Tip/Troubleshoot
Causes
Application
Surface Preparation/Sanding Contaminants
Excessive/Incorrect Additives
Fast Dry
Were there any oil based products (wipes, glazes) underneath that did not get dry enough?
Solutions
Correct Application
Sanding, Additive/Solvent Levels
Avoid dry coats
Ensure proper dry/cure of all coats
Sand freshly prior to coating
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Are the products being used compatible with each other?
How long did the parts set between coats?
Could the parts have been finished, polished or waxed and then recoated?
If so, were they sanded before recoating?
Were there any oil based products (wipes, glazes) underneath that did not get dry enough?
Causes
Fast Dry
High Viscosity
Excessive Agitation or Pumping
Application
Over-atomization
Solutions
Slower Solvents
Correct Agitation and Application
Bubble Breaker
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How strong is the air movement in the area where the parts are flashing off? Might be driving off the faster solvents and capping over the top surface layer of the coating.
Are there any pumps or guns leaking around the sealed area?
Are the open pore areas of the substrate being filled or sealed off well enough?
How high is the air pressure on the spray equipment?
Causes
Surface Tension Variations
Excessive Application
Solvents Used
Solutions
Additives
Correct Viscosity and Application
Lower Applied Film Thickness
Faster Dry
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How strong is the air movement in the area where the parts are flashing off?
How high is the air pressure on the spray equipment?
Causes
Excessive or Premature Heat
Slow Dry
Application
Solutions
Check/Correct Cure Process
Check/Correct Application Parameters
Faster Solvent/Cure
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How strong is the air movement in the area where the parts are flashing off?
How high is the air pressure on the spray equipment?
Has the line speed changed, or has there been a change in finishing procedures?
Has the oven temperature been checked?
Causes
Incompatible Materials
Incorrect Amounts of Additives
Incorrect Amounts of Catalysts
Solutions
Eliminate Incompatible Materia
Use uncontaminated, properly prepared and formulated paint
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Has the product been catalyzed correctly?
Is the product in use virgin material or has it been decatalyzed in the past?
What step in the finishing process did you first notice the bloom?
Causes
High Humidity
Moisture Contamination
Solvent Imbalance
Incompatible Materials
Solutions
Eliminate Moisture or Other Contaminants
Add Suitable Slow Solvents
Reduce Air Pressure
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
What is the temperature of the coating versus the ambient temperature?
What is the humidity level in the spray and flash areas?
Was the coating setting up too fast for the conditions it is being applied in?
Are there any oil based products (wipes/glazes) under the product that did not dry properly before being coated over?
What step in the finishing process did you first notice the blushing?
Causes
Dry Too Fast or Too Slow
Excessive Application
Air Leakage in Spray Gun or Hose
Additives
Substrate
Solutions
Correct Substrate Temperature and Moisture Content
Correct Dry, Viscosity and Application
Additives
Bubble Breaker
Properly Maintain Spray Equipment and Hoses
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How strong is the air movement in the area where the parts are flashing off?
Are there any pumps or guns leaking around their sealed areas?
Are there open pore areas of the substrate being filled or sealed off well enough?
How high is the air pressure on the spray equipment?
What step in the finishing process did you first notice the bubbling?
Causes
Improper Cure
Excessive wet film thicknesses applied
Excessive number of coats applied
Poor Intercoat Adhesion
Improper catalyst level
High or low moisture content in the substrate
Solutions
Correct Cure
Correct Application
Correct Adhesion through improved sanding particularly on parts aged overnight prior to applying previous coats
Avoid Improper Catalyzation
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How many coats of clears (sealers/topcoats) were applied? Can you estimate the number of total film mils applied? Was a coating layer sanded well if applied less than 4 hours before a subsequent coat is applied?
Where did the cracking occur? (Mostly on the tops indicates a heavier film build on top)
Did the product go through wide temperature changes? (From warm plant to cold, unfinished home or warehouse. From a cold plant to a warm trailer for shipment to a warmer climate)
Is the operator using measuring equipment capable of measuring the coating and catalyst amounts accurately to within 5% of the desired levels?
Causes
Contamination From Oil, Dirt, Gels, Moisture, Silicones, etc.
Solutions
Eliminate Contamination
Check Filtration
Flow Additives
Check for Hand Creams and Lubricants
Contamination From Oil, Dirt, Gels, Moisture, Silicones, etc.
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Does anyone in the finishing area or sanding area use hand lotion (at home or work)?
Have the regulators been drained to see if the lines have any water or oil in them?
Have any guns or pumps been lubricated recently, if so, with what?
Have the air make-up units had any maintenance done on them recently? Beware of aerosol lubricants.
Causes
Too Much/Too Little Catalyst
Wrong Additives/Solvents
Old Paint
Incorrect Oven/Cure Conditions
Ambient Humidity
Temperature Variations
Excessive Application
Solutions
Correct Oven/Cure Conditions
Use Fresh Properly Prepared Paint
Use Correct Solvents
Check Additives
Correct Application
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much? Has the material been properly agitated?
Has there been a change in heat applied to the coatings?
How many coats of sealer/topcoat were applied. Can you estimate the total number of wet mils applied?
Is the material fresh, or recently produced?
Causes
Contaminants
Gels Flocculated Pigment
Over-spray
Wrong Solvents
Housekeeping
Solutions
Eliminate Contaminants
Check Filtration
Line Flushing
Housekeeping
Increase Humidity
Eliminate Static
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much? How old is the product being applied?
