Paint With Confidence
Exterior Common Issues & Solutions
Text & image courtesy of the Rohm & Haas Paint Quality Institute
Alligatoring
Patterned cracking in the surface of the paint film resembling the scales of an alligator.
Possible Cause
- Application of an extremely hard, rigid coating, like an alkyd enamel, over a more flexible coating, like a latex primer.
- Application of a top coat before the undercoat is dry.
- Natural aging of oil-based paints as temperatures fluctuate. The constant expansion and contraction results in a loss of paint film elasticity.
Solution
Old paint should be completely removed by scraping and sanding the surface. The surface should be primed with a high quality latex or oil-based primer, then painted with a top quality exterior latex paint.
NOTE: Alligatored surfaces may be lead-based paint, so follow precautions for preparing, disposing of and painting lead-based paint.
