Prozam painting guidesPaint PreparationDid you know that 90% of paint failures are caused by bad paint application, poor paint preparation or poor workmanship? Here’s a simple guide on how to prepare paint, prepare a room for painting and how to prepare mould or fungus infected areas for painting. How to prepare paint
How to prepare a room for painting
How to prepare mould or fungus infected areas for painting:Before painting all traces of mould and fungus must be removed. Apply liberally Anti-Fungal Wash to affected areas. For dense growth a second application may be necessary to ensure a clear area. All areas must be thoroughly washed with water and dried before any application of paint. In most cases a coat of Prozam Dampcoat should be applied. Painting TipsStart Out RightYou'll enjoy the job more if you get everything together at the start. Organize a tool station in the middle of the area you'll be working in. Gather together your paint, brushes, rollers, hammers, screwdrivers, plastic bags, plastic wrap, rags, paint can opener, and drop cloths. Plan a Day for PrepDon't try to get everything done in one day. Use the day before painting day to gather furniture in the center of the room, patch cracks and holes, put painter's masking tape around doors and windows, and cover wall and ceiling light fixtures (light bulbs removed, of course!) with large plastic bags. Clear the DecksIf you can, clear out all the furniture and accessories. Take everything off the walls. If you can't move everything out, place the furniture and lamps in the middle of the room and cover them with a good drop cloth. Be sure that you tape the cloth around the furniture. Then put a second cover of plastic or old sheet over everything. Remove All HardwareIt may seem easier to paint around door knobs or cabinet hinges, but unless you're a professional, very experienced painter, you're bound to get drips around. So carry around some zip top bags and remove all cabinet knobs and hinges, door knobs, light switch plates and outlet covers, and light fixtures. Place the pieces together in separate bags and clearly mark the contents and location (top left cabinet, bathroom door, etc) you took them from. This is a great time to clean the hardware! Put them back when you're done painting. Get Yourself ReadyNo matter how hard you try, you're bound to get drips (or more) of paint on whatever you're wearing. So take off all jewelry. Reserve some old, but comfortable, clothes for your painting jobs. Slip-on shoes are easy to take off if you need to leave the room. You won't have to worry about tracking drops of paint into other rooms. When you paint the ceiling, put a scarf, shower cap, or old baseball hat over your hair and some plastic over your eyeglasses. Don't Paint Over Problem WallsIf your walls have holes or cracks, fix them before you start with the paint. Natural or Synthetic BrushesPaint brushes with natural bristles are meant for oil-based paints. Natural bristles will soak up the water and go limp in water-based paints. The newer synthetic bristles were designed for water-based or latex paints, but can be used for anything. Densely packed bristles that taper to a chisel edge help with painting a straight edge, cutting in or tipping. Split ends or "flags" hold more paint and spread it more evenly and smoothly. Choose the right brush for your job. Foam Brushes and RollersFoam brushes come in many widths, are inexpensive, and are great for small jobs or touch-ups. Foam paint rollers work well, don't spatter the paint, and are easy to use when you want a really smooth wall. Don't try them on rough surfaces, though, as they will not hold up. Paint RollersA paint roller with a plastic core will last longer than one with a cardboard core. Select a roller "nap" (fullness of the covering) according to the texture on your walls. Use a flat, smooth roller for flat, smooth walls and a thicker, more plush roller for rough textured walls. Water-Based or Latex PaintNew latex paints are formulated to be environmentally-friendly. Drying time is short (usually about 1 hour) and clean ups are easy with water. Apply water-based paints with rollers or synthetic bristle brushes. Latex paints tend to get a "skin" of paint in the can when they begin to dry out, so keep the can covered as much as possible. Pour paint into another container to work from and close the can. Oil-Based PaintMost professional painters prefer oil-based paints, especially for cabinets, furniture, and trim. New formulations do not harm the environment and are not toxic. Because they dry more slowly, oil-based paints allow for better coverage and work well in warm, dry climates where water-based paints would dry too fast. Apply oil-based paints with pads, rollers, or natural bristle brushes. Clean up with paint thinner or other solvent. Drop ClothsThe best material for a drop cloth is a heavy canvas cloth. It's not as slippery as plastic and covers better than newspaper. Fold the cloth to fit any size room and tape down the corners to prevent paint from oozing over the edge. To prevent scratching, be sure to vacuum hardwood floors before you put the drop cloth down. Paint ProblemsBlisteringNothing is as discouraging as finishing a painting project, only to have paint blisters or bubbles appear in the new finish. This type of problem can occur in any type of paint, butlatex