1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Home Repair

Top 10 Most Common House Paint Problems and How to Fix Them

By , About.com Guide

5 of 10

Sagging or Running

Sagging - Running Paint

Sagging - Running Paint

© Home-Cost.com 2006

Symptoms: Sagging or Running
This paint failure is easily identified as a dripping or drooping look to areas of the paint film.

Potential Causes:

  • Application of a coat of paint that was too heavy or overloaded.
  • Heavy handed paint application.
  • Paint thinned too much at time of application.
  • Paint was applied in poor environmental conditions such as too cool or when humidity was too high.
  • Paint was applied without primer to a high gloss vertical surface preventing the paint substrate from having the "tooth" necessary for the finish coat to adhere.
  • Painted surface was not clean or properly prepared at the time of application.
Possible Repairs:
  • If you catch the paint while still wet, use a brush or roller to redistribute the excessive paint evenly.
  • If the paint is dried, sand the uneven area and lightly reapply paint.
  • If paint was applied to a glossy surface, sand the glossy surface to dull it and create a "tooth" for the paint to adhere or apply a primer and repaint.
  • Paint using two light coats instead of one very heavy coat.
  • Do not overload the paint brush.
    See tutorial How to Properly Use a Paint Brush.

Explore Home Repair

About.com Special Features

Holiday Central

What to eat, where to go, fun things to do and how to save money on the perfect gifts. More >

Make Your Own Scented Pine Cones

Bring a little of the fall season in your home with this easy-to-make craft. More >

  1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Home Repair
  4. Exterior Home Repair
  5. Common House Paint Problems and Repairs - Sagging or Running

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.