How do I fix a bad paint job?

This is the follow-up conversation concerning a bad paint job or bad siding.

The adverse effects of the bad paint job on your house are runs, sags and bubbled paint. It has been my experience that you have two options to fix this problem, sanding the paint smooth or replacing the siding. The best choice depends on the extent of the damage. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick and easy way to fix this paint job.

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Fixing a Bad Paint Job

Sanding is a very good option but with problems. The main problem with sanding latex paint is it gums up the sand paper very quickly, especially fresh latex paints. Plus it is difficult to sand a surface truly flat without leaving behind waves on the surface.

You need a good painter with the right tools and the skill to use them. The tools needed are a palm sander and random orbital sander. Other types can be used but these are the easiest to control. The grit of the sand paper is also important. I recommend starting with very course grit sandpaper, 36 grit, to rip through the bad areas quickly then finishing with finer paper, like 80 or 120 grit.

This will take a lot of sanding paper or disks and patience. The amount of time this will take depends on the bad areas that must be sanded and how the paint reacts to the sanding. The key to properly sanding your house is feathering the sanded areas into adjacent good surfaces without leaving any waves on the siding.

After the sanding is over the dust needs to be removed with water. Low pressure with a power washer or use a garden hose with a power nozzle. No need for high pressure or an intense washing, just remove the dust.

Now the house can be primed were the sanding took place and painted. Two coats of high quality 100% acrylic paint should be applied. This time, make sure the correct painting procedures are followed.

As you can imagine sanding off all the runs, sags and excessively heavy paint can be time consuming and difficult. It is possible that it will be cheaper to replace some siding if the cost of sanding exceeds the cost of new siding.

Never underestimate the cost to fix a bad paint job. It’s much cheaper to have the painting done right from the beginning than fix it later.