If the exterior paint is peeling, check around your gutters or roof to see if they’re leaking onto the painted walls. If the walls near the kitchen or bathroom are peeling, you may need to see if the pipes are leaking.
These signs of damage can be caused by moisture getting under the paint or by painting on a surface that wasn’t cleaned or primed well. Using cheap paint or painting second coats before letting the first coat dry can also cause damage.
The old towel or tarp will catch the old paint and debris that you scrape off of the wall.
Try scraping most of the paint away with something like a 5-in-1 tool, then sand away any remaining paint with sandpaper. [5] X Expert Source Patrick CoyePainting Specialist Expert Interview. 22 July 2020. Once you get to an area where the paint doesn’t come off easily, you can stop scraping. [6] X Expert Source Patrick CoyePainting Specialist Expert Interview. 22 July 2020. Since removing peeling paint can expose toxic lead dust, pregnant women and children should avoid the area.
If you apply the compound too thickly, the wall will feel bumpy.
If you don’t want to buy a disc sander, you might be able to rent one from a hardware store. Don’t worry about getting the area too smooth—you want there to be a little grit for the primer to adhere to. [9] X Expert Source Patrick CoyePainting Specialist Expert Interview. 22 July 2020.
If you’ve repaired a large exterior surface, you may need to hose it down with water. You’ll need to wait 2 to 3 days before preparing the surface for painting.
For a bathroom or kitchen, use an oil-based primer that can block stains. This type of primer will also protect humid surfaces from mildew.
Since you can’t control how humid your outdoor surfaces get, just try to do your painting repairs when there are a few dry days forecasted.
