southern New Hampshire, and Northern Rhode Island. We employ full-time professional painters whose application technique and conduct are carefully monitored by a skilled crew leader, to ensure that our clients are equally pleased with their experience and finished project. The Arch Painting team has solid experience and expertise with a variety of coatings and types of projects.