Exterior Paint Failures: Peeling, Blistering, and Chalking

You painted your home just five years ago, but the paint on the south-facing wall is already peeling. Or you've noticed bubbles forming on window trim. Or the color looks faded and chalky when you run your hand across it.

Paint failure is frustrating and expensive. Understanding why it happens helps you prevent it on your next paint job and address existing problems correctly.

We're Lamorinda Painting, a fully licensed and insured painting company based in Lafayette, CA. We've been painting Bay Area homes since 2003, which means we've diagnosed and fixed hundreds of paint failures. In this guide, we'll explain the most common types of exterior paint failure, what causes them, and how to prevent them.

Understanding Paint Failure: The Basics

Paint failure means the paint is no longer performing its two main functions: protecting the substrate and looking good. Failure takes different forms depending on what went wrong.

Most exterior paint failures fall into one of these categories:

• Adhesion failures (peeling, flaking, alligatoring)
• Moisture-related failures (blistering, bubbling)
• UV and weathering failures (fading, chalking)
• Application failures (runs, sags, inadequate coverage)

Each type of failure has specific causes and requires specific solutions. Slapping fresh paint over failing paint just postpones and worsens the problem.

The Bay Area's climate creates specific challenges. Our intense UV exposure causes fading and chalking. Our wet winters followed by dry summers stress paint films through expansion and contraction. Coastal fog introduces moisture. Inland heat creates surface temperatures that can affect application.

Understanding these failure modes helps you make better decisions about surface preparation, product selection, and application timing.

Peeling and Flaking: Adhesion Failure

Peeling is the most obvious and frustrating paint failure. Paint loses adhesion to the substrate and lifts away in sheets, flakes, or chips.

What Peeling Looks Like

Peeling can manifest as large sheets of paint curling away from the surface, small flakes falling off when touched, or edges lifting at corners and joints. Sometimes only the top coat peels while the primer remains stuck. Other times, everything comes off down to bare wood or stucco.

The pattern of peeling often indicates the cause. Peeling around window and door trim suggests moisture intrusion. Peeling in large sheets across a whole wall suggests poor surface preparation or incompatible products. Peeling only on south or west-facing walls points to UV degradation.

Common Causes of Peeling

Poor Surface Preparation: This is the number one cause of peeling we see in the Bay Area. Painting over dirty, chalky, or glossy surfaces prevents proper adhesion.

The previous paint needs to be clean, sound, and properly profiled (slightly roughened) for new paint to stick. If the old paint is chalky from weathering or dirty from years of pollution, new paint sits on top of this weak layer rather than bonding to the actual substrate. When the weak layer fails, the new paint comes with it.

We see this constantly when repainting homes that were painted by budget contractors or DIYers who skipped proper prep. The "new" paint starts peeling within two to three years because it never really stuck in the first place.

Moisture Under the Paint: Water is paint's enemy. If moisture gets between the paint and the substrate, it breaks the adhesion bond and causes peeling.

Common moisture sources in Bay Area homes include:

• Lack of proper caulking around windows and doors (water seeps behind trim)
• Failed or missing gutters (water runs down walls)
• Sprinklers hitting the house
• Poor drainage causing splash-back
• Bathroom or kitchen exhaust venting into wall cavities (less common in California than cold climates, but still happens)
• Roof leaks

Moisture-related peeling typically occurs in specific areas rather than uniformly across the house. You'll see it around windows, below roof lines, or near the foundation.

Painting Over Damp Surfaces: Applying paint to surfaces that aren't fully dry traps moisture under the paint film. As temperatures rise, this moisture tries to escape and pushes the paint off from behind.

In coastal Bay Area cities like Richmond and El Cerrito, morning fog can keep surfaces damp even on sunny days. We've seen DIY paint jobs where homeowners started early in the morning while surfaces still had overnight moisture. The paint looked fine initially but started peeling within months.

Professional painters check surface moisture before painting and wait for complete drying, even if it means delaying the schedule.

Incompatible Paint Layers: Painting latex over oil paint without proper preparation causes adhesion problems. The latex can't bond properly to the glossy, hard oil paint surface.

