Bubbling in paint
What Is Bubbling in Paint?
Paint bubbling, also called paint blistering, occurs when the paint starts lifting from the surface, forming large bubbles in the finish.
Paint bubbling and blistering are the same thing, so the terms can be used interchangeably regardless of your terminology preference.
What Causes Paint to Bubble?
Paint bubbling can occur for several reasons, but the most common culprits are surface contamination, improper cleaning, environmental factors, and incompatible additives.
Painting over surfaces contaminated with oil, wax, grease, or silicone is a leading cause of surface contamination that leads to bubbling. Improper cleaning — such as using the wrong thinner or solvent — can also leave residues that prevent paint from bonding properly.
How to Fix Paint Bubbling
Knowing the causes of paint bubbling is the first step toward both fixing an existing problem and preventing it on future projects.
Before repainting a blistered surface, the affected area should be properly prepared — which includes thoroughly cleaning the surface and removing any contamination — so the new coat can bond correctly. You can also use PaintMath's free paint calculator at / to estimate how much paint you will need for the repair or repaint.
Additional Considerations for Older Homes
When working on pre-1978 homes, paint deterioration and repair carry an additional concern: lead-based paint. The federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for use in homes, childcare facilities, and preschools in 1978, but approximately three-quarters of homes built before that year still contain some lead-based paint.
Any renovation, repair, or painting project in a pre-1978 home or building that has lead-based paint can easily create dangerous lead dust, making careful surface preparation especially important in those situations.
Key takeaways
- Paint bubbling and blistering refer to the same defect — paint lifting from the surface to form bubbles — and are caused most often by surface contamination, improper cleaning, environmental factors, or incompatible additives.
- Repairs to pre-1978 homes require extra caution because disturbing old paint can release dangerous lead dust.
Related tools
Estimate materials with our free paint calculator on PaintMath.