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Alligatoring:
Patterned cracking in the surface of the paint film
resembling the regular scales of an alligator.
Possible Causes:
Application of an extremely hard, rigid coating, like an
alkyd enamel, over a more flexible coating, like a latex
primer.
Application of a top coat before the undercoat is dry.
Natural aging of oil-based paints as temperatures
fluctuate.
The constant expansion and contraction results in a loss
of paint film elasticity.
Solution:
Old paint should be completely removed by scraping and
sanding the surface; a heat gun can be used to speed work
on large surfaces, but take care to avoid igniting paint
or substrate. The surface should be primed with a high
quality latex or oil-based primer, then painted with a top
quality exterior latex paint |
