Troubleshooting and Aftercare

Often, novice painters can encounter a few unknowns when venturing into DIY

To help, we've pulled together some of the most common problems encountered when painting to help understand what is causing the issue and how to resolve or avoid repeating in the future.

titchwell shepherds hut - Conker

Patchy Paint

What causes Patchy paint?

  • Patchy paint can result if paint has been applied unevenly.
  • Patchy paint can be down to a variation in surface absorption.
  • Walls might appear patchy if they have variation in texture.
  • Using paint that is not fully mixed can cause a patchy appearance.

How to avoid a patchy paint job?

  • Apply paint as evenly as possible
  • Try to maintain a wet edge.
  • When using a roller keep the open side towards the area just painted.
  • Try to complete one full surface at a time.
  • Paint in an even grid pattern from top to bottom.
  • Cut-in before painting the walls, then roller as close as possible to the edge.
  • Complete small areas before moving on.

Additional notes

  1. Ensure your paint is thoroughly mixed before application. The heavier solids will, over time, sink to the bottom of the can. These will normally be the colourants. It is vital they are fully re-activated into the paint before use. Pouring you paint into a ‘Paint Kettle’ or ‘Paint Tray’ can often help with this. Mechanically stir if possible.
  2. Be aware that a brush and a roller can give two textures that might catch the light differently.
Wall and shelf featuring SP10. Vintage Peony paint
SP10. Vintage Peony

Patchy dark coloured Claypaint

Application of dark claypaints are notoriously trickier – we offer some more specific advice for this:

  • It is advisable to lightly dampen the wall prior to application onto clay or lime plaster.
  • For use on new lime plaster, we recommend an initial coat thinned with 10% water. Finished with an undiluted coat.
  • Try to keep a wet edge and finish one wall at a time.
  • Apply light and even pressure on your roller.
  • Don’t worry if the wall looks patchy at first – this is normal for claypaint. Wait a few hours and you will notice that the colour evens out as it dries (dark colours take much longer to settle to their final colour).
  • We advise that you wait until the colour has settled before applying subsequent coats.
  • A ‘short-pile’ roller can help.
  • Do not paint when temperatures are high.
Still Norfolk, muted blue paint
Sp2. Still Norfolk

Framing

What causes framing

Picture-framing on painted walls occurs when areas that are cut in with a brush appear lighter or darker in colour and sheen than the surrounding rolled or sprayed areas, causing the appearance of a picture frame. Framing can also be caused by an uneven application of paint or the paint not being fully mixed.

This uneven appearance detracts from a room’s appearance.

How avoid framing

  • Ensure paint is fully mixed before application
  • Paint corners and edges of one section at a time, maintaining a wet edge when painting.
  • Use a roller as they hold more paint and distribute the paint more evenly than a brush
  • Take your roller as close to the corners as you can while painting a wall.
  • Try to apply the same amount of paint with your brush (when cutting-in) to your roller.

Additional notes

  1. If you have this problem additional coats might be the only solution.
  2. Ensure your paint is thoroughly mixed before application. The heavier solids will, over time, sink to the bottom of the can. These will normally be the colourants. So, it is vital they are fully re-activated into the paint before use. Pouring you paint into a ‘Paint Kettle’ or ‘Paint Tray’ can often help with this. Mechanically stir if possible.

Blistering & Bubbling

What causes Blistering or bubbling of paint?

Blistering or bubbling is caused by either lack of adhesion or moisture trying to escape from below the surface.

How avoid Blistering & Bubbling

  • The surface must be fully prepared, clean & dry.
  • Sand back to create a stable, uncontaminated surface.
  • Prime, when necessary, with a suitable quality primer.
  • Ensure the primer has fully adhered to the prepared surface (see technical sheet for more info).
  • Lightly sand between coats.
  • Then apply two topcoats.
  • Leave 4-7 days to fully cure.

 

Flaking

What causes paint to flake?

Paint will flake when it has not adhered to the surface properly and is therefore being lifted, normally by moisture trying to evaporate. It may also be caused by a contamination on the surface that is resisting the adhesion of the new paint.

How avoid Flaking paint work

  • The surface must be fully prepared, clean & dry.
  • Sand back to create a stable, uncontaminated surface.
  • Prime, if necessary, with a suitable quality primer.
  • Ensure the primer has fully adhered to the prepared surface.
  • Lightly sand between coats.
  • Then apply two topcoats.
  • If the issue is caused by evaporation of moisture, you will also need to; either allow the surface to fully dry or use a breathable alternative.
  • Leave 4-7 days to fully cure.

Chipping

What causes paint to chip?

Paint may ‘chip-off’ if it has not fully adhered to the painted surface. The bond is not strong and easily broken when knocked.

How to avoid paint chipping-off

  • The surface must be fully prepared, clean & dry.
  • Sand back to create a stable, uncontaminated surface.
  • Prime, when necessary, with a suitable quality primer.
  • Ensure the primer has fully adhered to the prepared surface (see technical sheet for more info).
  • Lightly sand between coats.
  • Then apply two topcoats.
  • Leave 4-7 days to fully cure.

 

Marking

Paint will easily mark whist it is still curing (fully drying). Although it might be dry to the touch it may well be still moist under the surface.

How to avoid / remove paint marks

  • Leave 4-7 days to fully cure – (we leave paint 30 days before doing a scrub test)
  • Depending on the paint used you can gently wipe or wash with a soapy cloth
  • Eggshells & our Pure Matt Plus can be fully washed down
  • Pure Matt & Claypaint can be gently wiped
  • Do not scrub or burnish the paint work

Additional notes

  1. Dark painted surfaces can often show finger marks if touched, even after they are fully cured. These marks can be wiped or washed off (depending on the finish of paint used – see above)
  2. Softer finish paint like our Claypaint need to be breathable. They will therefore, mark more easily.

 

Touching-up

What is touching up?

Touching-up is required when a painted surface requires a small area to be re-painted to match the existing paintwork.

How to touch-up paintwork

  • Ideally, use the same brush or roller as previously used.
  • Ideally, use the same tin of paint
  • Apply thin layers
  • Try to blend / feather the new paint onto the existing paintwork
  • If you are using an older tin that has been stored for a while, ensure the paint is fully re-mixed. (We recommend mechanical stirring in this instance)

Additional notes

  1. You may need to paint a larger area than hoped
  2. Finishes with a higher sheen levels are often trickier to touch-up

Curing

What is curing?

All water-based paints need the evaporation of the water to be completed before they are fully cured. It is only when the moisture has completely gone the paint is at its best.

How to ensure paint has cured?

  • We recommend 4-7 days to allow our paint to fully cure. Although additional coats can be applied once the paint is hand touch dry. (Normally 2-4 hours)
  • Paint will cure at different rates based upon the following factors:
    • The surface painted
    • The ambient temperature
    • The air humidity
    • The applied paint thickness
    • The original water content of the paint
  • Paint is only at its best when all the moisture has fully evaporated

Additional notes

  1. When we do a ‘scrub test’ we leave the paint 30 days to ensure it is fully hardened.

 

Paint stirrers

Colour variation

What causes colour variation?

Fenwick & Tilbrook paints are made from several naturally occurring ingredients. Every effort is made to maintain colour consistency over time. However, it is impossible for this to be a perfect match over time.

Our equipment is well maintained and calibrated on a regular basis. we also check every tin we produce and retain a small sample to ensure the colour produced matches our colour standard.

How to minimise the risk of colour variation?

  • We always recommend that you purchase enough paint in one go to paint the full area to be covered.