Many older Bay Area homes were originally painted with oil-based paint. Modern acrylic latex paints are superior products, but they need proper surface preparation when going over old oil paint. This means thorough cleaning, sanding or chemical deglosser, and often a bonding primer.

We identify old oil paint by rubbing a small area with denatured alcohol on a rag. If paint comes off, it's latex. If it doesn't, it's oil.

Poor Quality Paint: Budget paints contain less resin (the component that binds pigment particles and creates adhesion). They form weaker films that don't bond as well or last as long.

We've repainted many homes where cheap paint was used and started failing within three to five years. Premium paints cost more upfront but contain higher-quality resins that create stronger, longer-lasting adhesion.

Fixing Peeling Paint

Peeling paint must be completely removed before repainting. Painting over peeling paint just creates a temporary bandaid that fails quickly.

We scrape all loose and peeling paint until we reach sound, well-adhered paint. Then we sand the edges to create a smooth transition (called feathering) so the repair doesn't show through the topcoat.

Any bare wood exposed during scraping must be primed with a quality wood primer before topcoating. Bare stucco needs masonry primer. This step is non-negotiable for long-term success.

If large areas have peeled down to bare substrate, sometimes complete stripping makes more sense than extensive scraping and spot-priming. This is a judgment call based on the extent of failure.

After addressing the surface, we identify and fix the cause. If moisture caused the peeling, we find and fix the water source. If poor prep caused it, we do proper prep this time. If incompatible products caused it, we use appropriate primers.

Blistering and Bubbling: Moisture Trapped in Paint

Blistering looks like small or large bubbles under the paint surface. These bubbles form when moisture or air gets trapped beneath the paint film.

What Blistering Looks Like

Blisters can be small pinpoint bubbles or large raised areas an inch or more across. They may occur in clusters or be scattered across a surface. Some blisters contain water, while others contain air.

When you cut open a blister, you can see whether it goes down to bare wood or just separates the topcoat from the primer. This tells you when the moisture entered: during priming, between coats, or after the final coat.

Common Causes of Blistering

Temperature Blisters: Painting in direct, intense sunlight on hot surfaces causes the paint to skin over before solvents fully evaporate. The trapped solvents form bubbles as they try to escape.

This is a concern in inland Bay Area cities like Walnut Creek, Concord, and Antioch during summer. Surface temperatures on south and west-facing walls can reach 120 to 140 degrees in direct afternoon sun. Paint applied to these hot surfaces blisters almost immediately.

Professional painters work strategically around the house, following the shade or painting early and late in the day when surfaces are cooler. We never paint surfaces in direct sun when it's above 85 degrees.

Moisture Blisters: Water vapor migrating through the substrate pushes through the paint film and creates blisters. This typically happens when painting over damp wood or when moisture from inside the house tries to escape through exterior walls.

In the Bay Area, this is most common:

• In coastal areas after extended fog or rain
• When painting too soon after pressure washing
• Around bathroom and kitchen areas where moisture migrates from inside
• In crawl spaces or areas with poor ventilation

We see this particularly on older homes without proper vapor barriers. Moisture from inside tries to escape through the walls. If the exterior paint is impermeable, it blisters instead of allowing vapor to pass through.

This is one reason why breathable acrylic latex paints perform better than oil-based paints in most situations. They allow water vapor to pass through while still blocking liquid water.

Dew Blisters: Painting late in the day and then having dew form on the paint before it's fully cured can cause blistering. The moisture gets trapped as the paint continues curing.

This is a risk in coastal areas with heavy morning fog. We stop painting early enough that paint has several hours to cure before evening temperatures drop.

Fixing Blistering

Blisters must be scraped off and the area reprimed. Simply painting over blisters doesn't work because the problem is underneath.

We scrape the blistered areas down to sound paint or bare substrate, identify and address the moisture source, allow surfaces to dry completely, prime bare areas, and then apply topcoats.

If blistering is widespread, it often indicates a systemic moisture problem that needs addressing before any repainting. This might mean improving ventilation, fixing leaks, or installing vapor barriers.

