The painting of the exterior of a home can be quite tricky, though, at first glance, it may be just a matter of applying a coat or two of paint to your home exterior.
Over time, you can sometimes expect to find problems with exterior paintwork — these can range from simple to more complicated, and they usually have to be dealt with sooner than not to exacerbate them.
Let us look at and consider five exterior painting problems you can find in Palos Verdes Estates, CA.
1. Chalking
Chalking is an odd condition of paint that makes it look as though there is faint chalk on your home’s exterior — only it isn’t really chalked.
Several things can lead to the appearance of chalking on your home exterior, and curiously, none of them have anything to do with chalk.
One of them is that the chemical compounds that make up your paint could be breaking down overdue to perhaps the quality of the paint itself.
Another element that could make chalking occur is that the home’s exterior was not properly primed before the home was painted.
A third possibility is that the paint was thinned before being applied to the home exterior, which should always be discouraged as it leads to issues such as this one.
2. Blistering
Sometimes you will see what appears to be raised bubbles or blisters on the exterior of your home — this is something known as blistering.
Blistering comes from several mistakes, but almost all of them relate to moisture trying to escape the home’s surface underneath the applied paint.
When you have a relatively newly built home and have not given the exterior proper time to dry in the air, for example, the water that would have come off will try doing so through the applied paint, and that will make the blisters.
It’s also possible that if you don’t prepare the house’s surface before painting it, you will find yourself with exterior blistering.
3. Rust Stains
Sad as it is, not every nail you use in the construction of your house will be resistant to rust.
When you use nails that are not rust-resistant, there’s the possibility that you’re going to find yourself with stains that are rusty springing forth onto the surface of your house.
There are few remedies for rust stains on your home, but they have to be taken care of because they get worse over time.
4. Mildew
When you live in an area surrounded by woods and shrubs, you can almost guarantee that you will have an issue with mildew at some point down the line.
Of course, you can try to prevent mildew from attaching itself to your home by limiting the connection of the shrubs and tree branches to your home.
Once you do have this connection limited, of course, you’re going to have to do something to remove the existing mildew from your home exterior.
5. Alligatoring
Of all of the exterior paint problems, alligatoring is possibly one of the ugliest ones, having the appearance of an alligator’s skin — and nobody wants that for their home exterior.
Frequently, the problem that leads to having alligatoring on the side of your home comes from when one kind of paint goes over different paint that is fundamentally incompatible with it.
Seeing alligatoring on the side of your home means that you’re going to be in for a lot of scraping and sanding and priming before you’ll have a good looking home exterior once more.
FAQs
Why does my exterior paint look dusty even right after washing it?
That faint, powdery film is often chalking, and it’s less about dirt and more about paint chemistry breaking down over time. It can also point to primer that wasn’t applied correctly or paint that was thinned before use. In coastal Palos Verdes Estates, that “ghost dust” can be your early warning to repaint smarter.
What are those paint bubbles trying to tell me about my house?
Blistering is basically your paint acting like a pressure release valve. Moisture beneath the coating tries to escape, and it pushes paint outward into raised bubbles. Common triggers include painting before the surface fully dries (especially on newer builds) or skipping proper surface prep. Treat bubbles as a moisture message, not a cosmetic quirk.
How can rust stains appear on painted walls if the paint looks intact?
Rust stains often start at the fasteners, not the paint. If non-rust-resistant nails were used, oxidation can travel outward and discolor the surface, creating brownish streaks that seem to “bleed” through. Because rust tends to spread and worsen, it’s worth addressing early with the right fixes instead of repeatedly painting over the marks.
Is mildew on an exterior always a paint failure or something else?
Mildew is usually an environment-meets-maintenance problem before it becomes a paint problem. Areas surrounded by shrubs and tree cover create conditions where mildew can take hold, especially when branches and plants stay close to siding. Trimming back growth helps reduce contact, but once mildew is established, it must be removed properly or it can keep returning through future coatings.
What makes paint crack into an alligator-skin pattern and why is it so hard to fix?
Alligatoring happens when a new paint layer is applied over an incompatible existing paint system, creating a cracked, reptile-like texture. It’s ugly because it signals deeper adhesion and coating-compatibility issues rather than simple wear. The fix is labor-heavy: scraping, sanding, and priming are usually needed before repainting can look smooth and durable again.
Cooley Brothers Painting is a locally owned, owner-operated, family business in Torrance, California. Call the office at 310-378-4575 or email us: info@cooleybrothers.com. You can also use our contact page to reach us.
David Cooley, the esteemed owner of Cooley Brothers Painting, has established himself as a leading figure in the painting industry. With a rich history of delivering unparalleled service in Torrance, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Redondo Beach, and Rolling Hills, his hands-on approach and dedication to quality have shaped Cooley Brothers Painting into a trusted name for exceptional painting services. With a focus on innovation, customer satisfaction, and community engagement, David’s leadership continues guiding his team toward new heights of excellence and reliability in every project.
