Top 5 Reasons on Why Your Paint Might Be Peeling.
Peeling paint can give a sinking feeling to anyone. We’ve seen it happen cars that are brand new and old paint jobs that have lasted for many years. There are usually a small handful of core reasons why the paint might be peeling off your vehicle. We decided to cover the most common below.
- Poor Surface Prep- Surface prep during a paint job can be the most important part of the process. We’ve seen improper prep cause paint to fail instantly or even take years to show up. If the surface wasn’t sealed correctly and moisture can get under it may cause the paint and primer to peel off in one shot. Alternatively not abrading the surface enough can give poor adhesion qualities that can cause paint to peel. As a rule of thumb the metal needs to be extremely clean and free of any dirt, oil, dust, or old coatings before applying a primer or sealer.
- Damage to The Surface- A good paint job can be compromised and peel if it is damaged. Door dings/chips, scratches, and body damage can cause paint to flake or crack and allows moisture to creep under the paint and cause bubbling or peeling. If you have a chip or scratch that is down to the metal you should attempt to get some primer and paint over the damage to keep from the paint around it failing.
- Incompatible Coatings- When going through the body work and paint process you may use a number of different products. You need to make sure that all of those coatings are compatible or you may have durability issues with the paint. For instance, the acid metal etch or self etching primer might not work well with the primer you put over it. Make sure you check this before applying.
- Poor Application- The steps for painting a car are also very critical and if you don’t follow the timelines and procedures for the primer and paint line you’re using you may get paint that peels. Alternatively you can also have these issues if you lay the paint on too light/heavy or add coats too quickly or too long without abrading the surface. Make sure you read the application procedures for every coating you’re about to spray.
- Poor Quality Paint- Make sure that when you’re painting the exterior of a vehicle you’re using good quality products that are catalyzed. While there have been individuals that have used low quality coatings on there vehicle it never will last as long as a good, catalyzed paint. Eastwood offers a full line of 2K coatings that will last a lifetime and won’t break the bank. See our entire line of paint HERE.