Why Is My Paint Cracking?
Paint cracks for one of a few reasons: it went on too thick or over too many old layers, it was applied over a dirty or unprimed surface, a new coat went on before the last one fully dried, or moisture or age worked the paint until it lost its grip. Which one you're looking at usually comes down to the shape of the cracks.
What Causes Mud Cracking in Paint?
Mud cracking is the pattern most people describe as looking like dried, cracked mud. It's often caused by too many layers of paint built up on a surface over time, or by paint applied over a surface that was dirty before it went on.
Why Does Paint Crack? Other Causes
- Painting over a dirty surface, or skipping primer. Keeping the wall clean and dry before painting, and priming it, makes a big difference in preventing cracks.
- Adding a coat before the last one dried. Putting another coat on before the one underneath has fully dried is a common cause of cracking, including the scaled, alligator-skin pattern some cracked paint takes on.
- Moisture and humidity. Painting when there's a lot of humidity in the air makes cracking more likely.
- Aging paint. Older paint can lose the ability to expand and contract with the wall or surface behind it, and that's when it starts to crack.
How to Fix Cracked Paint
Fix it early. Cracks left alone can get worse and start peeling and flaking off the wall, which looks bad and can lead to other problems. Don't paint over cracks and hope they stay covered. Whatever caused them is usually still there, and it will telegraph right back through a new coat.
- Scrape and sand away all the loose and cracked paint back to a sound edge.
- Patch any gouges or uneven spots and let the patch dry fully.
- Clean the surface so the new paint has something solid to grip.
- Prime the repaired area before repainting.
- Repaint in thin, even coats rather than one heavy one, and let each coat dry before the next.
When to Call a Painter
A small hairline crack in one spot is often a quick DIY fix. Cracking across a large wall or ceiling, cracking that keeps coming back after you've repainted it, or cracking on an exterior surface where moisture can get behind the siding or trim is worth having a professional look at before you repaint, since the cause has to be fixed first or the crack returns.
Southern Perfection Painting Inc. has been serving Gwinnett County and the metro Atlanta area for 42 years. We're licensed and insured, we give free estimates, and we guarantee no change-order surprises. Nobody's perfect, but we get pretty darn close. If the cracking is inside, see our interior painting services; if it's outside, see our exterior painting services. Call 770-985-3075 for a free estimate.