Techdata Sheet
Jun 1982 82-08
Paint Failures-Causes & Remedies
Recognizing the type of paint failure
encountered in the field along with under-
standing its cause and how to remedy it can
lead to early correction and/or major re-
ductions in maintenance costs while main-
taining the overall appearance of our Naval
Shore Establishment at a highly acceptable
level.
All paints eventually fail by weathering,
especially exterior weathering, However, pre-
mature failure is a costly problem that occurs
all too frequently. This document addresses
this problem by describing the condition and,
DESCRIPTION
SAGS, Algo caled rune or
curing, Excess ow of
ORANGE PEEL. Hil, valleys
orange
OVERSPRAY. Alto called dey
sory Dry, lat, pebbly surface,
CCORWEBRING. Thin, stingy
ais, site weblike particle.
its probable cause, and then giving a method
of remedy.
When paint failures related to applica-
tion can be immediately recognized, modifi-
cation of application conditions can result
in an immediate remedy. When failure is
recognized after the paint has cured (with
or without weathering), the paint will have
to be removed to the substrate if the damage
exposes the substrate; if the failure is re-
stricted to the paint surface (i.2., involves
color, gloss, or texture), it can usually be
corrected by applying another coat. Specific
types of failure are listed below.
cause REMEDY
Spray ain too cose to wor
{00 much thinner; 190 much pit ahd most spray can
aint: oF surface toa hardor tions. Attar cue, snd and apy
‘Hort to had ine, nother coe
Paint 120 viscous: aun 00 Before cue, brush out excets
‘ote towurfsce; solvent evapo: paint and moelly spray cond
rated 100 fast: o aie rasan. After cure sand and
Solvent waporating 0
2 vinyl and chlorinated
[Approved for public release; dsribution wnlimited,DESCRIPTION
PINPOINT RUSTING. usta
{at pnnotes or nolaays
CHECKING. Narrow Drank,
‘tually short, in tapecat that
(CRACKING. Deep cracks in
UNDERCUTTING, Blistering
ancfor peeing of pine were
‘eons sel i using
DIRT UNDER PAINT. Peeling
‘et ia in pa fi
DELAMINATION, Peeling
fomundercat a subsirae
PIGMENT OVERLOAD. Aso
call plement Host. Motiad
IRREGULAR SURFACE
DETERIORATION. Deterora:
tion stooge, corners, reves,
cause
Pinnoling or t00 high a ste
surface prtile for costing
‘cee.
Limited pein Hexibtity: too
igh 2 comperature.
Pin shrinkage: Himited fa:
{especialy zinccieh pants
or appladicured st 00 high
‘corrosion produet orm
‘ining an iting pain,
contaminated surface, spray,
for work ae
Sepacaton/itting of pint
‘rom enalky subsvate ot
smooth, poor-bonded under
Critica pment level axcaedea
sometimes by tinting white
pine rather than tnt bas
Difficult to cont stan
configurations that permit
nd air. i
REMEDY
Use noligay detector for early
erection af pinhoos apply
‘detional oats aftr macnanical
‘rast leaning
Sand of machanically emove
nother coat.
Sand, bs, oF mechanically
remove total paint and apy
ary datacion of oefact with
holy detector and correction
se inne pigrants in
San or machanically amove
all loosa aint, ces and
foughen smooth surface, and
fii cot.
Roun aps: it we sams
snd evens: avoid configura
contaminants; provi dainapeDESCRIPTION
CRATERING. Also calls
pitting. Small uniform iner-
FIs EVES. Separation or
puliog apart of wet film co
roads underlying Finish oF
BLUSHING. fat nah wien
‘milky appearance.
UNEVEN GLOSS. Nonunitorm
shaun, suny spo.
FADING, Color changes
leaguers.
WRINKLING, ough eink
BLISTERING. Small ro
‘oxen oF unbroken Bubble
PINHOLING. Tiny, doep hoes
exposing substrate
cause
Ale pockos wrapped in wat fim
‘ring soraving.
Application over ol, et,
tile, or incompatible
Coating.
Moisture condensation in high
hhumiaicy with fast aveparaing
or unblanced thinner in
seray application.
