Wrinkling Exterior Paint Causes & Solutions

Exterior paint wrinkling is when a bubbling, wrinkling skin of paint occurs on a surface. Wrinkling exterior paint causes range from surface issues to climate. One cause of exterior paint wrinkling is either too thick a coat of paint or contamination of the painting surface. It also occurs when painting during weather that is too hot, too cold or too humid; however, there are solutions to this problem.

Causes: Paint coats and surfaces

Sometimes when coats of paint are too thick, exterior paint wrinkling occurs. It tends to dry in wrinkles and bumps. Also, if a prior layer of cracked paint covers the surface, wrinkling can also occur. Other surface contamination includes dirty or dusty areas, waxy areas or the inclusion of other foreign materials. Any surface that is not clean and smooth can result in wrinkling.
 

Causes: Weather

When painting during weather that is too hot or too cold, exterior paint wrinkling can occur. This happens because the top layer of paint dries and films before the bottom layer, which then results in wrinkling. Also painting in humid weather may result in wrinkling.
 

Solutions

There are several solutions to exterior paint wrinkling. First of all, scrape and sand down the wrinkled paint thoroughly to present a smooth surface. It is important to make sure the surface is clean of any lingering paint flakes and dust before it is repainted. If applying a primer, it must dry completely before you paint the wall. Apply each coat of paint, and let it dry completely before another coat is added. It is also important to paint in mild weather to avoid extremes in temperature and humidity. Finally, make sure that you use a top quality exterior paint for application to avoid future exterior paint wrinkling.

Exterior paint wrinkling can have several causes, but it is important to remove the flawed coats, and replace them with a quality exterior paint to prevent future problems.

Primers and Finishes

Spot prime all bare areas for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. 
Select a top quality exterior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Substrates, Primers

Substrate: Wood 
Primer: Sand First 
Finish Coats: 1240 Acry-Shield Exterior Flat Finish 
1245 Acry-Velvet Ext. Low Sheen Finish 
1250 Acry-Lustre Ext. Semi-Gloss Finish 
1235 Seasons Ext. 100% Acrylic Flat 
1236 Seasons Ext. 100% Acrylic Low Sheen