Chalking: Surface Deterioration

Chalking is when paint develops a powdery, chalk-like surface. Run your hand across chalky paint and you'll see white or colored powder on your skin.

What Chalking Is and Why It Happens

Some chalking is normal and actually intentional. Paint manufacturers formulate exterior paints to chalk slightly as they age. This controlled chalking allows the paint to "self-clean" as rain washes away the chalky surface along with dirt.

According to technical information from Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore, a slight amount of chalking is normal after 5 to 7 years and doesn't indicate failure. The problem is excessive chalking, where the surface becomes very powdery and the color fades significantly.

Excessive chalking happens when:

• UV exposure breaks down the paint binder: California's intense sun degrades paint faster than in cloudier regions. South and west-facing walls in inland areas experience the most UV damage.
• Low-quality paint was used: Budget paints contain less protective binder and more pigment exposed to UV. They chalk much faster than premium paints.
• Paint was applied too thin: Inadequate film thickness provides less UV protection. The paint breaks down faster.
• Improper surface preparation: Paint applied over chalky old paint will itself chalk prematurely because it's not properly bonded.

Chalking in Different Bay Area Microclimates

Inland areas like Walnut Creek, Concord, and Danville see more chalking than coastal areas due to intense UV exposure. A home in full sun with dark south-facing walls may show significant chalking in 5 to 7 years with budget paint, while the same paint in shaded Richmond might last 10 years before noticeable chalking.

Light colors chalk less noticeably than dark colors because the chalk is closer to the original color. Deep reds, blues, and greens show chalking more dramatically.

Fixing Chalking

Before repainting chalky surfaces, the chalk must be completely removed. If you paint over chalk, the new paint sits on top of this weak powdery layer and will fail quickly.

We pressure wash chalky paint to remove as much loose material as possible. For stubborn chalk, scrubbing with a stiff brush and water works. Some contractors use diluted TSP or other cleaners, though we find water and pressure washing sufficient for most situations.

After cleaning, the surface must dry completely. Then we apply a quality primer that seals any remaining chalk and creates a proper base for topcoats.

Premium primers specifically designed to seal chalky paint are worth using. Products like Sherwin-Williams PrepRite or Benjamin Moore Fresh Start are formulated for this situation.

Skipping primer on chalky paint is a mistake we see frequently. Without proper sealing, the chalk bleeds through and contaminates the topcoat, causing premature failure.

Alligatoring: Advanced Paint Failure

Alligatoring is a pattern of cracks that looks like alligator or reptile skin. It indicates severe paint deterioration.

What Causes Alligatoring

Alligatoring happens when paint loses its flexibility and can no longer accommodate the normal expansion and contraction of the substrate. The brittle paint film cracks into a distinctive pattern.

Common causes include:

• Age: Very old paint (15+ years) eventually becomes brittle from UV exposure and oxidation
• Temperature extremes: Repeated expansion and contraction cycles stress the paint
• Incompatible paint systems: Applying hard, inflexible paint over soft, flexible paint (or vice versa) creates stress
• Too many paint layers: Five to ten layers of paint can crack as a unit when the bottom layers finally give up

We see alligatoring most often on older Bay Area homes that have been painted many times over decades without proper surface preparation between coats.

Fixing Alligatoring

Alligatoring requires complete removal of the failed paint. Scraping and spot-priming won't work because the entire paint system has failed.

Options include:

• Heat gun and scraping: Labor-intensive but works for small areas
• Chemical strippers: Effective but messy and potentially harmful to landscaping
• Power sanding: Fast but creates enormous amounts of dust (lead safety concerns on pre-1978 homes)
• Complete siding replacement: Sometimes more cost-effective than stripping severely alligatored paint

After stripping, proper priming and two fresh topcoats create a new paint system that should last 10 to 15 years.

Fading: Color Loss from UV Exposure

Fading isn't always considered a "failure" because the paint still protects the substrate. But significant color loss affects appearance and often motivates repainting.

How Fading Happens

UV radiation breaks down pigment molecules in paint. Some colors are more UV-resistant than others. According to paint manufacturer data:

• Most stable: Earth tones, tans, beiges, grays
• Moderately stable: Whites, off-whites, light blues
• Least stable: Bright reds, deep blues, vivid greens, bright yellows

The quality of pigments matters enormously. Premium paints use higher-quality, more UV-resistant pigments. Budget paints use cheaper pigments that fade faster.

