Paint Defects

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 1
 Delamination
(Adhesion failure)
Appearance
• Loss of adhesion:
– Intercoat delamination: Between coats :
– Substrate delamination : Between primer and substrate
Caused by
• Primer not compatible with subsequent coat
• Contamination of substrate or between coats
• Recoating interval too long
• Blooming / sweating
Repair
• Remove loose paint layer or down to substrate
• Recoat
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 2
 Delamination
(Intercoat Delamination)
Oxygen Humidity Contamination
Topcoat
Primer
Blast-cleaned steel

Topcoat
Intercoat
delamination
Blast-cleaned steel

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 3
 Chalking
Appearance • Almost like dust on top of the coat
• The gloss will be reduced

Caused by Pigments and extenders exposed on

the paint surface, due to
• Exposure to sun / UV light
• Weathering of the paint
• Insufficient mixing stirring of the paint
• Use of wrong thinner

Repair • Grind top layer of the paint

• Recoat
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 4
 Chalking

Sun light

Epoxy topcoat
Primer
Blasted
steel

Chalking

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 5
 Bloom and Blush
(Blushing)
Appearance
• Surface looks milky
Caused by
• Condensation on cold steel surfaces at high humidity
• Air pollution, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia forming
ammonium sulphate on the paint film.
• “Fast “ thinners
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 6
 Sweating and Carbonization
(Amine Blooming)
Appearance
• Tacky and sweating film, often with white stains
Caused by
• High humidity, particularly on Epoxies during curing
• Poor ventilation
• The Amines react with CO2 and humidity and form Amine
carbamate.
• Too low temperature
Repair
• Wash with warm water or thinner, using rags
Preventive measure: Induction time before application start
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 7
 Blushing
Bloom / Blush
High relative humidity,
condensation, rain drops
Wet paint

Primer

Blasted steel
From above Blushing

Blasted steel
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 8
 Pinpoint Rusting
Appearance
• Points of rust
Caused by
• Small pores (pinholes), openings or defects in the paint
film down to bare steel
• Holidays due to overspray, dry spraying etc.
• Too high substrat roughness
Repair
• Grind down to bare steel
• Recoat
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 9
 Pinpoint Rusting

Rust penetration

Pin hole

Dry topcoat
Primer
Blasted
steel

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 10
 Pinholes
Appearance
• Tiny holes through one or more coats, or even down to the substrate, as
if perforated by a needle
Caused by
• Dry spraying
• Entrapped solvents or air
• Porosity of previous coat
• Incorrect application technique or viscosity of the paint
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 11
 Pinholes

Solvents / air Wet topcoat

Primer
Blasted steel

Pinholes

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 12
 Fisheyes
Appearance
• Spots of paint on the surface with no wetting of the surface
around the spots. Appearance of a fisheye.
Caused by
• Paint applied on oil, silicone or other contaminants
• Painted on incompatible paint (Glossy paint giving poor wetting)
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 13
 Fisheyes

Silicon Evaporation of solvents Wet

topcoat
Primer

Fisheye Blasted
steel

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 14
 Wrinkling
Appearance
• Small wrinkles through or partly through the paint film
Caused by
• Skin drying of the paint film, which is usually applied too
thick
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 15
 Wrinkling
Wet
topcoat
Primer
Blasted
steel

Wrinkles

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 16
 Lifting
Appearance
• Small wrinkles through the paint film
Caused by
• Softening and raising or wrinkling of a previous coat by
the application of an additional coat
• Lifting often caused because the solvents in the new coat is
too strong for the previous coat
Repair
• Remove the paint
• Recoat
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 17
 Lifting
Wet
topcoat
Primer
Blasted
steel

Wrinkles

Lifting

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 18
 Mud-cracking
Appearance
• Cracks occurring during the drying process of the paint
• Appearance of the surface of cracked mud
Caused by
• Particularly for inorganic Zinc applied at a too high film
thickness
Repair
• Re-blast to Sa 2½ or grind off
• Apply the inorganic Zinc

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 19
 Mud-cracking

Primer

Blasted
steel

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 20
 Dry Spray
Appearance • Porous, sandpaper like surface of the paint
Caused by • Poor atomisation of the paint
• Spray gun too far away from the object
• High air temperature and low relative humidity: Too
fast evaporation of the solvents
• Strong wind during application
Repair • Inorganic Zinc: Re-blast and apply new paint
• Physically drying paints: Apply thinner on the
painted surface and apply a new coat
• Oxidativly drying paints: Remove loose dust and
apply topcoat
• Two-pack paints: Remove loose dust, sandpaper to
smooth surface, apply topcoat
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 21
 Dry Spray

Dust from application

Primer

Blasted
steel

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 22
 Bleeding
Appearance • Discolouration of a paint, particularly in
topcoats
Caused by • Coloured ingredients in a previous coat or
on the substrate is dissolved by solvents in
the subsequent coat, e.g.
• Soluble pigments (Poor solvent resistance
• Tar, Bitumen, etc.
• Surface contaminants (coloured)
Repair • Re-blasting and re-application
Note: Bleeding may continue through
additional coats unless source is removed
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 23
 Bleeding
White topcoat
Tar containing
primer
Blasted steel

Discolouration
Bleeding

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 24
 Orange Peel
Appearance • Paint surface is rough, like an orange peel
Caused by • Poor flow / levelling properties of the paint
(Paint too thick or too low temperature)
• Poor atomisation of the paint
• Too fast evaporation of the thinner
• Airless spray gun too close to surface
Repair • Improve application technique
• Use correct thinner
• Grind surface and apply new paint
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 25
 Orange Peel
Wet
topcoat
Primer
Blasted
steel

Seen from above

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 26
 Sags and Runs
Appearance
• Paint running or hanging like curtains on vertical surfaces
Caused by
• Too high Wet film thickness
• Too much thinner added to the paint
• Airless spray gun too close to surface
Repair
• Avoid above
• Use small paint brush to smoothen or remove excessive
paint
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 27
 Sags and Runs

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 28
 Cratering / Popping
Appearance Solvents or air try to evaporate through the upper
part of the film, which has already nearly dried,
leaving small bubbles /craters on the surface
Caused by • Very porous substrate (e.g. Zinc silicate primer)
• Entrapped solvents or air in the paint film
• Usually in connection with too high film thickness,
too long application distance or too strong
ventilation.
Repair • Reduce film thickness or ventilation and adjust
application technique (Tie coat / mist coat
technique.
• Remove paint on painted surfaces and repaint
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 29