Painting Requires Patience: A Lesson in Cracking Paint

Authored by: Five Star Painting Franchise Owner, Scott Specker

Early in our business, we were called in for a big exterior residential painting job of three lake houses in Gainesville, Georgia, in the gorgeous neighborhood of Harbortown Point. These homes were larger than we were used to doing at the time. When you have a larger house, it brings unique challenges. Namely, it will take longer to complete, and there is a higher chance of encountering new issues. Among other things, this meant we needed sizable ladders and some new supplies. Fortunately, access wasn’t a problem as much as the length of time was.

We painted this house in December, and as many of you know, December in Gainesville is questionable at best. The number of acceptable hours in the day drastically decreased. Paint needs time to be cured. We arrived at this large lake house on what we hoped would be the final day of painting. The previous day went too long, and our painters did not stop on time. We received a frantic call from the painter that all of the paint on the trim was cracking on the right side. Fortunately, with paint, most, if not all, things can be fixed, including flaking or cracking paint.

Why Did the Fresh Paint Flake Off?

As a painting company, one of the most common issues we encounter is paint cracking and flaking. It can be frustrating to see your fresh paint job deteriorate so quickly, but understanding the causes and solutions can help prevent this problem from happening again. Paint cracking occurs when the surface of the paint dries too quickly, causing it to shrink and form small cracks. This can occur when the weather is too hot or dry or if the paint is applied too thickly. Fresh paint cracking is also common when the surface underneath the paint needs to be properly prepared, such as if it's dirty or has old paint that still needs to be removed.

Flaking paint is another issue that a variety of factors can cause. It occurs when the paint loses adhesion to the surface underneath it and starts to peel away. This can happen if the surface needs to be adequately cleaned before painting or if moisture or humidity is present. Flaking paint can also signify a more serious underlying issue, such as rotting or deteriorating wood.

How Five Star Painting of Cumming Stepped in to Fix the Cracking Paint

If you're experiencing cracking or flaking paint, the first step is to identify the cause of the problem. A professional painting company such as us can help diagnose the issue and provide recommendations for fixing it. Sometimes, the solution may be as simple as sanding down the surface and repainting it. In other cases, more extensive repairs may be necessary to fix the underlying issue. Our painting company takes pride in providing high-quality painting services that stand the test of time. If you're experiencing issues with cracking or flaking paint, we can help diagnose the problem and provide solutions to fix it.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get your paint job looking like new again.

For Help with Cracking Paint – Contact Five Star Painting of Cumming

Our crew quickly sanded the trim and waited for the appropriate time and temperature to repaint the house. This time around, we saw no signs of flaking paint. The customer loved our proactive approach. He was also pleased to hear us own up to their mistakes (Often, most contractors do not.) Five Star Painting of Cumming is good, but we are not perfect, and it was lovely to see a customer respect our human side.