Is your spray paint peeling off after you use it? Is it crumbling off and making a huge mess? Well, you aren’t alone on this one.
But, here’s the catch-
If you search “spray paint not sticking” on the internet, you’ll find a few things. However, they will hardly serve your purpose.
But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll tell you why your spray paint isn’t sticking.
Here, you’ll learn the reasons behind it all and how you can solve it. We’ll also add in some essential tips that’ll make your life easier.
Contents
Equipment You’ll Need
- Surface Cleaner
- Adhesive Cleaner (optional)
- Primer-Sealer (optional)
- The Spray Paint For Your Surface
- Scraper
- Sandpaper (optional)
Why Is Spray Paint Not Sticking?
Spray paint can stick on to the surface for different factors. These factors result in the paint crumbling or wrinkles on the surface.
That’s why we have separated these reasons to make it easier for you and everyone else to follow.
Before we get started, let’s go through how you should prep the surface before spray painting.
Quick Prep: Clean the Surface Thoroughly
Before you start applying the spray paint to the surface, make sure you clean it thoroughly. Otherwise, the color will not set on the surface properly.
For metal, plastic, and wooden surfaces, the standard surface cleaners on the market would do. You can find them online as well.
Our Recommended Cleaning Solutions
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On the other hand, for paper surfaces, use a blower to take the loose dust off. Then, use dry fabric to wipe off the dust remaining.
Now, let’s go on with why your spray paint isn’t sticking and how you can fix that.
Here goes:
Reason 1: Applying Paint Too Thickly
Sometimes, the layer of paint sprayed onto the surface becomes too thick. In this case, the outer surface dries fast, but the underside remains wet.
The phenomenon can be the reason behind your spray paint drying quickly and having wrinkles. Sometimes, they crumble off, which can be pretty annoying.
If you have this problem, you need not worry. Here’s how you can solve it pretty quickly:
Let’s Solve This
Before you start spraying, make sure the temperature is somewhere around 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, apply the coat lightly. But make sure that the layers are even.
Afterward, re-coat every few minutes to maintain the thickness. However, make sure you read the back of the can. Some of them will tell you to finish recoating within 30-60 minutes.
After that, don’t re-coat the paint for 24-48 hours. Otherwise, the coat might wrinkle.
Is this the reason? Well, if not, don’t worry. Let’s check the next one.
Reason 2: Wrong Painting Surface
Another reason behind your spray paint crumbling might be the wrong kind of painting surface.
If you’re painting on something like contact paper or any other vinyl coated surface in general, you’ll need to cover it in a quality primer-sealer. Otherwise, the paint will not be well put.
This can be fixed pretty easily, but you’ll need some work done. Let’s see how that can do that:
Let’s Solve It
To solve this problem, you’ll need to use a primer-sealer to make a paintable surface. After that is done, you will be able to paint pretty easily.
Firstly, we must clean the surface before applying the primer to it. Otherwise, even the best of primers will fail if painted on dust and oil.
Now, what do you use for cleaning?
For this, you can use any cleaner that you want.
Secondly, we need to make a coat of glue on the surface to make it paintable. So, use a good primer-sealer to get the job done.
Our Recommended Primers
Lastly, we have to paint the surface the way we want to. Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Well here’s what’s crazy:
You’ve to be careful about the paint too. Make sure the paint doesn’t have a chemical make-up that might damage the coat of primer-sealer.
Other than the damaging kind, you can use any type of paint that you want. The primer-seal works wonders in making a paintable surface.
Haven’t found the reason yet? Well, the next one might just be it.
Reason 3: There Is Some Kind of Residue on The Surface
Often, the paint doesn’t stick on the surface after the spray because of wax or some kind of residue left on the surface. This problem has a straightforward solution.
Let’s Solve It
In this case, use an Adhesive Cleaner in case of gum residue. However, if it’s wax, use a solvent that dissolves oil.
Some Basic Tips
- If you’re painting over contact paper, don’t use spray paint. It seeps into the crevices.
- The optimal temperature for spray painting is 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Shake the spray well before using it.
FAQ
Why does my paint have blotches?
You get blotches of paint on different areas if you hold the spray over an area for too long. Spray the coats evenly and lightly to avoid this issue.
Why does my paint feel rough like sandpaper?
This will happen if you spray paint in the outdoors when it’s too hot. The paint doesn’t settle due to rapid evaporation, making the paint rough like sandpaper. To solve this, spray paint in lower temperatures.
How do I unclog my spray paint nozzle?
If it’s one of the fancy cans, it’ll be difficult to unclog. If the can’s new, it’s best to take it back to the store. But if the nozzle comes off, you can run hot water to remove the paint. Similarly, you can soak it in nail polish remover for 30 mins as well.
How do I remove the spray paint before reapplying?
If you feel like removing the spray paint and reapplying it again, you can use sandpaper to scrape it off. Don’t use it too roughly; it might affect the surface below the paint.
You’ve Reached The End
That’s we had to fix your problem of spray paint not sticking. We tried to go in as deep as we could.
Now, we would like some feedback from you.
Did you get the reason behind your problem?
What kind of spray paint were you using?
Was this helpful?
You can let us know in the comment section below.
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