Your home’s exterior is exposed to a wide range of damaging elements including rain, sun, frost, and constant temperature fluctuations. If the siding is not appropriately protected, it might experience accelerated deterioration and quickly increase your home maintenance costs.
Additionally, bugs such as termites, wood beetles, and ants can cause quite some damages, especially on wood sidings. When not eradicated in good time, termites might end up gnawing a significant portion of your siding, often in areas hidden from sight.
The accumulated effects of weather elements, insect damage, and mildew infection create a surface condition that is impossible to repaint without thorough prep work. Below are some of the most common wall surface conditions that we experience when doing exterior painting in Omaha, NE, and how they might affect your overall painting project.
Paint Fading
Paint fading can be described as excessive lightening of the paint color due to the effects of UV light. The UV rays break down the color pigments in the paint causing the paint job to lose its bold and sharp color appearance. This is usually one of the first signs of paint failure, and often homeowners can safely ignore the first signs of light fading. But once the fading becomes significant and obvious, it’s difficult to do touch-ups –you will need a full repaint.
Paint Chalking
Paint chalking happens when the paint breaks down into fine, powdery particles that often gets deposited on the surface of the siding. If you run your finger in your siding and notice a fine chalky deposit on your fingers, then your paint is chalking. In the event of excess chalking, you can always spot fine chalky deposits along the base of the wall. Chalking usually makes the wall surface dusty and dirty, preventing proper paint adhesion –the wall must be pressure washed to get rid of the chalky deposit.
Paint Peeling/Flaking/Cracking
Paint peeling and flaking are common signs of paint failure that occur when the paint loses its ability to stick to the painted surface. This could be as a result of painting on a dirty or chalky surface, using low-quality paints or painting using inappropriate techniques. New paint won’t be able to stick to a surface that has old, loose peeling or flaking paint –the old loose paint must be stripped off and the surface sanded to a smooth, nearly even finish before new paint can be applied.
Paint Bubbling
Paint bubbling is the formation of blister-like bubbles as a result of the paint being lifted off the painted surface. This is often caused when air or water bubbles trapped under the paint film get heated and attempts to escape, lifting a small section of the paint with it. Before painting, all the bubbling paint needs to be scraped off and the surface sanded to a smooth finish. If there is any underlying source of moisture, it needs to be addressed before repainting.
Mold and Mildew
A lot changes if the surface you intend to paint has mildew or mold infection. First, the infected areas have to be treated before scrapping off the organic matter. The painter has to be careful not to spread the fungi spores to other areas, especially when pressure washing the surface. Where necessary, a mildew resistance additive might be added into the paint before painting.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, the condition of the wall surface determines which direction the surface prep and painting takes. Overall, you will spend more time, money and effort if the wall surface you’re painting has significant damage and major signs of paint failure such as paint peeling, cracking and bubbling.
If your exterior or interior walls are showing signs of paint failure, or you simply want to update your home’s aesthetics, Brush & Roll Painting can help. To request our residential painting services in Omaha, NE, simply book a free estimate below or give us a call on 402-932-9764 for more details.
Bill is the owner and operator of Brush & Roll Painting.
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