Paint Problems & Failures

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Most common paint failures

• Holidays, too low DFT • Bloom and blush

• Sags and runs • Osmotic blistering
• Orange peel • Pinpoint rust penetration
• Dry spraying • Checking/cracking
• Pinholes • Alligatoring/crocodiling
• Popping • Mud cracking
• Fish-eyes • Delamination
• Lifting • Chalking
• Sweating and • Bleeding
carbonisation • Formation of vacuholes

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Holidays
Appearance
• Primer/undercoat shining through
topcoat
Caused by
• Uneven film thickness of the last
applied coat
Repair
• Apply another coat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Non - Systematic Spraying

Unskilled personnel
• Non systematic
spraying of a large
surface
• Several holidays Helligdag
• Uneven spraying Rød maling
and paint film
thickness 0589 - 54

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Sags and runs

Appearance
• Paint running or hanging like curtains on vertical
surfaces
Caused by
• Too high Wet film thickness
• Too much thinner added to the paint
• Airless spray gun too close to surface
Repair
• Avoid above
• Use paint brush to smoothen or remove excessive paint

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Sags / Runs

Paint applied in too heavy

coats

May be caused by: Rødt sig

• Wrong application
technique (Overlapping) 2-21
• Too short recoating interval
• Too high wet film thickness
• Too much thinner added to
the paint
• Airless spray too close to
the surface

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Runs inside a Tank (1 of 3)

• Inside a tank
• Heavy runs/sags
• Paint collects at
the weld/corner,
forming a very
thick paint “film”
• Has to be
removed, or the
paint will brake up
and cause
corrosion

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Runs leading to Cracking of Paint (2 of 3)

• Inside a tank
• Paint has
collected in the
corner
• Several mm
thick paint
• The paint
cracked,
corrosion will
develop

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Flaking of Paint. Corrosion (3 of 3)

• The paint has been

applied too thick
• The film cracks and
breaks up.
• Corrosion has
developed on the
steel after a short
period of time
Tykk løs maling, hjørne

Too thick film is just as 4-5

damaging as too thin

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Orange Peel
Paint surface is rough, like an orange peel
Caused by:
• Poor flow / levelling properties of the
paint
(Paint too thick or too low temperature)
• Poor atomisation of the paint
• Too fast evaporation of the thinner
• Airless spray gun too close to surface
Repair:
• Improve application technique
• Use correct thinner
• Grind surface and apply new paint

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Dry Spraying

• Application in a paint shop

• Dry spraying of a
construction. The smooth
finish of a newly applied paint
will be destroyed.
• Wrong spray technique
• Too good ventilation
• Too high temperature Nærbilde, rødt
• Plan the work thoroughly to
avoid over-spraying 4226-58
• Too high pump pressures
increase the dry-spraying

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Close Up Roughness (1 of 3)

Application of paint on
side bottom of ship
Wrong application
technique:
• Too long distance
• Wrong angle
• Dry spraying Nærbilde ruhet
• Roughness increases 0589 - 56

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Macro Photo Dry Spray (2 of 3)

Application of paint on side

bottom of ship
Wrong application technique:
• Too long distance
• Wrong angle Macro dry spray
• Dry spraying 0589 - 57
Close up of surface.
Magnified 8-10 X

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Pinholes
Appearance
• Tiny holes through one or more coats, or even down to
the substrate, as if perforated by a needle
Caused by
• Dry spraying
• Entrapped solvents or air
• Porosity of previous coat
• Incorrect application technique or viscosity of the paint
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Pinholes forming at application
on a porous substrate
• Porous substrates: Sink
silicate, concrete, cast iron
• Air from the porous substrate
will seek to escape from the
substrate through the paint
film.
• Pinholes will be formed in the
film
• The process will proceed when
the subsequent coat is applied
• Light grinding will fill the pores
• Use: Tie-coat, mist-coat,
solvent coat Paint technology: Pinhole1

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Pinholes

Close-up ê

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Popping

Appearance Solvents or air try to evaporate through the upper

part of the film, which has already nearly dried,
leaving small bubbles /craters on the surface
• Very porous substrate (e.g. Zinc silicate primer)
Caused by
• Entrapped solvents or air in the paint film
• Usually in connection with too high film thickness,
too long application distance or too strong
ventilation.

