Paint can do wonders to breathe new life into the appearance of a dingy old room or the otherwise rundown exterior of a home. A good coat of paint on interior walls and woodwork can them more abrasion resistant and easier to clean.
On the exterior, paint provides a protective coating against oxidation and rot. Good paint, properly applied, will resist oxidation and staining and can be kept looking good with an occasional rinsing with water and garden hose.
Here are some of the most common paint problems and what you can do to solve them.
Paint incompatibility: Typically this condition exists where latex (water base) paint is applied over several coats of old oil-base paint. The paint refuses to stick and peels easily. This can usually be prevented by sanding the existing oil finish and applying a coat of oil-base primer followed by a latex finish coat. Most painters are opting for latex for easier application and cleanup.
Blistering paint: With few exceptions, paint blisters are almost always moisture related. The origin can be from excessive interior moisture escaping through the exterior walls; leaks around windows, doors or roof; painting a warm surface in direct sunlight; or painting a surface that is damp or wet.
Popping the blisters and patching, sanding, priming and painting is a temporary fix. Your best bet is to find the source, fix it and then paint.
Chalking: Excessive chalking is usually associated with the use of cheap paints that contain lots of fillers such as clay and less of the more expensive titanium dioxide, which gives paint its hide. Another common cause of chalking is using an interior paint outdoors. Solution: Buy the best paint that you can afford and never use an interior paint outdoors.
Nail head rusting: If your siding looks like it has the mumps, what you probably have is rusting nail heads bleeding through the surface of the paint. Rusting nail heads can result from using nongalvanized iron nails; or nails that were not countersunk, filled and primed; or galvanized nail heads that have lost their galvanic protection.
Wash off the rust stains, lightly sand the nail heads and countersink them slightly below the surface of the siding. Apply a dab of latex caulk to each nail head; prime and paint to finish.
For tips from James and Morris Carey, visit their Web site at www.onthehouse.com or call the 24/7 listener hot line, 800-737-2474. The Careys are also on KRKO (1380 AM) from 6 to 10 a.m. every Saturday.
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