Blocking
Painted surfaces sticking together when pressed against the other, such as doors and windows.

Probable Causes
Insufficient drying time before pressing the newly painted surfaces of doors and windows together. Lack of adequate ventilation will lengthen drying time.  Recoating before first coat is dry.

Solutions
Allow the proper drying time per label instructions. Free windows and doors from sticking before painting. Doors and window jams should be properly adjusted for free and smooth operation.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Burnishing
Spots of increased sheen where paint is rubbed.  

Probable Causes
Selection of flat finish for areas subject to heavy wear and soiling. Repeated spot washings.  Furniture or other objects rubbing against walls or other painted surfaces. Dark colors in flat paint show more burnishing.

Solutions
Paint high traffic areas with a high quality, satin, semi-gloss or gloss finishes. Do not clean with abrasive cleansers. Wash with non-abrasive detergents with a sponge or soft cloth and rinse with clean water. Gloss surfaces are easier to clean and resist soil.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice.

Caulking Failures
Loss of the protective moisture seal due to the loss of initial adhesion and flexibility.

Probable Causes
Filling too large an opening. Wrong type of caulk for a particular applications and exposure. Aged non-acrylic caulks that dry out lose their adhesion and flexibility. Considerable movement or prolonged contact with water will need special caulk/sealants.

Solutions
Select caulk that best serves your situation. Apply according to directions. For most interior painting, 100% acrylic caulks are recommended. They will seal cracks and adhere to most surfaces, even when moisture is present. Don't paint over silicone caulks.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Coalescence Void
Paint not forming a continuous film when surface temperature is too cold, usually below 50 degrees F.

Probable Causes
Painting when the air or surface temperatures are too cold for the paint to form a film. Painting in non-heated areas. Surfaces deeply chilled need a heating period before painting. Surface temperatures must be 50 degrees or above.

Solutions
Avoid painting interior or exterior surfaces when the temperatures are too cold. Late afternoon painting in unheated areas are vulnerable because the temperature will continue to decrease during the night and prevent proper paint film formation.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Cracking/Flaking
Aged paint splitting though at least one coat with flaking occurring in later stages.

Probable Causes
Old oil based paint that loses adhesion, flexibility and becomes hard and brittle. Poor surface preparation. Substrate cracking underneath paint file, e.g. plaster. Over thinning or over spreading paint beyond manufacturer's recommendations.

Solutions
Remove all loose paint with a safe and appropriate method. Properly prepare the surface. Spot and prime any bare areas.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Flashing
Uneven gloss with shiny of dull spots on painted surfaces.

Probable Causes
Improper or no priming of porous surfaces or surfaces with non-uniform porosity. Poor painting techniques. Painting over fresh paint or primer before it's dry. Uneven film thickness causes poor sheen uniformity. Drying during excessive high/low temperatures.

Solutions
Always prime new work to make the surface have uniform porosity. Apply the finish coat after proper drying of primer. A new finish coat usually will make the sheen uniform. Always paint from wet to dry and maintain a wet edge to avoid lapping.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Flow/Leveling Failure
Excessive brush or roller marks causing an unsightly non-uniform surface.

Probable Causes
Failures are usually the result of using the wrong type or poor quality roller cover or brush. Poor painting techniques. Repainting or touching up partially dried areas add brush/roller marks. Painting non-primed surfaces with varying porosity.

Solutions

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Lapping
Occurs where wet and dry layers overlap during painting. Avoid with paint area management and technique.

Probable Causes
Wet and dry layers overlapping. Too much heat or wind during application. Inadequate stirring or improper thinning. Extremely porous surface. Painting too large an area at one time, such as trying to go from the top to the bottom.

Solutions
Another coat of paint, evenly spread, will usually cover lap marks. If the finish coat is relatively transparent, or the surface is overly porous, a primer or a second coat may be necessary. Always paint from wet to dry and in small sections to keep a wet edge.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Extremely porous painted or unpainted surfaces need a primer/sealer coat before a new topcoat. Select a top quality exterior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Mud Cracking
Looks like dried mud with deep irregular cracks in the paint film.

