5 Reasons Behind Wall Paint Bubbling and Solutions for a Smooth Surface Restoration
Freshen Up Your Walls: A Guide to Preventing and Fixing Paint Bubbles
Stop the frustrated frustration of paint bubbling on your walls! It might be a common issue, but there are simple ways to prevent it from happening in the first place and methods to take care of it when it does. We've tapped experts in the field to share their pro tips.
Sabrina Phillips, Owner & Interior Designer, Designing Women of Orange CountyErik Harris, Owner & General Manager, CertaPro Painters of Needham, Massachusetts
Uncover the Causes of Your Paint's Bubbling
Paint bubbling happens for a variety of reasons, but it boils down to poor surface prep or hidden moisture. To nip the problem in the bud, you gotta understand the culprit. Here's what our experts have to say about common causes:
Inadequate Preparation
It's tempting to just roll on the paint once you're ready to go, but patience is key. "Bubbling may appear if the wall wasn't properly cleaned or dried before it was painted, trapping dirt and moisture underneath," says Phillips. Walls should be sanded, cleaned, and primed before painting to ensure a flawless finish.
Un-Dried Spackle
If your wall has been patched with joint compound or spackle and you jump right into painting without giving it time to dry, bubbling can occur. Secret moisture trapped in wet spackle can cause problems. Harris from CertaPro Painters advises letting the patching compound dry thoroughly before moving on to the prep work.
Humid Conditions
Moisture in the air can seep into your walls, leading to paint bubbling in humid climates. To combat this, Phillips suggests holding off on painting in extreme temperatures and instead choosing to paint in the morning or evening.
Multiple Coats Too Quickly
Don't get too excited and pile on the paint. If you slap on multiple coats too fast, moisture can become trapped, leading to blistering. Make sure to follow the manufacturer's recommended dry time per coat for a smooth finish.
Concealed Moisture
Oftentimes, moisture hiding behind the drywall is the real culprit. Moisture that has nowhere to escape can cause bubbles in the paint coating. This could be due to leaks, spills, or former flooding. Harris suggests monitoring any areas that have had water damage or could cause moisture in the future to help prevent paint bubbling.
Fixing Up Those Bubbling Walls
There's no quick fix for bubbling paint—you gotta scrape away the bubbles, sand the surface, repair any damage with a patching compound, and start fresh.
Before starting your repair, figure out what caused the bubbling in the first place. Once you understand the root cause, you can tackle the problem head on.
When it comes to preventing paint bubbling, preparation is key.
- Moisture detection: Check for hidden moisture before painting by looking for signs of water damage, like staining or bubbling. If you want a more accurate reading, consider using a moisture meter or infrared thermal imaging camera.
- Wall prep: Sand, clean, let it dry thoroughly, prime. These steps will create a surface for your paint to adhere to perfectly.
- High-quality paints: Don't skimp on the paint. Invest in a quality product that will last and provide a smooth finish.
With these tips in mind, you'll be painting like a pro in no time!
- Martha Stewart, a well-known figure in the home-and-garden world, advises thorough surface preparation to prevent paint bubbling, mentioning the importance of cleaning, drying, and priming walls before painting.
- Inadequate interior paint colors and decor choices may not be the primary cause of paint bubbles, but the quality of the paint matters too; investing in high-quality paints can help provide a smooth finish.
- Following the creditline of the manufacturer's recommended dry time per coat is crucial to prevent moisture from becoming trapped and causing blistering, as noted by Erik Harris from CertaPro Painters of Needham, Massachusetts.
- It's essential to be mindful of humid conditions while painting, as moisture in the air can seep into walls and lead to paint bubbling, according to interior designer Sabrina Phillips from Designing Women of Orange County.
- When encountering bubbling paint issues, homeowners must scrape away the bubbles, sand the surface, repair any damage, and repaint the area using ee4b54104e389136c83dbcf9547b6c99 (a specific paint product mentioned in the text), making sure to identify and address the root cause of the problem for future prevention.
