How to Repair Common Paint Problems, Such as Chips and Cracks

Is the paint on your exterior or interior walls fading, chipping, or cracking? If it has been a while since the walls have been painted, then they just may require new paint. However, other situations call for more repair work. At H3 Paint, we offer an array of residential painting services for your interior and exterior walls.

After a while, coats of paint can begin to chip, crack, or fade. These issues may arise sooner if you didn't prime the surface before painting, used low-quality paints, or didn't work with a professional painter for your interior or exterior paint job. Below we will touch on common painting problems that arise, and how to fix them.

1. Chipping and Cracking

A common issue is chipping or cracking. If the paint film has cracked or chipped, then it was probably too thin or had a quicker-than-normal dry time, possibly due to extreme heat if you painted in the Summer. In order to fix the problem, we would need to provide paint removal, sand the affected surfaces, apply primer where needed, and then apply a fresh coat of paint.

2. Fading

The UV rays from excessive sunlight can easily fade painted surfaces over time especially here in COLORado, breaking down the pigment in the paint. Fading can be resolved by removing any areas of chalking and then repainting the surface.

3. Peeling or Flaking

When peeling or flaking are present, the problem is not usually due to the type of paint used, but often caused by dampness, rust or mold which degrades the paint and causes poor adhesion. This usually occurs on exterior surfaces. To remove the peeling or flaking, we would scrape and sand the affected areas. For larger affected areas, you may need to treat and repaint the entire exterior.

4. Running

If the applied paint is running or dripping down the wall, you mostly have applied too much paint. Fix this issue by repainting over the undried surface. If the surface is partially dried, wait for it to completely dry and then sand the area with a fine-grained sandpaper until the surface is smooth. Wipe down the surface, remove any remaining grit, and apply a new coat of paint, being careful not to apply an excessive amount.

5. Blistering

A blistering paint finish or visible appearance of paint bubbles is an issue when excess moisture seeps underneath the paint on a surface. The first step to solve this problem is to find the cause of the high moisture level and have it remediated. This is most likely the reason why the paint had a loss of adhesion during dry time. Levels of humidity in the air can play a factor on exterior painting as well. Only when you know the surface will stay dry can you confidently sand the area and repaint.

To learn how our team at H3 Paint can help boost your curb appeal and protect your biggest investment, call us today at 720.390.3990, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or schedule an estimate.