In the Bay Area, south and west-facing walls can fade 20 to 30 percent faster than north-facing walls. A home in Walnut Creek with a deep blue south wall might show noticeable fading in 5 years, while a similar blue in shaded Lafayette might last 8 to 10 years before obvious fading.

Preventing Fading

Choose colors with good UV stability if you're in an inland area with intense sun. Light neutrals, warm grays, and earth tones hold their color much longer than bold, saturated colors.

Use premium paint with quality pigments and UV inhibitors. Products like Sherwin-Williams Duration, Benjamin Moore Aura, or Dunn-Edwards Evershield contain superior pigments specifically chosen for California sun exposure.

Consider leaving bold colors for trim and accents rather than large wall areas. A faded accent on a door is easier to touch up than an entire faded wall.

Mildew and Biological Growth

Mildew isn't exactly paint failure, but it affects appearance and indicates conditions that can lead to real failure.

Where Mildew Grows in the Bay Area

Mildew thrives in damp, shaded areas. In the Bay Area, this typically means:

• North-facing walls that never see direct sun
• Areas under eaves or overhangs
• Walls shaded by trees or neighboring structures
• Coastal areas with persistent fog (Richmond, El Cerrito, Pinole)

We see significantly more mildew in coastal Lafayette and Orinda properties with heavy tree cover compared to sunny open properties in Walnut Creek.

Mildew vs. Dirt

Black or dark green staining might be mildew or just dirt. The test: apply diluted bleach solution to a small area. If the staining disappears in a few minutes, it's mildew. If it doesn't change, it's dirt or environmental staining.

Preventing and Treating Mildew

Modern premium paints contain mildewcides that inhibit biological growth. These additives remain effective for 5 to 7 years, which is why older paint develops mildew even if it didn't have any when new.

Before repainting mildew-stained surfaces, kill the mildew completely with appropriate cleaning solutions. If you paint over live mildew, it grows through the new paint within months.

We clean mildewed surfaces with water and bleach solution (following manufacturer dilution recommendations), rinse thoroughly, and allow complete drying before priming and painting.

For chronic mildew areas, improving air circulation and reducing moisture helps long-term. Trimming trees away from the house, improving drainage, and fixing sprinklers that hit walls all reduce mildew risk.

Prevention: How to Avoid Paint Failure

Most paint failures are preventable with proper preparation, quality products, and good application practices.

Proper Surface Preparation

This is the foundation. Thoroughly clean all surfaces, scrape and sand loose paint, prime all bare substrate, caulk all joints and gaps, and address moisture issues before painting.

We spend 60 to 70 percent of project time on preparation for exterior painting. Clients sometimes question why we're spending so much time "just prepping," but this is what separates jobs that last 10 to 15 years from jobs that fail in 3 to 5 years.

Quality Products

Premium paints cost 30 to 50 percent more than budget paints but last 50 to 100 percent longer. The math favors quality products.

Use paint designed for your substrate: masonry primer for stucco, wood primer for wood, bonding primer for hard-to-stick surfaces. Generic "all-purpose" primers don't perform as well.

Proper Application Timing

Paint when temperatures are between 50 and 85 degrees, surfaces are completely dry, no rain is forecast for 24 hours, and you can avoid painting in direct hot sun.

In the Bay Area, this means:

• Late spring through early fall for most areas
• Mid-morning to mid-afternoon in coastal areas (after fog burns off, before evening moisture)
• Early morning or late afternoon in inland areas (avoiding intense midday sun)
• Never immediately after rain or pressure washing (allow 48 to 72 hours drying time)

Adequate Coating Thickness

Apply proper primer plus two topcoats. This creates adequate film thickness for UV protection and moisture resistance.

Trying to save money by applying one thick coat instead of two proper coats creates uneven coverage and premature failure.

Address Underlying Issues

Paint is a coating, not a repair material. Fix wood rot, repair stucco cracks, address moisture intrusion, and repair damaged substrate before painting.