• Reduce film thickness or ventilation and adjust

Repair application technique (Tie coat / mist coat
technique.
• Remove paint on painted surfaces and repaint

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Hot substrate

Hot substrate may

cause solvents to
“boil off” too quickly

May cause pinholes and popping

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Popping

Tiny
blisters
and
craters

0807-4

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Fisheyes
Appearance
• Spots of paint on the surface with no wetting of
the surface around the spots. Appearance of a
fisheye.
Caused by
• Paint applied on oil, silicone or other
contaminants
• Painted on incompatible paint (Glossy paint
giving poor wetting)
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Fisheyes

Silicon Evaporation of solvents Wet

topcoat
Primer

Fisheye Blasted
steel

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Lifting
Appearance
• Small wrinkles through the paint film
Caused by
• Softening and raising or swelling of a previous
coat by the application of an additional coat
• Normally when overcoating Alkyd
• Lifting often caused because the solvents in the
new coat is too strong for the previous coat
Repair
• Remove the paint
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Lifting / Wrinkling

• 1. Coat: Conventional paint

(white spirit as solvent)
• 2. Coat: Advanced paint
(Xylene as solvent)
• The strong solvents will
resolve the relatively fresh
conventional paint.
• May also occur if Alkyd paint
is applied too thick.The paint Bjelke, lys
will “Skin dry”, (wrinkling)
particularly at high 2 - 39
temperature differences
between steel and air

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Sweating & carbonisation
(Amine blooming)
Appearance
• Tacky and sweating film, often with white stains
Caused by
• High humidity, particularly on Epoxies during curing
• Poor ventilation
• The Amines react with CO2 and humidity and form
Amine carbamate.
• Too low temperature
Repair
• Wash with warm water or thinner, using rags
Preventive measure: Induction time before application
start

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Amine blooming - Sweating

• Steel painted with Epoxy

• Tacky surface

Tacky surface
C22/2-17 with white C22/2-19
stains

Tacky, shining surface

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Bloom & blush
(Blushing)
Appearance
• Surface looks milky
Caused by
• Condensation on cold steel surfaces at high humidity
• Air pollution, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia
forming ammonium sulphate on the paint film.
• “Fast “ thinners
Repair
• Grind top layer of the paint
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Blushing
Bloom / Blush

Antifouling and top coat exposed to high humidity

4226-0066
0807-47

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Osmotic blistering

Appearance
• Smaller or bigger blisters in the paint film
Caused by
• Salt and other water soluble contamination
on the metal surface or between coats
Repair
• Remove existing system
• Fresh water clean
• Apply new paint system

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Blisters Close to Weld
• Blisters forming at the
area close to the weld
• Most probably due to
welding smoke remaining Rød blæring sveis
on the the steel
• Welding smoke is 1-57
resoluble in water and
will create osmotic
blistering
• Galvanic difference
between steel plate and
weld may aggravate the
attack

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Skin-drying

Blisters caused by solvent-entrapment

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Blistering

• Blisters inside a tank

• Blisters sometimes contain
water
• As long as the blister are
intact no rust will be formed
inside. This is due to the high
pH
• As soon as the blisters break
corrosion will start
6 - 74
• Use cathodic protection to
back up the paint system.

