Interior painting in Bay Area can be an inexpensive way to upgrade the look and condition of your home, whether you’re freshening up or changing the color.
Any homeowner can learn how to paint interior walls as long as there’s the right planning, the right tools, and a handful of expert tips. The best thing about interior paints is that they’re not exposed to various elements – such as heat, rain, and soot – the way exterior paints are.
However, interior paints have distinct issues of their own that can mar the results of your painting job. But fret not, because as we always say – there’s a solution to every problem.
This article presents the common painting defects and how to address each of them.
Blistering
Blistering occurs when the paint film detaches from the underlying surface. The loss of adhesion can be attributed to extreme heat, damp surface, dirty surface, or a combination of the issues.
You can prevent this by making sure that the surface is completely clean and dry. Avoid painting in hot and humid weather. Keep moisture from contact with the surface until the paint is completely dry.
Apply the surface with a good primer to cover stains and allow better adhesion from the topcoat.
Bubbling or Foaming
Bubbling may be a regular occurrence during painting. But if the bubbles remain on the surface after painting, there might be a problem.
Just like blistering, bubbling occurs when the paint film lifts from the underlying surface. The reasons are similar to blistering paints (read above), so the solutions are also the same.
Cracking or Flaking
While cracks may be small and not noticeable at first, they can go a lot worse to the point that dry chips of paint start to fall off the surface.
It wouldn’t have to happen if you used only high-quality paints. Cheaper but inferior paints usually lead to cracking or flaking.
When applying paint, coats should be thick enough to cover the surface.
Applying oil-based paint over latex paint can also cause cracking or flaking. To determine the type of paint that’s currently on your wall, whether it’s oil or latex, check out this useful guide.
Flashing
“Flashing” refers to the shiny spots on the wall. There are many reasons for this phenomenon.
The drywall patch may not be as textured as the rest of the surface. Flashing can also occur when a shiny finish is applied over a bare wall patch. In this case, without using a primer first to a textured or newly applied drywall, flashing can occur.
Flashing can also occur when a varying sheen level – often due to improperly applied fillers to patch cracks and holes – dulls the paint surface. When light hits against the surface, it creates a flickering effect.
The solution to this problem is repainting the surface. First, you must clean the surface properly using a soft cloth, lukewarm water, and a gentle detergent. Let the surface dry completely before painting. Make sure to use quality paint specifically made for interior walls.
Peeling
Peeling is a common problem, especially in old homes. If you see old paint curling away from the walls, it’s time to give them suitable prep work and a fresh coat of paint.
Too many layers of paint can cause peeling. Walls from old homes may have seen quite a number of coats or layers because the walls were repainted several times, resulting in a paint build-up. When the surface has at least two layers of old paint, it can lose cohesion because of weight. The recent coat may have difficulty sticking to the old painted surface.
Another reason for peeling paint is a damp surface. If the surface still has moisture, the topcoat cannot cling to it properly.
If the wall is retaining moisture, find out what causes it. It may be leaks coming from the ceiling, or it may be faulty pipes. Address or remove the source before applying a new coat of paint.
These are some of the typical interior painting in Bay Area problems. If you’ve found a specific issue not included here in this article, feel free to contact us for expert advice and solutions.