Probable Causes
Paint is applied excessively making the film too thick for proper drying and curing. Trying to make one thick coat do when two regular coats will give superior performance. Allowing paint to build up in certain areas such as corners.

Solutions
Remove excessive paint in affected areas.  Prime if recommended and recoat with top quality paint. The uniform spread rate should not exceed the manufacturer's recommendation.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Picture Framing
Darker color where ceilings, windows, doors, and corner areas were cut-in with a brush.

Probable Causes
Improper cutting-in technique with a brush, too much paint, and not doing feather-edge brushing. Not maintaining a wet edge by cutting-in too much at one time. Poor roller technique, leaving a wide space between the natural break and the wall.

Solutions
Keep a wet edge and use a feather brush cutting-in technique. Roll into the cut areas before they're dry and as close as possible to the natural break. More critical when the temperatures are above 90 degrees.  Stir periodically to avoid paint thickening.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Roller Marks
A stipple texture pattern from the roller, not desirable or planned.

Probable Causes
Incorrect rolling technique. Frequently the use of an incorrect or inexpensive roller cover with an excessive nap length. Over loading the roller cover with paint. Failure to spread the paint uniformly. Painting over a slick surface without proper priming.

Solutions
Use a quality recommended roller cover with the correct nap length. Make certain the roller is rolling, not sliding. Begin with an upward zigzag stroke in an "M" or "W" pattern and fill the pattern with parallel strokes without leaving the surface.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Sagging
Paint running down immediately after application leaving an uneven coating appearance.

Probable Causes
Application technique and inadequate surface preparation. Over thinned paint. Applying the paint too thickly. Spraying with the gun too close to the surface, painting when the temperature is too cold or the humidity too high.

Solutions
Before the paint dries, immediately brush or roll out running paint evenly. Properly prepare the surface, sand glossy areas. Do not thin the paint. Apply uniformly at the paint's recommended rate. Two proper coats are better than one thick coat.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Touch-Up Failure
A difference in color and appearance between the original paint and the touch-up spots.

Probable Causes
Poor technique. Touching-up with a different batch number and applicator. Touching-up at different temperatures. Touching-up marks that could be removed with a sponge and liquid detergent.

Solutions
Always use the same batch number when available. Try to wash the mark off first with a sponge and liquid detergent. Use only enough paint to cover the mark; excess paint may cause a halo. Use a feathering-in technique, avoid dabbing. Thin paint up to 25%.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Yellowing
Formation of a yellow cast in aging oil and water based paints due to lack of UV exposure over time.  

Probable Causes
Using alkyd or oil based paints in white or light colors.  Can be caused from heating ducts, radiators or stoves. Limited light exposure behind pictures, appliances, inside closets, etc. Oxidation of oil based paints/varnishes. Recycled paper on sheet rock.

Solutions
Select premium acrylic paints that are non-yellowing. Available in a variety of sheens for most every purpose.  Alkyd and oil based paints tend to yellow more than water based paints particularly in areas with little or no sunlight.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality interior paint coating in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Blistering
Paint bubbles indicating loss of adhesion. Can occur in isolation or groups.

Probable Causes
Trapped moisture trying to escape through the paint, painting at temperatures above 90 degrees.  High humidity, such as rain or heavy dew before the paint dries. Painting a warm surface in direct sunlight, or application over heavy chalk.

Solutions
Find and remove the sources of moisture. Control moisture with adequate venting, stopping leaks and acrylic caulking. Remove all of the blistered areas and loose paint by appropriate methods. Power washing recommended for large areas. 

Under Eaves Peeling
Occurs in protected or shady areas where condensation collects sulfur dioxide from air. These salt like crystals are washed away by rain in areas not protected. Painting over these crystals will cause peeling as the salt draws moisture from the paint.

Probable Causes
Improper surface preparation to painted surfaces located in areas protected from weather. Condensation causing a collection of salt crystals from the air. If salt deposits are not removed, new paint will peel. Lack of adhesion of a top coat over a hard, shinny surface.

Solutions
Wash and rinse thoroughly before repainting. When dry, remove all loose paint. Sand all glossy areas and remove sanding dust. Remove mildew if present.

Efflorescence (see frosting)
Crusty, white salt deposits leached from masonry or mortar as moisture passes through.

