Application Failure Series – Paint Peeling off Walls

Reasons Why Paint Starts Peeling off Walls

No matter how big or small a plant or facility, a solid coat of paint is a necessity. Every plant/maintenance manager wants their building to offer a complete finish, and try their best to maintain the building’s value with a protective coat.  From inside to outside, there are several small and big decisions that go into a facility and its transformation from a mere structure to a processing or manufacturing plant. But imagine the horror when they find paint flaking off the walls? After spending time, energy and money into the vital building, it is very irritating and demotivating to find paint coming off surfaces. Though many people have faced this situation, they are still unsure what went wrong and where did they make a mistake.

There are several factors that have huge influence on life of painted surface. From choice of painting contractor to selection of paint, each and every decision makes a huge difference. Even with the highest quality paint, there is still a possibility that the application will face problems of flaking or peeling paint. Here are the major reasons why paint peels off walls –

  • Application of latex paint over oil paint – Both oil paint and latex paints have their advantages and disadvantages. Oil paints are durable while latex paints give a shine and uniformity to the painted surface. Sometimes, people use a combination of both and apply top coat of latex paint over surface of oil paint. If latex paint is applied as top coat on oil paint it will peel off as both these types of paints don’t offer a strong chemical bond. Thus, the paint peels off after sometime when adhesion breaks completely.
  • Choosing wrong quality of paint – Any paint should be chosen on basis of its features, and not just the price. Even the most expensive paint will be futile if it does not suit the surface conditions of your substrate. Similarly, choosing any cheap paint available in the market may not last long as its adhesive properties may be very less.
  • Application of paint over unprepared surface – Surface preparation is a commonly discussed and equally important term in painting. If the surface is not prepared properly before the paint application, it will directly influence life of the paint. Application of paint on unprepared surface causes flaking, blistering, bubbling and peeling off.

The condition of paint directly influences the appearance of a facility.  The only way to repair peeling paint is repainting, and it may not be an economically viable option for all. So, it is better to get it right the first time with proper surface preparation and choosing the appropriate paint for the situation.