What Causes Paint to Blister?

Blistering paint is the last thing any homeowner wants to see on their newly painted walls. Unfortunately, it’s a common occurrence, especially if you live in Colorado. But what exactly causes paint to blister? 

So far, in our series, we’ve discussed worse-case-scenarios for any paint job, including peeling, chalking, and fading. First, we’ll talk a little bit about why you may be experiencing blistering paint or paint bubbles on your wall. Then, we’ll give some tips on what you can do to fix it and prevent it from happening again. 

Colorado Homes Often Experience Paint Blisters

To start, blisters or bubbles occur when the paint lifts from its underlying surface. It can happen in small sections or in large areas. While it happens at random, blistering paint is usually caused by moisture, or heat from the sun, sometimes a combination of the two. In particular, the Colorado sun can be extremely harsh to our homes and may require you to take more preventative measures to ensure your paint job stays clean, fresh, and even. 

If the paint begins to blister or bubble it will eventually lead to the paint peeling altogether. It is crucial to have a protective layer between your property and the outside world to prevent damage to your home. For this reason, it’s important that you check the state of your property regularly and make sure you are reapplying paint when necessary. 

Frequent Causes of Paint Blisters

Paint blisters are similar to sunburns. Too much heat can cause your skin to bubble and the same thing can happen to paint. So how does it actually happen? Here are frequent causes of bubbling paint:

• If the paint is applied to a hot surface and dries before it has time to adhere to the undercoat or surface, it might cause the topcoat to form blisters. 
• Excessive moisture on the surface may also trigger paint lifts
• Unclean surfaces can also contribute to this issue

Therefore, it’s important you consider surface temperatures and conditions before you apply paint to it. This is, also, why it’s important to have a professional painting company paint your property. Professionals are often well versed and experienced in preparing surfaces for new coats of paint. Their job is to ensure that blistering doesn’t happen. Plus, the job should be protected under warranty should blistering occur. 

Tips to Prevent Paint Blisters

There are certain steps you can take to ensure that your paint job doesn’t experience the unsightly blisters that we’ve outlined above. For starters, we recommend that you take the weather into consideration before tackling a paint job, especially if it’s outside.

In particular, Colorado is a high-elevation state and with little cloud cover, it can result in many different issues with your home. Remember to freshen up your paint every few years to continue maintaining the value of your property.

 Further, you can also consider the following for preventing paint blisters:

• Make sure the surface you are painting is clean and dry
• If you apply primer, let it dry completely before painting
• Fans and vents help to remove moisture from the painted area

If for any reason, you are experiencing paint blisters, it’s recommended to fix those areas as soon as possible. Professional painting companies can help you select the best products to tackle this type of work. You can, also, begin by sanding the surface and then applying a primer and before repainting. Usually, you can re-work just the areas that are problematic. 

That said, It’s important you work to identify the underlying cause of the blistering paint so it doesn’t continue to happen. Additionally, you want to avoid peeling paint at all costs, as this can be more costly in the long-run.  

Create Value for your Home with Professional Painting

How a property looks can increase or decrease its value. A poorly painted house will not be worth as much as a newly painted home. Just as a bad paint job on a commercial property can devalue that space and discourage patrons from visiting. Therefore, it's essential to check on the status of your property’s paint to maintain its appearance and function. 

Looking for sun damage and catching it early can save you money. If left alone, exposed, unpainted areas can start to damage the siding and interior of the building. Protect your property today!

Do you have a commercial or residential painting need at one of your properties? Contact Colorado Commercial & Residential Painting today by completing a contact form to get a free estimate for your next project.