Probable Causes
Excessive moisture, inadequate venting of interior moisture laden areas. The pH level is too high or the lack of curing time. Excessive lime in concrete mix. Soluble salts in masonry when dissolved by water appear on the surface as crystallized salts.

Solutions
Requires the elimination of moisture sources. Remove all loose paint and other particles before repainting. Fill all cracks with a masonry-patching compound. Repair any leaks or other moisture sources.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Masonry primer/sealer is essential and completely dry before repainting. Use a top quality exterior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Fading/Color Retention
Early loss of color or change usually from direct sun exposure. More pronounced with yellows and reds.

Probable Causes
Using an interior grade of lightly pigmented paint leading to rapid degradation. Using a color that isn't light fast. Tinting white paint not intended for tinting. Over tinting. All colors will fade somewhat over time.

Solutions
Remove all loose paint and other particles with a wire brush before repainting. All chalking must be removed. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. 

Galvanized Metal Peeling
An adhesion loss of the paint due to inadequate surface preparation.

Probable Causes
Usually no or improper priming. Improper surface preparation or choice of paint. Not removing rust, oil and other matter. Not de-glossing baked enamel finishes. Painting too soon after cleaning galvanized surface. Galvanized metal is very alkaline until weathered.

Solutions
Remove rust, loose paint and other particles. All dust must be rinsed or wiped away. Allow galvanized to weather prior to coating. Apply an acrylic corrosion-resistant primer. New galvanized must be primed with an acrylic corrosion-resistant primer if the finish coat is oil base or vinyl latex.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Bare or new galvanized metal needs aggressive cleaning prior to using a galvanized primer. Select a top quality exterior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Gloss Retention
An accelerated deterioration of the topcoat causing rapid luster loss.

Probable Causes
Thin or inadequate paint film. Paint colors such as oranges, reds and yellows that are particularly vulnerable to UV radiation. All paints lose some luster over time.

Solutions
Use top quality UV resistant exterior paints. Acrylic glosses last much longer than oil or alkyd based paints. Remove all loose paint, dust, or other particles. Rinse thoroughly with a hose. For best and quickest results, use a power washer.

Lapping
Occurs where wet and dry layers overlap during painting. Avoid with paint area management and technique.

Probable Causes
Wet and dry layers overlapping. Too much heat or wind during application. Inadequate stirring or improper thinning. Extremely porous surface. Painting too large an area at one time, such as trying to go from the top to the bottom.

Solutions
Another coat of paint, evenly spread, will usually cover lap marks. If the finish coat is relatively transparent, or the surface is overly porous, a primer or a second coat may be necessary. Always paint from wet to dry and in small sections to keep a wet edge.

Mildew
Areas of black, gray, brown spots formed on paint and other surfaces, particularly in damp, shady areas.

Probable Causes
Warm humid conditions, poor air circulation and little direct sunlight, like under eaves and overhangs. Shrubbery planted too close to a building is an ideal place for mildew to grow. Mildew must be removed before painting or it will come though the new paint.

Solutions
Remove all mildew by scrubbing with a solution of household bleach and water. Mix 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection. Power washing is recommended for larger areas. Rinse thoroughly with a garden hose.

Primers & Exterior Finishes
Priming is essential for better adhesion, sheen uniformity, mildew control and durability. Select a top quality exterior paint in the color and sheen of your choice containing anti-mildew protection.

Extremely porous painted or unpainted surfaces need a primer/sealer coat before a new topcoat. Select a top quality exterior paint in the color and sheen of your choice. 

Spot prime all bare areas. Also refer to the section on Chalking. Select a top quality exterior gloss paint in the color of your choice. 

Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting. 

From the EPA website

Any renovation, repair, or painting (RRP) project in a pre-1978 home or building can easily create dangerous lead dust. EPA requires that RRP projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and preschools built before 1978 be performed by lead-safe certified contractors. Generally, EPA’s Lead RRP rule does not apply to homeowners doing RRP projects in their own homes. However, it does apply if you rent all or part of your home, operate a child care center in your home or if you buy, renovate, and sell homes for profit (i.e., a house flipper).