Why does paint peel?

Peeling paint, a constantly seen phenomenon. Is it due to low quality paint, bad surface preparation or Ireland's unusual climate, 

Our laboratories are constantly asked to investigate paint failure matters both in Ireland and abroad. Amongst the most common phenomenon which we are asked to investigate, is why paint peels, a phenomenon  

Paint peeling is caused by poor adhesion to the surface and even if the surface is primed and received a top coat, peeling may involve all of some of the paint coats. 

There are several possible reasons as to why paint will peel. 

• Bad surface preparation, causing the paint not to adhere to the surface. Very common when painting wood or cementitious surfaces. 

• Water seeping through the paint film, more common when the surface has been painted with a solvent based paint. 

• Too many layers of paint. 

• Low quality paints.

• Applying incompatible paints, for example, applying a solvent based paint over a waterbased primer. 

Well it would be easier to turn a blind eye to paint peeling however the problem will only get worse

So what is the solution?

Well it would be easier to turn a blind eye to paint peeling however the problem will only get worse. Remediation depends on where the cause of the issue lies. If water ingress is the root cause, this must be treated. If repainting is appropriate, the first thing to do is to remove all of the loose paint with a scraper and/or wire brush. If the surface is wood, ensure that it is sanded with P180 paper and lighter sanding with P400 paper. Vacuuming the post sanded surface is always a good idea as it removes any loose material from the surface. Apply one or preferably two coats of a waterbased primer followed by one or two coats of the topcoat. Depending on the surface being painted, a light post primer sanding may be advised. 

Our paint experts are always available to investigate any in service paint failure matters. We are the paint experts, feel free to Contact us.