Have you noticed your paint bubbling and peeling? Spotting a bubble on your beautifully decorated wall is incredibly frustrating.
Before you start fiddling with the paint bubble and making it look worse, it’s important to stand back and figure out why it emerged in the first place. Otherwise, there’s a good chance those troublesome air bubbles will simply come back.
Paint bubbling and peeling occurs when the paint loses its bond with the surface underneath. And there are several reasons why that happens. Let’s explore those causes and help you pinpoint what’s going on with your painted walls.
What are the causes of paint bubbling on walls?
Paint bubbling and peeling happens when the paint loses its bond with the surface underneath. Moisture’s often the reason behind that, but it’s not the only cause.
Trapped moisture
Here in the UK, we’re lucky to have an abundance of beautiful, old houses. Did you know that the UK’s housing stock is the oldest in Europe, perhaps even the world? Their character and style is so appealing and charming. What’s less charming is their poor insulation and deterioration.
Older properties were built using traditional, moisture-permeable materials designed to help the building breathe. If you apply non-breathable materials, like modern plaster or conventional vinyl paints, you can trap moisture in the wall. That’s a prime cause of unsightly bubbling or peeling paint.
To check, press gently on a bubble to create a small test area. If the paint lifts back to bare plaster or drywall, it’s likely that moisture’s behind your paint bubbling.
The fix: Opt for breathable materials such as lime plaster. Use a highly breathable paint like our Claypaint. These help your walls to release any excess moisture without affecting the fabric of the building.
Poor ventilation
Have you noticed water droplets on your interior walls and windows? That’s condensation. It’s the result of poor ventilation. To reduce heat loss and save energy, many homes have added measures like triple glazed windows, cavity wall insulation and loft insulation. That helps to keep you warmer, but it can seal up your home and lead to trapped moisture.
Condensation’s particularly common in kitchens and bathrooms where you add moisture to the air by cooking, drying laundry and showering.
Alongside bubbling or blistering paint, signs of condensation include:
- water droplets on windows and walls
- damp patches
- black mould
- a musty smell
The fix: Simply make sure you open windows and doors regularly to increase ventilation and airflow. Install extractor fans in your kitchens and bathrooms. Ensure they have adequate suction power too. You could also invest in a dehumidifier to help remove excess moisture in the air. Also, place furniture slightly away from external walls so that air can circulate around the room.
The weather
The British weather can also play its part. Rain can permeate your walls and trap moisture beneath the paint. As that moisture tries to escape, it can cause paint blistering, bubbling and peeling.
High humidity can also cause problems. Paint takes longer to dry when there’s lots of moisture in the air, which can mean poor adhesion to the surface underneath.
Temperature matters too. Painting in extreme temperatures will affect the final result. When it’s very hot or if you’re painting in direct sunlight, the surface of the paint can dry too quickly. Very cold conditions can slow drying times and affect the finished result.
The fix: Check the weather forecast before you start. Avoid painting in hot, wet or humid conditions. Use breathable paint to help trapped moisture escape from your walls.
Damp and water damage
If your walls are damp, it’s important to work out why. Could it be a plumbing leak? Damaged roofs, gutters, windows or exterior brickwork can allow rainwater to penetrate your walls. Flooding and other water damage can also leave significant amounts of moisture trapped in your walls.
Rising damp can be another reason for paint bubbling, particularly if the problem appears near the bottom of your wall. If you suspect rising damp, it’s best to seek professional advice before redecorating.
Check our tell-tale signs you have damp in your walls
The fix: First, find the source of the moisture. Give your wall time to dry thoroughly. You may need to seek professional help if it’s a persistent leak or if you suspect rising damp. Once the root cause is fixed, use a breathable paint to redecorate.
Poor surface preparation
Sometimes the problem isn't damp at all. Your paint simply hasn't bonded properly with the wall. That’s often down to a lack of preparation before applying your paint.
Dust, grease, dirt and old wallpaper paste or solvent can all prevent proper paint adhesion. This is particularly common in kitchens where layers of cooking grease can build up on walls over time.
The fix: Before painting, make sure your surface is clean, dry and sound. Wipe walls down and lightly sand them where necessary. Oil and grease stains may require a suitable isolating primer before you paint. On powdery surfaces, use our breathable Wall Glaze first; and for surfaces with different absorbencies, we recommend our Bonding Primer. If you’re painting over bare plaster or filler, you should apply a mist coat, primer or stabilising product first. Make sure everything’s completely dry before you start painting.
Applying paint incorrectly
You can’t always point the finger of blame at the wall. Your paint can also bubble because of the way you’ve applied it.
If you apply another coat of paint before the first has dried properly, you can trap moisture between the layers. Painting in very humid conditions can cause similar problems.
It also depends on the types of paint you use. Oil and water-based paints won’t work together. If you used an oil-based paint on top of a water-based latex paint, you’ll get adhesion problems and may get paint bubbles.
The fix: Take your time. Follow the recommended drying times. Apply paint in suitable conditions. Choose your paint wisely. By taking a little longer at this stage, you can avoid having to redo the whole wall later.
Your paint bubbling FAQs
How do you fix bubbling paint?
For a start, don’t just paint over bubbling paint to hide it. The right fix depends on what caused the bubbling in the first place. Start by checking for damp, leaks and condensation. Deal with the reasons behind your bubbling paint (such as excess moisture), before you start applying a new coat.
You'll need to remove loose or bubbled paint with a paint scraper or putty knife. Check if it goes all the way down to the substrate. Prepare your surfaces carefully. Only when your walls are sound and clean should you repaint with the best product for your wall.
Follow our step-by-step guide on how to fix paint bubbling on your walls. It’s your best route to bubble-free painted walls.
Does bubbling paint always mean damp?
No. Bubbling paint doesn't automatically mean you have a damp problem.
Excess moisture in your wall is one possible cause, but paint can also bubble because of condensation, poor surface preparation, adhesion problems or the way it was applied.
You need to find the cause of your bubbling and blistering paint. Bubbling on a cold wall, for example, may point towards condensation. Bubbling accompanied by persistent damp patches may suggest an underlying moisture problem.
If the wall itself is dry and sound but the paint is separating between different layers, poor adhesion is more likely.
Finding the cause first is essential. Painting over the affected area without solving the underlying problem is likely to mean the bubbling will return. Our guide to tell-tale signs there's damp in your walls is a good place to start.
Your best option for damp-prone walls is a highly breathable paint, such as our Claypaint, which helps moisture within the wall escape naturally.
Why is paint bubbling and peeling in my period property?
Bubbling, flaking or peeling paint often happens in older properties. There are a couple of main reasons for that.
Poor ventilation and condensation are often behind bubbling paint. Make sure you open windows or use extractor fans to allow excess moisture to escape, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
Older and period properties tend to be built with solid walls and breathable materials such as lime plaster. But if you cover them with less breathable modern paints or plaster, you can trap moisture. That’s a prime cause for bubbling or peeling paint.
Find solutions to your bubbling paint issues
Don’t miss our guide to fixing bubbling paint. It provides you with the steps to follow to stop your paint bubbling and peeling.
Worried about damp walls? Look out for the signs of damp and what to do about it. We’ve also got tips on how to prevent damp in the first place.
Our Claypaint is highly breathable and helps moisture escape naturally from your walls. It’s ideal for properties that are prone to damp or peeling paint.