‘Nonuniform flim hick
change during curing oF paint
ppled over soft or mat uncer
Lrtravioae ine egradaion;
‘oF moisture Behind pit fi,
Surface skinning over uncut
paint because of too much
thickness and/or too warm
\woather, especially wth a
base paint
Solvent entrapmant oil, moliture
or alt-conteminatad suites of
cathodic aibonding,
Insutfcint pain srayatomi-
seted pament.
REMEDY
Sand or bast emeoth fines
and app adtonal cous
Sand oat amove: brush
epi arash cant plus topcoat
‘Sand orbit amove:respray
with earch aga 0
Allow to dey and apply another
tinsh coat under aceopratie
tanditions fr maletare anc
ham
-Repaint and avs posible
oureas of moirurs.
‘Serapa off winktes ad apply
‘inner cou: aaidintnss
sunlight.
sccleate solvent 0
Segue cleaning of surfoce
Contamination: proper lve
of cathoae protection,
uncured, brush aut and apy
‘atonal ost, 1 cured, apply
tational coat.DESCRIPTION
PEELING FROM GALVANI2.
ING. Paling of peony bonds
ABRASION DAMAGE
Mechanical damage
FOULING DAMAGE. Peneta:
tiom or paling by action of
marine fouling creas,
MUD CRACKING. Osep,
leaguer cracks a with died
PEELING OF MULTIPLE
(COATS, Peeing of hatvy
ain bulasup trom subetra
PEELING OF THICK,
INFLEXIBLE PAINT.
Paling at thick pant trom
PAINT APPLIED TO DAMP
SURFACE. Heavy wining
MOISTURE DAMAGE, Pasting
‘of paint by underiying moisture
cause
cor axhesion of pant to zine
coat se [alsa aluminum).
Psi! damage by abrasion
las moa,
Barmacies, et. panetrating
sot coatings (3, oa a
‘esling
ocrly bonded paint.
‘A clatively inte coating
pplite too thickly aspecilly
‘commen wth inorganic ins
Stress fom weuthring
[eanuaction of total stem!
Stress fom cura, weathered
leonuacte) paint exceeds
adhesion to subetrate
Moisture on substrate distorts
REMEDY
Remove loos pant and oracend
according to Taba 16 of Appar
D4 of NAVFAC MO-110,
abrasion o impact-resistant
ant with one tougher oF more
‘adherent ute entfouing pnts
foe teutng conta
Remove coting and abrasivaly
last ste! before eappiying at
lessor thicker: sandng/mechaniee
cleaning may be aeceptasie on
older substrates,
aint and appiy flexible aint
(eg latex: extansive, rape,
Sanda, mechanically or
suscate belore recoating
Remove by seaping or nding
and e091 under dry con
Use wedges beeen aaacent
lap board, went, te for
‘migration lean pinted vantDESCRIPTION
EFFLORESCENCE DAMAGE,
Pain isbonding ard paling by
VINE PENETRATION OF
PAINT. Vine tnd
MILDEW GROWTH, alack
fungal growth
(CHALKING EROSION.
Gradual hing af nih
GRAFFITI, Painted wordt
or graphics.
BLEEDING, Brown staining
fof aint an aephalt or con,
tar pavement or coating
PAINT/RUBBER BUILO-UP
(ON AUNWAY STRIPES,
PAVEMENT STRIPE EDGE
CRACKING. Crtcking of
‘pavement, slurry ssl oF pane
‘ong 20g of painted mark
cause
Moisture dough conea,
smasoney, or brick pets up
{olube salts and deposi
therm an the surtage trom
the inter lan be on
of building.
Vineet cota to srt
shat canis perarat pane
foesupoor.
Miccooranime aro, aspcilly
fo damp, shaded pein, defeing
and cared
Degrdation of coating resin
by sunlight leaving leate
residue; especialy bad teh
thin coats, epoxies, and sub-
straws whore chalk ie fraquently
removed
Vandals sinting surfaces,
pecially with bray cans,
Organi solvent in wet paint
or fai phat sales
biwminous material ana
caus it co mia through
pant
In touchdown aan, ould-up
st rubbar Hom alert irae
raguiresFequentcepanting
CConwaction of paint curing
caring atl eatharng and