Common Problems That May Come up After your Calgary Painting Project

You’ve just completed your first big painting project and you’re over-the-moon happy with the results. It looks so good! But then, you notice that one thing. Maybe it’s a ding in the otherwise-pristine surface. Or maybe there are some air bubbles coming up through the paint.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a paint job, some of them completely outside of the painter’s control. Most of them can be solved simply by using high-quality paint, which we always do at Elite Trade Painting – Calgary. So, with that in mind, here is a couple of common issues that can occur after a project is completed and how you can help prevent them from happening.

Blistering

Remember those bubbles we mentioned in the first paragraph of this article? Those are referred to as blistering, and it’s the result of paint not adhering properly to the surface and lifting off of it. They’re essentially air bubbles trapped under the surface coat of paint.

Blistering is most often caused by heat and moisture that was present during or shortly after the time the paint was being applied.

This is often completely preventable. At Elite Trade Painting – Calgary, our painters do everything they can to avoid applying paint in situations where blistering can occur. We do our best to avoid painting indoors on hot, humid days, and we’ll also avoid painting outside when rain is in the imminent forecast.

We’ll also always advise our clients to stick to the same formula when it comes to primers and finishes.

However, there are some times where we simply can’t avoid painting in a situation where blistering may occur.

Bathrooms are a good example of this.

Because bathrooms get so humid after a hot shower, it’s possible for that humidity to affect the paint, even after it appears to be dry.

So, the best way to avoid this problem is to talk to your contractor about the potential for blistering to occur and avoid adding excess moisture to the room for a couple of days after your project is completed.

Surfactant Leaching

Speaking of common issues that can occur after a bathroom gets painted, let us introduce you to surfactant leaching.

This is a common problem that occurs when surfactants, a water-soluble, necessary component of latex paint, rise prematurely to the paint’s surface.

Usually, this is caused by exposure to high humidity or moisture too early in the paint drying cycle and results in the paint looking discoloured.

According to Benjamin Moore’s website, “surfactant leaching is an aesthetic concern and is not harmful to the paint or the surface it is on.”

While it may initially look like mould or mildew, surfactant leaching is really just harmless discolouration and can usually be handled if you just wipe the stain with a damp cloth as soon as you see it.

However, if you want to avoid it altogether, you can use a high-quality latex product that’s designed for use in bathrooms.

Peeling

Peeling of paint is extremely common and can be caused by dirt or debris that wasn’t cleaned properly before the paint being applied, high moisture, or a failure of the paint to properly adhere to the surface. At Elite Trade Painting, we follow a very strict process to ensure that all walls are properly prepped before we apply any paint or primer. This ensures that your paint will properly adhere to the walls and won’t peel away.

Conclusion

At Elite Trade Painting – Calgary, we make every effort to make sure that your painting project is done to the highest standards of quality. However, sometimes things can go wrong. That’s why, if you’re looking for a painting contractor to take on your next project, make sure you ask them if they have a warranty on their work. At ETP Calgary, we guarantee our work for two years so you can rest assured that your project will continue to look new for years to come.