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

Repair
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 4

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

Grind top layer of the paint

Recoat

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
Wet paint

High relative humidity,

condensation, rain drops

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

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 14

Blasted
steel

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 2 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
Repair

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 21

fast evaporation of the solvents

Strong wind during application
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

Dry Spray

Dust from application

Primer
Blasted
steel
Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 22

Bleeding
Appearance

Discolouration of a paint, particularly in

Caused by

Repair

topcoats
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)
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

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 25

Improve application technique

Use correct thinner
Grind surface and apply new paint

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

Caused by

Repair

Paint School
JPS-E / Paint technology / 29

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
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.
Reduce film thickness or ventilation and adjust
application technique (Tie coat / mist coat
technique.
Remove paint on painted surfaces and repaint