Summer is almost over, which means it’s time to complete all those projects you’ve wanted to get done this season, specifically those paint projects. But, you might be hesitant when remembering all the DIY paint problems you could inevitably run into. Well, I’ve been where you are and I have six different problems that can be easily fixed.
1. Fish Eyes – This is when you paint over oil, dirt, silicone or incompatible coatings. Luckily, fixing fish eyes is a breeze. All you’ll need to do is to remove all greases and oils with a cleaning solution. The best choices for cleaning aids are bleaches, thinners or TSP. Then, you’ll want sand the area to remove the underlying problem. As a last resort, you might have to sandblast.
2. Cratering and/or Pitting – This is when air pockets get trapped in your wet film. The solution to this problem is to sand or smooth out the existing finish and then simply apply another coat.
3. Uneven Gloss – The cause for this problem is non-uniform film thickness, moisture in the coating, but mostly the topcoat may have been applied over primer before it was dry. Fixing this problem is simply letting the primer completely dry.
4. Fading – This is a very common problem for all painters. I found out the biggest thing to this is the pigment in your paint and the ultraviolet rays reacting with the paint. If moisture gets trapped behind the coating, this will cause fading. The best solution is to use a paint already colored from the factory. These types of paints have powder tint instead of liquid. I have colors already tinted for your roof or I can tint them myself. I painted a few green, red, black and they hold up well. As a reminder, dark colors draw the ultraviolet rays to your roof faster.
5. Wrinkling – This is when there’s just too much paint in the application. To fix this problem, you need to remove the paint and recoat. Haste makes waste!
6. Blistering – This is when a solvent or moisture gets trapped in or on the surface. The best solutions to blistering are adequate ventilation of air across your coating film or cleaning the surface that is contaminated.
As your paint specialist, I myself have come across each of these problems and I hope my suggestions and tips will help you with your projects. If you wish for an estimate, you can reach me at 618.972.9516 or bgarleb@gatewayfs.com.