How to Troubleshoot Latex Paint
Latex paint is the first choice for most homeowners and contractors. Latex paint performance has come a long way in recent years, but that doesn't mean it is trouble-free. Latex paint problems are often due to improper surface preparation. Applying paint when it's too cold, too hot or too humid can also lead to problems, from blistering to peeling. Other causes of paint failure can be using poor quality paint or not using the correct primer.
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Instructions
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Troubleshooting Interior Paint Problems
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Suspect either low-quality tools or poor-quality paint if you see roller and bush marks in the finish coat. Upgrade to better brushes and rollers. If you've already purchased the paint, add some latex paint conditioner--this improves the leveling quality of the paint so it flows on and dries to a smoother finish.
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Apply tinted shellac stain-based primer if brown stains are appearing in painted wood, or on drywall or plaster. Brown stains in wood are usually tannin stains and will appear as streaks or speckles. Brown stains that keep reappearing through painted drywall or plaster indicate water stains, probably from a leak behind the surface.
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Wait several days if you see blisters or bubbles appearing on a freshly painted surface. This results from moisture or an underlying coat of paint or primer that was not dry before the next coat was applied. Sometimes the blisters will shrink. If they don't, you'll need to scrape the loose paint, sand and repaint.
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Consider painting another coat of paint if the surface sheen is patchy or if the color is uneven. Painting over un-primed porous surfaces like drywall or drywall repairs will make the sheen uneven. Some paints need two or more coats to achieve complete hide.
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Purchase more paint of higher quality if washing or rubbing against your current paint leaves marks, smudges or takes the paint off. This is common with poor-quality paints and your only recourse is to repaint with a better paint.
Troubleshooting Exterior Paint Problems
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Do some detective work if paint is prematurely peeling because there are many possible reasons for this. If it's peeling just in certain areas, moisture is most likely the problem. This could be from leaking gutters, sprinklers hitting the siding or high humidity from within the house, such as by a bathroom or laundry room.
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Inspect the paint to see where it is peeling. If it is peeling between two coats of paint consistently, this would indicate poor adhesion between coats because of a dirty or chalky surface, or because a primer wasn't used to bond latex paint to underlying oil-based paint.
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Run your hand over the siding on the sunny side of the house. If a powdery residue comes off on your hand, this is chalking which is a normal for many paints. It can cause problems if it runs down onto brick or other lower surfaces, though. Chalking is most common in lower-grade flat latex paints and most flat oil-based paints. It must be removed by power washing or scrubbing, and the surface primed, before repainting.
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Tips & Warnings
Buy high quality paint and follow directions on the label for proper preparation and priming to avoid problems. Some better paint companies have paint specifically formulated for application in high humidity or temperatures down to 35 degrees.
Don't paint when it's below 60 degrees, in direct sunlight or if it's very humid or threatening to rain unless using a special paint for low temperatures or high humidity.
