Glossary of Paint Defect Terms

Banding This defect is found in spray applications where there is heavy application of paint on the outside of the spray pattern with little paint in the canter of the fan. The cause can be: Too much air pressure Uneven lapping of the spray gun Having the gun too close to the job

The remedy may be found from: Use at correct air pressure Ensure that the overlap of each stroke is 50% over the previous coat Hold gun at the correct distance from the job - about 15 cm for lacquers and 25 cm for enamels. To correct a coat that has been applied, re-coat with double coat using thinner that has been specifically recommended for the paint using indicated solvent ratio and pressure, and ensuring that the gun is held at the correct distance.

Bleeding This is the migration of the color from a previous coat into the freshly applied top coat. This defect usually occurs when a light color is applied over a dark color, particularly reds and maroons which are prepared by using organic pigments not resistant to solvents or application over a surface contaminated with bitumen where the solvents in the fresh paint dissolve the bitumen. The remedy is: Use a bleed sealer before application of the light color Wash the surface with mineral turps if it is contaminated with bitumen.

Blistering This defect is the appearance of irregular blisters on the paint finish. This defect can be caused by: Not correctly cleaning substrate Contamination of the brush, air gun, line etc. Using wrong thinner or incorrect amount of thinners Old paint surface Excess film thickness In timber finishes, not allowing the solvent, particularly paint removers , to evaporate before repainting

This defect may be overcome by:

Cleaning all surfaces free of grease and allowing the solvent to evaporate. Using recommended thinner at correct ratio. In spray applications, inspect so that water does not build up in the traps, especially in humid weather. Check that the new paint is compatible with the old surface. Do not apply paint films too quickly and allow solvents to evaporate before re-coating.

Blooming This defect gives a bloom or white deposit, like the bloom on a grape or plum, after the paint has dried. The cause is the rising of soluble fractions of the pigment rising to the surface on the paint's drying. The remedy for spray paints is to rub the surface down. Blushing This is a white deposit appearing on the surface of lacquer films only. The defect is caused by painting with lacquers in high humidity conditions where the water contained in the air condenses on the paint film The remedy is not to paint in humid conditions or to add a strong, active solvent that may stop the blushing. Bronzing This is a defect that was often observed on cars painted red or blue where after a period of time a characteristic red tone developed on the paint surface. The cause was older types of pigments like phthalocyanine or Prussian blues. The defect is not common with the pigments available today. Chalking Chalking is the powdery deposit on the surface of the paint which dulls the gloss and appears after exposure. This defect is usually associated with long exposures to sunlight and is a natural degradation of the paint film. Some combinations and types of pigments and resins show more pronounced chalking than others. Checking Checking is the appearance of wide splits with round edges that occur in the top coat. The cause is usually due to the surface not being clean (could be old paint) or too high a film build or the materials not being mixed properly. The remedy is to remove the old paint, cleaning the surface and mixing the paint ingredients properly. Cracking or Crazing This defect is a series of irregular cracks in the surface of the paint. The cause of this defect can be: Application of the top coat before the previous coat is dried Too thick of a top coat Impurities on the surface or the effect of impurities on the applied coat.

The remedy is the let the intermediate coats dry before the top coat is applied, clean the surface well, remove the previous coat or ensure that the top coat is not applied too thickly. Dirt Retention This is the deposition of dirt and dust on the paint film. For certain types of paint, the dirt may become