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Pinpoint rust penetration
Appearance
• Points of rust
Caused by
• Small pores (pinholes), openings or
defects in the paint film down to bare
steel
• Holidays due to overspray, dry spraying
etc.
• Too high substrate roughness
Repair
• Grind down to bare steel
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Corrosion. Too Thin Paint Film

• Corrosion of steel
on a flat area.
Måler filmtykkelse
• Paint film is too
low. This is Rep. for tynt påført på en
verified by film flekk
thickness
Rust gjennomslag
measurements

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Checking / cracking

Appearance
• From fine cracks in the topcoat to more
severe cracks down to the substrate.
• Caused by
• Stress in the paint film
• Entrapment of solvent
• Too soft primer compared to the softness of
the topcoat
• Too high thickness
• Repair
• Abrade to remove cracked paint
• Apply new suitable coating system

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Cracking / Flaking

• Mechanical stress in
steel
• Old, thick paint not
sufficiently flexible to
follow the steel
movements
• Most frequently
observed on paints Crack nærbilde
that becomes hard,
2 - 32
such as Alkyds

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Cracking & Flaking

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Flaking of Tar Epoxy

• Tar Epoxy system

• Flaking down to
shopprimer
• Flaking due to poor
pre-treatment
• Remains of oil
Flak spant
found underneath
the paint 0590 - 39

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Flaking of Alkyd on Zinc

• 1. Coat: Zinc rich

coatings
• 2. Coat: Alkyd

Never use Alkyd on

top of Zinc
Gjerde flaker
Alkyd on Zinc will 1-8
give saponification

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Alligatoring / crocodiling

Appearance
• Very large cracks (looks like the skin of an
alligator) that may penetrate down to the
substrate
• Caused by
• Too soft primer compared to the softness of
the topcoat
• Limited flexibility in the paint film
• Too fast drying of the topcoat
• Repair
• Depending upon extent, abrade or remove
all affected coats
• Apply new suitable paint system

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Cracking / alligatoring

• 1. Coat: Soft
type of paint
• 2. Coat: Hard
type of paint
• E.g.: Vinyl Tar on
antifouling Rød/sort crack
4226-46

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Mud-cracking

Appearance
• Cracks occurring during the drying process
of the paint
• Appearance of the surface of cracked mud
Caused by
• Particularly for inorganic Zinc applied at a
too high film thickness
Repair
• Re-blast to Sa 2½ or grind off
• Apply the inorganic Zinc

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Mud Cracking

• Mud cracking on a
Zinc silicate paint
• This is a fast
drying paints ?
• Has been applied
Mye cracks
in a too high film
thickness Grå

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Delamination (Adhesion failure)

Appearance
• Loss of adhesion:
– Intercoat delamination: Between coats
– Substrate delamination : Between primer and
substrate
Caused by
• Primer not compatible with subsequent coat
• Contamination of substrate or between coats
• Recoating interval too long
• Blooming / sweating
Repair
• Remove loose paint layer or down to substrate
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Flaking. Too long Recoating Interval

• Flaking of Epoxy
• Poor adhesion
between coats
• Too long recoating
interval
• Check the maximum Flaking alu.mal.
recoating interval:
Technical data Sheet 0590 - 38

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Chalking

Appearance • Almost like dust on top of the coat

• The gloss will be reduced

Pigments and extenders exposed on the

Caused by paint surface, due to
• Exposure to sun / UV light
• Degradation of the binder
• Weathering of the paint
• Insufficient mixing of the paint

• Grind and/or wash top layer of the paint

Repair
• Recoat

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Chalking
•Promoted by UV-light
•Causes loss of gloss
•Darker colours appear to fade
•Light colours will be “self-cleaning”

May happen to all types of paint to a

greater or lesser degree. Paints
based on epoxy binder are worst
affected.

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Solvent blistering

• Some times paints

are applied to a too
high thickness
• Solvents may be
entrapped
• Blistering will result
during exposure

Paint technology \ Solvents_blistering

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Ship going from warm to cold areas.
Flaking due to temperature variations
• Old, thick paint on superstructure
• Large temperature variations

Cd-4934-59

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

Lack of pre-
treatment on
galvanised steel

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007

 Investigation by a Guarantee
Insurance company has shown:

• 95 % of all coating failures result from

– Poor surface preparation
– Poor application
• 85 % of all failures appear within 1-2 years

This fits in well with our own experience

Nguyen Cong Thuan/JPS DNV Vinashin Training/ 2007