and acrylic formulas are more susceptible. Bubbling and blistering occur indoors and out, often with no apparent cause. Proper preparation is the single most important thing you can do to avoid bubbles. What Causes Paint Blisters and Bubbles? The most common cause of blistering is applying paint to a damp or wet surface. Allow the substrate to dry completely before priming and painting. If there is a continual moisture problem (in a leaky basement, for example), it must be corrected before painting. It's also important to let the paint dry before exposing it to wet conditions. The weather channel is your friend! Avoid painting within four hours of a rainstorm; high humidity often causes blisters (sometimes water-filled) to form. If the surface drys out quickly, sometimes these will disappear. If a bubble remains after the surface dries, however, you'll need to scrape it off and repaint. In other cases, blistering is caused by applying paint to a dirty or incompatibly finished surface. As the paint dries, it shrinks slightly, pulling up poorly adhered sections of old paint. It's important to thoroughly clean walls (both interior and exterior) before painting. Never apply oil-based paint over a latex base. It is possible to use latex paint over oil based primers and paints, but it's better to stick with one type of formula. If your siding has been treated with linseed oil in the past, prime and paint with oil-based products. Avoid painting in hot weather (above 85°F) or in direct sunlight. If these conditions can't be avoided, use a paint conditioner to slow drying. As with any paint problem, the best defense is proper preparation. If you're already faced with a paint blistering or bubbling problem, it can be corrected by removing the damaged paint, smoothing the surface and repainting. Just make sure to correct the underlying cause of the problem, or it will recur. Chalking PaintChalking is identifiable as a fine chalky powder that forms on the surface of a paint film. Although some chalking is a normal way paints self clean when exposed to the sun and rain, excessive chalking can be a paint failure. In dry arid climates where there is little rain, chalking can become excessive. Chalking is actually the paint pigment released by the paint binders which have been broken down by exposure to the weather. Chalking is especially typical of very light colored flat paints, especially lesser quality oil based paints containing high levels of pigment extenders. When chalking gets severe it may run off onto and stain surrounding construction Potential Causes:
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Cracking or Flaking PaintPaint can crack and flake, sometimes revealing the substrate. What Causes It? Dry paint can split through at least one coat, which will lead to complete failure of the paint. Early on, the problem appears as hairline cracks. Later, flaking of paint chips occurs. A variety of causes exist for cracking or flaking of paint. First, if lower-quality paint has been applied to the surface, it will have inadequate adhesion and flexibility. Another cause is that the paint was spread too thin on the surface. Poor surface preparation, especially when the paint is applied to bare wood without priming, can also cause this problem. Finally, painting under cool or windy conditions can make latex paint dry too fast, causing it to crack. How to Solve It If the cracking does not go down to the substrate, you may be able to correct it by removing the loose or flaking paint with a scraper or wire brush, sanding the area to feather the edges, priming any bare spots, and repainting it. If the cracking goes down to the substrate, remove all of the paint by scraping and sanding or use a heat gun. Then prime and repaint with a quality exterior paint. Alligatoring and Checking
Potential Causes (Alligatoring):
Potential Causes (Checking):
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Peeling Paint Due to Poor AdhesionPeeling paint is a very common paint problem but can be caused either by moisture or poor adhesion. Peeling due to poor adhesion is characterized by the paint peeling and separating from an earlier paint layer (intercoat peeling) or from the substrate leaving some paint behind. Sometimes portions of earlier paint layers are visible under the curling, peeling paint layer.
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Peeling Paint Due to Exterior Moisture Under Paint FilmAs mentioned in the previous section, peeling paint is a very common paint problem that can be caused either by moisture or poor adhesion. Peeling due to moisture is recognizable by large peeling sections of paint exposing bare wood underneath. Unlike peeling due to adhesion problems where peeling may be spotty, with moisture related peeling larger areas peel away often around windows, doors and gutters. Potential Causes:
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Peeling Paint Due to Interior Moisture Under Paint FilmPeeling of interior paint due to moisture is characterized by cracking and gentle peeling away of the paint from the substrate as it loses adhesion due to the moisture. Moisture originating from behind the paint film or in front and forcing its way through the paint film can create this type of paint failure. Potential Causes:
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