# Cinder Block building peeling



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I checked out a small commercial job today and the exterior cinder block on part of the building was peeling badly. All coats appear to be latex (very flexible and thick coatings peeling all the way to bare cinder block).

The interesting part was when I scraped off some bubbles that were still completely intact around the edges and the bottom layer was still wet in some areas (once exposed to air, it dried and match the bottom layer of the peeling section). No water in the bubbles, no water stains on the walls beneath any of the bubbles.

Do you think it is possible that the original paint job was hurried and the primer had only skinned over in some areas before painters topcoated and it locked in the wet primer? Since it is cinder block, I am sure the primer coat was put on thick and heavy and with the texture of cinder, it seems like some of that layer never fully dried. I will have to check with the company, but I suspect this paint job would have to be at least 10 years old.


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

this is definetly a question for jack pauhl


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Sounds like a its an elasto job, probably one of the 1st elsatos when they came out with elastomerics. Painters started painting everything with it, it became the wonder coating, that bit them/I in the azz. If there is no place for moisture to escape such as a weep screed metal. the moisture will push the coating off causing delamination. you wont necessarily see the water, usually only after rains you will see the moisture. If left alone the bubbles will go away but sooner or latter it will just start to completely fall apart and that doesn't take long for that. I have seen these a hundreds of times and I can say assuredly there is most defiantly a moisture issue look for opening where water can intrude 
.


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

is the top of the wall capped dean?


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

There is a metal cap on top.

Do you really think moisture would make cured elasto look and feel like wet paint again? That would seem odd (of course so does 10 year old wet paint)


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

DeanV said:


> There is a metal cap on top.
> 
> Do you really think moisture would make cured elasto look and feel like wet paint again? That would seem odd (of course so does 10 year old wet paint)


:yes: the coating is breaking down the wetness is the moisture. Kinda rubbery, huh? You have a moisture issue. Try and find where the water intrusion is. Water leaves a path. Sometimes you can fallow the trail. The cure is to cut out all effective areas, clean and let dry, spot prime, patch, prime all surface (oil primer) and 2 coats of 100% acrylic flat paint. DO NOT use any elasto product. This can magnify the issue. The structure is not fit for elasto. Warn your clients some spots may reappear and they need to be fixed as soon as they notice the effective area. It won't be the acrylic coating that you applied that will be effected but the existing elasto coating. Write that in your contract. Out of 10 houses I would say 3 of those houses will have recurring issues.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Right on ewing. Do you think block filler in the bad areas would help build the film thickness to match whats existing?


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## Woody (Jan 7, 2010)

ewingpainting.net said:


> :yes: the coating is breaking down the wetness is the moisture. Kinda rubbery, huh? You have a moisture issue. Try and find where the water intrusion is. Water leaves a path. Sometimes you can fallow the trail. The cure is to cut out all effective areas, clean and let dry, spot prime, patch, prime all surface (oil primer) and 2 coats of 100% acrylic flat paint. DO NOT use any elasto product. This can magnify the issue. The structure is not fit for elasto. Warn your clients some spots may reappear and they need to be fixed as soon as they notice the effective area. It won't be the acrylic coating that you applied that will be effected but the existing elasto coating. Write that in your contract. Out of 10 houses I would say 3 of those houses will have recurring issues.


I'm impressed...perfect advice


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Sounds like a nightmare, and I have seen this before and thought it was maybe chemicals or a chemical reaction happening that were breaking it down not just moisture. Would love to see some pics.


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## Wolverine (Apr 17, 2007)

I'm curious... while the above scenarios are the most likely and the advice for that is good... I can think of another scenario.

When you pop those blisters... is there any 'odor' to that 'water'? If there is an alcohol-like odor then it's possible that what you have is an epoxy and osmotic blistering.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I will check it out one more time today and see. The odd part is still the wet "paint" while limiting in amount, could be spread around with your finger like you where making a sample card.

The owner said the peeling started after the last paint job (one coat of paint over existing). The original paint job is much older than 10 years.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

DeanV said:


> I will check it out one more time today and see. The odd part is still the wet "paint" while limiting in amount, could be spread around with your finger like you where making a sample card.
> 
> The owner said the peeling started after the last paint job (one coat of paint over existing). The original paint job is much older than 10 years.


1 coat over existing??????Sounds like chalky paint underneath. Top coat can't stick allowing pockets for moisture,maybe even sweating to occur in between, it gets wet it will look like paint.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

The total mil thickness of all the layers is quite high, so I doubt moisture is getting through that way. I have been leaning towards a spot prime with PeelBond to build up the peeling areas. PeelBond being breathable and acrylic seems like a good combo for this type of problem on masonry surfaces.


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