What Is Paint Chalking?

If you rub your hand across your siding and it comes away covered in a white or colored powder, your paint is chalking. Chalking is one of the most common signs that exterior paint is aging, and it has to be dealt with before repainting.

What Chalking Is

Paint is made of pigment held together by a binder. Over time, UV light and weather break down the binder at the surface. As it degrades, loose pigment particles are left behind as a fine powder. That powder is chalk.

Some chalking is normal as paint ages. Excessive or early chalking usually points to lower-quality paint, overly thinned paint, or paint applied to a porous surface without proper priming.

How to Recognize It

• A powdery residue comes off on your hand or a dark cloth
• Colors look faded and dull, especially on sunny walls
• Streaks of white run down brick or onto foundations below painted siding
• The surface looks better right after it rains, then dull again once it dries

Why Chalking Matters

Chalking itself isn't the same as failure, but it means the paint's protective film is thinning. More importantly, new paint won't bond well to a chalky surface. Painting over chalk is like painting over dust. The new paint sits on the powder rather than the surface, and it can peel or flake.

How to Prepare Chalky Siding

1. Wash thoroughly. Clean the siding with an appropriate cleaner and scrub brush or soft wash to remove as much chalk as possible. 2. Rinse and let it dry completely. 3. Test for remaining chalk. Rub your hand or a piece of tape on the surface. If chalk still comes off, it needs more cleaning. 4. Use a primer if needed. For surfaces that still have light chalk, a primer formulated to bind chalky surfaces can help new paint adhere. 5. Apply quality paint. A high-quality 100% acrylic exterior paint resists chalking much longer than budget paint.

Chalk Streaking on Brick

Chalk washing off painted siding can leave white streaks on brick or masonry below. Cleaning these areas often requires a dedicated cleaner and gentle scrubbing.

The STRIPES Takeaway

Chalking is a sign that your exterior paint is breaking down. It's a good signal to start planning a repaint, and it must be thoroughly cleaned off, and sometimes primed, before new paint goes on.

Planning an Exterior Painting Project in Atlanta?

STRIPES PAINTING CO. paints and protects home exteriors throughout the Atlanta area, with careful prep and quality products. Contact us to schedule a free estimate.

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