Has there been any cleaning/sweeping in the area? Have the exhaust fans recently been turned on?
Has there been any change made to the finishing schedule?
Causes
Iron Contamination
Over-catalyzation
Excess Heat/Vapors
UV Exposure
Solutions
Eliminate Contaminant
Use Stainless Steel or Lined Containers and Fluid Lines
Check Additives
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
If waterborne or catalyzed products are in use, have they come in contact with any iron?
Has there been any other contamination from other metallic products (metallic driers, cobalt catalysts, etc.)?
Has there been maintenance done on the equipment or lines leading to the finishing area?
Causes
Surface Tension
Pigments
Heavy Application
Slow Dry
Over-thinning
Solutions
Correct Application and Additive Levels
Faster Solvents
Correct Viscosity
Surfactant Additives
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Is the product fresh? Have proper thinning procedures been used? Have products been intermixed?
Causes
Surface Tension
Improper Solvents Added
High Viscosity
Fast Dry
Hot Substrate/Cold Coating Material
Improper Application
Dry/Thin Coats
Excessive Air Movement
Low Humidity/High Temperatures
Contaminants
Telegraphed Substrate/Sealer Imperfections
Solutions
Correct Application and Additive Levels
Flow Additives
Slow solvents/Adjust Viscosity Properly
Wetter Coat
Eliminate Contaminants
Correct Substrate Preparation/Temperature
Modify Ambient Conditions
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much? Has the viscosity been checked? Adjusted?
Have the products been left open? Was the product cold before attempted use (sitting outside in cold weather)?
Is the spray equipment operating properly? Is the atomization all right?
Is a good, even wet coat being applied? 3-4 mils per coat? Is the sanding sufficient between coats?
At what stage in the finishing process did you first notice the orange peel?
Causes
Under-cured Coatings
Incorrect Solvents
Poor Adhesion
Solutions
Check Cure Conditions/Ovens
Coating Cure Response and Catalyzation
Use Correct Solvents
Use Fresh Paint
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Has there been any product changes made? Was one product substituted for another?
At what stage in the finishing process is the product lifting—back to the wood, at the stain, at the sealer, etc.?
Has there been any change to the finishing schedule? Are there any airborne contaminants?
Have the stains been properly wiped?
Causes
Poor Agitation
Incorrect Application/Amounts
Substrate Preparation/Sanding
Solutions
Ensure Proper Agitation/Recirculation
Apply Correct Amounts
Sand Thoroughly
Poor Agitation
Incorrect Application/Amounts
Substrate Preparation/Sanding
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Have the products been agitated regularly?
Is the product fresh?
Has the product been uncovered for an extended period of time?
Have products been intermixed? Have batches of the same product been intermixed?
Causes
Dry Spray Application
Excessive Application at High Temperatures
Substrate Preparation
Improper Thinner
Solutions
Apply Proper Mil Thickness
Monitor Viscosity, Adjust Accordingly
Use Slow Thinners
Avoid High Surface Temperatures on Substrate
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
During what step do you first see the pinholes?
Does the substrate have large open grain areas or large tear-outs in the veneer?
Are the distressed areas being properly sealed?
What is being done to seal the pore of the wood? Have steps been skipped or changed?
Causes
Under-cured Coating
Excessive or Premature Stacking
Solutions
Correct Cure/Stacking Conditions
Use Fresh Properly Prepared Paint
Slip Additives
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Is there any heat used to dry the product?
How soon was the product boxed or stacked after finishing?
Was the product stacked in a hot warehouse or trailer?
How much weight was placed on tops of finished parts?
How much total coating (sealer and topcoat) were applied? In what amounts were they applied?
Causes
Excessive or Incorrect Application
Slow Dry
Thin Viscosity
Environmental Conditions Too Cold
Substrate Contamination (oil/grease)
Solutions
Correct Application Parameters
Thinner Applied Film Thickness/Avoid Heavy Applications
Faster Dry
Proper Use of Solvents
Proper Substrate Preparation
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How much coating (wet mils) are being applied per coat? Especially vertical surfaces.
Is the spray gun spraying an even pattern or is it heavier on one side of the spray pattern?
Is the viscosity of the coating too low for the amount being applied? Has temperature affected the viscosity?
Causes
Under-cured Coatings
Premature Handling
Improper Sanding, Rubbing
Solutions
Ensure Proper Cure and Finish Schedule
Rub or Sand with Correct Grit
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
Have there been any changes in the finishing schedule—have the times been shortened between coatings?
Has the proper sandpaper been used?
Is the product being hand sanded or machine sanded?
Has the proper amount of catalyst been used?
Causes
Over-Thinning
Too Rapid Thinning
Improper Solvents
Solutions
Use Proper Thinning Techniques
Use Proper Solvents
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How old are the coatings?
Have products been intermixed?
Can the settled product be remixed in, or has the product settle too hard to use?
Can an automatic mixer be used to agitate the product?
Is the product being constantly stirred or mixed?
Causes
Uncovered Paint Reservoir
Excessive Air Movement
Paint Age or Storage
Solutions
Keep Paint Covered
Minimize Head Space
Minimize Age
Minimize Drafts
Things To Consider
Have any adds been made to the product? If so, what and how much?
How old is the material?
How many times has this particular container been used?
Does the lid fit securely on the container?
Is the product being constantly stirred or mixed?