Earth construction – peeling or flaking surface finish
Listed under: Exterior, finishes, paint, cladding, walls, moisture, wall cladding, earth construction
Cause
UV deterioration
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish
- There are three New Zealand standards covering earth building. Updated versions of each were published in February 2020:
Cause
Loss of adhesion due to excess moisture in substrate
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish
Cause
Poor initial substrate preparation
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish
Cause
Oil-based (alkyd) paint applied over water-based (acrylic) paint
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish
Cause
Surface was damp or dirty when painted previously
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish
Cause
Dark colours
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish
Cause
Paint coating at end of its serviceable life
Repair
- consult an earth building specialist
- scrape and/or sand off loose paint; clean until surface is sound; allow to dry thoroughly; prime; fill joints with exterior grade flexible (polyester) filler; paint with a minimum two coats of semi-gloss or high gloss acrylic paint suitable for the plaster finish