We replace rotted wood, patch stucco, fix drainage issues, and address other problems as part of our exterior painting process. Painting over problems just hides them temporarily.

When to Call a Professional

Some paint failures are DIY-fixable. Others require professional diagnosis and repair.

DIY-Appropriate Repairs

Small areas of peeling from obvious causes (like a sprinkler hitting the wall) can be fixed DIY. Scrape the loose paint, prime bare areas, and touch up with matching paint.

Minor chalking can be addressed by cleaning and repainting following proper procedures.

Small isolated blisters can be scraped, primed, and touched up if you identify and fix the cause.

When Professional Help Makes Sense

Widespread failure across multiple walls needs professional assessment. The underlying cause might not be obvious.

Alligatoring requires complete paint removal, which is labor-intensive and potentially dangerous (lead paint concerns on older homes).

Recurring failures in the same areas suggest underlying moisture or substrate problems that need expert diagnosis.

Homes with multiple types of failure (peeling plus chalking plus mildew) benefit from comprehensive professional repainting with proper prep work.

Our Approach to Failed Paint

When we repaint a home with existing paint failure, we don't just cover it up. We diagnose the cause, address underlying issues, and prepare surfaces properly for long-term success.

Our process includes thorough inspection to identify failure types and causes, honest discussion about what needs fixing, complete removal of failed paint, repairs to substrate as needed, proper priming specific to each surface type, and premium topcoats applied in proper conditions.

We're Lamorinda Painting, and we've been providing high-quality exterior painting at affordable prices since 2003. We're fully licensed and insured, and we always leave your home spotless when the job is done. Our attention to detail sets us apart, and your satisfaction is our top priority.

We serve Lafayette, Lamorinda, and the greater Bay Area with the same careful approach that's earned us repeat clients for over 20 years.

Contact us today for a free estimate on your exterior painting project. We'll honestly assess your existing paint, explain any problems we see, and provide a detailed quote for proper repairs and repainting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my exterior paint peeling after only 2 years?

Peeling within 2 to 3 years almost always indicates poor surface preparation or moisture problems. The most common causes are painting over dirty or chalky old paint without proper cleaning, painting over damp surfaces, moisture intrusion from failed caulking or poor drainage, or using incompatible products without proper priming. The fix requires removing failed paint, addressing the underlying cause, and repainting with proper preparation.

What is the white chalky powder on my house paint?

That's chalking, which happens when UV exposure breaks down the paint binder and exposes pigment particles. Some light chalking after 5 to 7 years is normal, but heavy chalking indicates low-quality paint, inadequate film thickness, or extreme UV exposure. Before repainting, the chalky surface must be completely cleaned and primed or the new paint will fail quickly.

Can I paint over peeling paint?

No. All loose and peeling paint must be completely removed before repainting. Painting over peeling paint creates only a temporary fix that fails quickly. Proper repair requires scraping to sound paint, priming any bare substrate exposed during scraping, and then applying fresh topcoats. This is the only way to achieve long-lasting results.

Why do I have blisters in my exterior paint?

Blisters form when moisture or air gets trapped under the paint film. Common causes include painting in direct intense sun on hot surfaces (temperature blisters), painting over damp surfaces or moisture migrating through walls (moisture blisters), or applying paint late in the day before dew forms. Blisters must be scraped off and the area properly prepared before repainting.

How do I prevent paint from peeling on my next paint job?

Proper surface preparation is crucial. Thoroughly clean all surfaces, scrape all loose paint, prime any bare substrate, caulk all gaps and joints, address any moisture sources, and use quality primer and paint applied in proper weather conditions. Premium products and professional preparation make the difference between paint that lasts 3 years and paint that lasts 12 years.

Is faded paint a sign that I need to repaint?

Fading doesn't necessarily mean the paint has failed structurally, but it does affect appearance. If fading bothers you or you're preparing to sell, repainting makes sense. To prevent fading, choose UV-stable colors (earth tones, light neutrals, grays) and premium paint with quality pigments. Dark, bold colors fade noticeably faster, especially on south and west-facing walls in inland Bay Area locations.