Preparing the surface correctly can add years to the life of your paint job. In fact, prep is so important, you may spend up to 60 percent of your entire project time getting the surface ready to paint. Plus, proper preparation will make it easier to apply the final coat. Follow these simple steps to help ensure a beautiful, lasting finish.

1. Cover landscaping.

• Cover plants, decks, porches, air conditioning units—anything you want to protect from drips. 
• Tip: Tie back or trim plants that could get in the way while you’re painting. 
• Remove all hardware and accessory items—shutters, light fixtures, awnings, house numbers, etc.

2. Troubleshoot and repair.

If you don’t address problems now, they’ll continue to be problems—even under a fresh coat of paint.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Alligatoring
Wrinkling
Chipping/Flaking
Blistering
Peeling
Mildew
Chalking
Dirt Pickup
Fading
Nailhead Rusting
Resisting Alkali

Alligatoring:  tiny cracks appearing throughout painted surface
Why it happened: Old, brittle paint or multiple layers of paint—usually oil-based.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. Fill uneven areas with putty, sand smooth, and prime.

Wrinkling:   buckling paint
Why it happened: Painting a warm, sunlit or wet surface; applying paint too thickly; painting over a dirty or improperly prepared surface.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. Fill uneven areas with putty, sand smooth, and prime.

Chipping/Flaking:   specs of flaking paint
Why it happened: Spreading paint too thinly during application; old, brittle paint.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. Fill uneven areas with putty, sand smooth, and prime.

Blistering:    bubbles under paint surface
Why it happened: Moisture seeping though exterior walls from inside the house; painting a warm, sunlit or wet surface.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. Fill uneven areas with putty, sand smooth, and prime.
3. Caulk all cracks and gaps around windows. If the area is located outside a bathroom, or high humidity area, consider installing an exhaust fan.

Peeling:   large sections of paint peeling from surface
Why it happened: Moisture seeping through exterior walls from inside the house; painting a wet surface.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. Fill uneven areas with putty, sand smooth, and prime.
3. Caulk all cracks and gaps around windows. If the area is located outside a bathroom, or high humidity area, consider installing an exhaust fan.

Mildew:    brown, black or gray spots on paint surface
Why it happened: Poor air circulation, humid conditions and little sunlight (particularly common under eaves and near heavy shrubs).
Solve It:

1. Trim away plants that may be contributing to the mildew.
2. Scrub the surface with a solution of three parts household bleach to one part water, then rinse with clean water.

Chalking:    a fine powder on the paint’s surface
Why it happened: All oil paints have some degree of chalking; however, heavy chalking is usually associated with old or poor-quality paints.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. After washing, run your hand over the surface to check for additional chalking. If it still exists, you’ll need to prime the surface.

Dirt Pickup:    accumulation of dirt on siding
Why it happened: Natural aging of paint; use of a low-quality paint.
Solve It:

1. Pressure wash or clean the surface well.
2. Use a high-quality durable paint and wash annually, or as needed, to maintain cleanliness.

Fading:     paint color fading; most noticeable when you’ve removed shutters
Why it happened: Old paint; use of a low-quality paint; sun exposure.
Solve It:

1. Use a high-quality, 100% acrylic paint.

Nailhead Rusting:     rust spots on paint surface
Why it happened: Using non-galvanized nails.
Solve It:

1. Sand to remove rust.
2. Countersink the nailheads.
3. Fill area with putty, sand smooth and prime.

Resisting Alkali:   color loss on fresh masonry
Why it happened: Paint applied to masonry that has not cured for a full year.
Solve It:

1. Allow masonry to cure a full year before painting, or apply an alkali-resistant primer. Use latex paint only.

3. Wash and Clean

• After you’ve finished sanding, scraping, and repairing, thoroughly wash the surface with an all-purpose household cleaner, then rinse. 
• Allow the surface to dry completely before priming. 
• WATCH OUT!: Even if you’re painting a surface that’s never been painted before, such as bare wood, aluminum or vinyl, you’ll still need to wash and scrub the surface. Any dust or dirt that remains can cause paint failures or ruin a smooth surface.

4. Mask all trim and windows.

• Use masking tape to protect glass and trim.
• WATCH OUT!: Be sure to remove the tape before the paint dries, otherwise the paint may pull off.

5. Prime.

• Priming provides great topcoat adhesion, helps prevent cracking and offers better color retention. It is essential to prime any new or bare surface, or any surface you’ve exposed during repairs.
• Priming should be done whenever there is a drastic color change—dark to light or light to dark! It’s the only way to ensure topcoat performance and cut down on the number of topcoats needed.
• TIP: If you’re changing your paint color to a deep, vibrant one, check out our Monochromatic Gray Basecoat System of Kilstain-WB products. Our Color Lab has identified all the low-hiding colors (those which would require more than two coats) in our Color Key system. They then matched these values to one of nine shades of gray. The key to the system is to start with a basecoat that has the same reflectance value as your topcoat, as opposed to a whiter base that will dilute your vibrant color. The Monochromatic Gray system “fools the eye” and makes it appear as if coverage is complete. One coat of Monochromatic Gray basecoat, plus two topcoats, and your result is a beautiful, uniform finish—without having to use five coats of paint.
• To apply primer, follow the steps for painting, found under the “Paint Application” section. Then, sit back and allow the primer to dry according to the label directions before topcoating.